If there is a word to describe the first three weeks of the high school football season, it might be rivalries.

The first three weeks of the season have been rife with local rivals facing off against each other on the gridiron.

Natchez High has been at the forefront of the rivalry games, playing an area school in each of its first three games — Jefferson County, Wilkinson County and Ferriday.

Vidalia also faced off against Block in its season opener Friday night while the Trinity Episcopal Saints squared off against Centreville Academy.

And the local flavor was apparent even in the preseason, as Wilkinson County and Jefferson County competed in Natchez High’s jamboree and Trinity and Wilkinson County Christian took part in Cathedral’s jamboree.

The area rivalry games continue in the next few weeks, as Block will take on Ferriday this Friday, and then the big game between Vidalia and Ferriday takes place the following week.

It’s very good to see local schools facing off against each other in non-district games early in the season.

While each school’s district games are set by their state’s athletic association, the individual schools are responsible for scheduling non-district games.

And it’s been a great thing for both area schools and local fans to see so many area matchups in the first few weeks of the season.

It makes perfect sense to schedule area teams for several reasons.

First of all, when you have two local teams playing each other, you are almost guaranteed to have a larger crowd than you would playing a far off school.

That helps bring more money into the schools via admission and concession stand receipts.

It’s also a win for fans, who don’t have to drive a long way to see their team compete in its non-district games.

It is a much shorter trip for Jefferson County fans to drive to Natchez then say, McComb or Brookhaven.

But perhaps the biggest winner in these area rivalry games is the Miss-Lou community.

Natchez High head coach Lance Reed put it best when he spoke of the Bulldogs’ game against Ferriday.

“It’s always good for two local teams to compete against each other,” Reed said. “It’s a great chance to bring the community together to cheer their team on. It’s really exciting for everyone.”

And that’s really the biggest reason these early local games are great.

It’s a way for the entire Miss-Lou to come together and celebrate the accomplishments of their young people.

While people are divided so much nowadays, sports is a great way to bring people together for a common cause, and this season’s area games are doing that.

So get out there on Friday night and continue to cheer for your team.

It’s a great way to support your community, and especially your community’s youth.

Jeff Edwards is the sports editor for The Democrat. He can be reached at sports@natchezdemocrat.com, or by phone at 601-445-3632.