No one will ever accuse Greater Cincinnati high school football fans of dragging their feet at the start of a season. That's because more than 25,000 folks from Ohio are expected to file into the University of Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium this Saturday (Aug. 26) for the Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown, a 3-year-old scholastic football smorgasbord that has quickly become a western Ohio institution.

The concept is simple: Match eight of Greater Cincinnati's elite prep programs in four fabulous Division-I games that kick off consecutively and run from noon to midnight. The event, which draws considerable in-state media coverage, is a remarkable one-day launching pad for a much-anticipated regular season in one of the nation's richest football regions.

"From a district administrator's standpoint, I couldn't be happier to be involved," says Lakota School District athletic director Stu Eversole, who will have a dual rooting interest with both Lakota East and West Highs participating this year. "It's on radio and TV and in the newspapers. It's become a great venue to showcase the best football talent in town and it gives you a playoff preview. A lot of times, your basketball teams have more avenues like this to showcase themselves. It's a rarity for football. You get to see several good games on one great day and there's plenty of hoopla. It's like a high school bowl game."

The 2000 Skyline Showdown will benefit from a jump-start when two of the state's best Division II and III programs face off in the Showdown Kickoff, with Kings High (Kings Mills, Ohio) hosting Edgewood High (Trenton, Ohio) this Thursday (Aug. 24) at Galbreath Field. That appetizer will clear the way for Saturday's main course, which bills itself as the "nation's biggest high school football event."

There are plenty of folks who don't disagree.

"Every high school kid ought to have an opportunity to play in a game like this," says Colerain High (Cincinnati, Ohio) 10th-year head coach Kerry Coombs, who will coach in his first Skyline Showdown, having led the Cardinals to three city titles ('94, '95 and '98) and a Division I state finals appearance. "Sometimes we get lost in who qualifies for the playoffs or where you rank in the city poll, but I'd never want to have to look one of my kids in the eye and say, ?We had a chance to play in that event, but we turned it down because we weren't sure we could win the game.' The very best teams around Cincinnati play in this thing and we want to be included in that group. We're thrilled to go."

The day of dream matchups begins at noon, as Anderson High takes on Lakota East. Anderson will look to exploit the breakaway ability of its star wideout, Neal Rothfuss, while Lakota will rely on twin battering rams Ryan Patrick and Ted Bailey out of the backfield. The 2:45 p.m. game will pit La Salle High's speed on offense against Oak Hills High's standout defense.

Before fans have a chance to catch their breath, the second half of the quadruple-header will kick off at 5:30, featuring Elder High's all-time leading rusher, senior Kyle Koester, attacking a ball-hawking Colerain High defense.

The finale should showcase two of the region's top offenses, highlighted by Fairfield High's Division-I collegiate tailback prospect Earl Haynes taking cracks at St. Xavier Division-I collegiate defensive line prospect Pat Ross.

A portion of all pre-sale ticket revenue is earmarked to benefit each participating school's athletic department, the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Kicks for Kids, a non-profit regional youth outreach group.

"It's very similar to the playoff experience," says Fairfield High (Fairfield, Ohio) head coach Tom Grippa, who will coach in his third Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown this week, of the event. "For the kids it's like a college game. You're under the big lights. It's a great night, whether you go out and get killed or win.

"You want to win 'em all," he adds. "No one's more competitive than I am, but we want our kids to have this experience."