It happened two days after Thanksgiving in 2014 when the Randolph Cardinals turned a 27-6 halftime deficit into a 48-41 victory over Chester in the Class D title game at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse.

After the postgame awards were presented, Randolph coach Brent Brown met with the media in a tunnel just off the Ernie Davis Legends Field playing surface. As he answered questions, he pulled his cellphone from his pocket and saw it was figuratively blowing up with text messages.

Among them was one from Pat Slater, the Cardinals’ legendary former coach.

“Are you kidding me?” his text read. “Fantastic.”

OBSERVER File Photo Fredonia's Nick Whitfield

That quote resonates today, too — for different reasons — as the Section VI football season finally gets under way tonight after a seven-month pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the duration of the season is only seven weeks and there will be no state playoffs, one can’t help but have the same kind of enthusiasm that Slater did years ago.

That’s because, even without the dream of playing at the Carrier Dome this spring, at least the kids will be able to pull on their shoulder pads and helmets and play, coaches will be able to coach, and sportswriters, well, will be able to chronicle it all.

It’s been long overdue.

So what am I looking forward to seeing the most?

Here’s a partial list that includes:

Silver Creek/Forestville's Sam Braidich

¯ Jamestown junior running back Jaylen Butera and Jamestown sophomore quarterback Trey Drake, who have gotten bigger, better and stronger since breakout seasons in the fall of 2019.

¯ Southwestern junior quarterback Aidan Kennedy, who was often spectacular in helping the Trojans to a Section VI championship and a narrow loss in the state semifinal as a sophomore.

¯ Silver Creek/Forestville’s Sam Braidich and Dunkirk’s Christian Ortiz, a pair of extremely athletic seniors, whose futures on the gridiron are bright.

¯ Fredonia’s Nick Whitfield, who has to be on the short list of Western New York’s most athletic players. Although he suffered a wrist injury in the first game of the basketball season, he’ll be one to watch if he gets on the field.

¯ Clymer/Sherman/Panama’s John Swabik, who is bound for the University of Colorado in the fall where he’ll be a Division I decathlete. But he is also an outstanding football player. Need just one example from 2019? How many high school kids are included in a SportsCenter top play? If you haven’t seen it, Google it.

Dunkirk's Phil Messina

¯ The Falconer/Cassadaga Valley coaching staff. Composed of head coach Dan Greco and assisted by Curt Fischer, Mark Petersen, Brian Voorhis, Jacob Slade and Mike Zanghi, the Golden Cougars will have one of the most experienced collections of football minds around.

¯ Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton will debut another new coach when Ryan Gibbs roams the sideline Saturday in Falconer against the Golden Cougars. Gibbs, the Thunderbirds defensive coordinator under Bryan Bongiovanni in 2019, will be the program’s fifth head coach in five seasons since a merger with Maple Grove ended in 2015.

¯ The new athletic complex in Salamanca. The Warriors, coached by Chad Bartoszek, open their season tonight when they entertain Maple Grove — in its return to 11-man football. The aerial photos posted to social media are spectacular.

To quote Coach Slater: “Are you kidding me? Fantastic.”

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the late Dick Gallagher, who was responsible for promoting WNY high school football better than anyone has or ever will. Dick passed away last June. He is missed, but not forgotten.

Silver Creek/Forestville's Hunter Larson