Today is Cougs’ opener with Punahou at home of Seahawks.

As the fight song filled the Central Kitsap High School cafeteria Friday, orange and black filled the room. The cheer squad was in full effect, and the band ready to go.

Beyond the athletes themselves, it seems almost everyone at CK is excited for today’s season opener.

The Cougars kick off the season at 8 p.m. tonight at Qwest Field in the main game of the Emerald City Kickoff Classic, taking on Hawaiian powerhouse Punahou, a school that won 16 state titles across sports last year alone.

But it’s a challenge CK senior Howard McDonald is excited for.

“Oh yeah,” McDonald said. “The atmosphere of playing in a pro stadium. And it’s gonna be fun playing a different team from a different state. I just expect it’s going to be exciting. Not a lot of people get to play at Qwest Field.”

Coming off a 9-2 season and a return to state, the Cougars aren’t just excited to play at Qwest however. They want to win.

“We’re going there to win,” McDonald said. “It’s not sight-seeing.”

Junior lineman Connor Chesser is another whose pumped up for the game.

“I can’t wait,” Chesser said. “It’s the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing I think about before bed.”

Punahou, located in Honalulu, is ranked 45th nationally by MaxPreps.com and second in Hawaii. Linebacker Manti Te’o is widely regarded as the No. 1 linebacker prospect in the country. With McDonald a running back, he’s eager for the battle within the battle tonight.

“It’s exciting, all the No. 1 recruit hype about him,” McDonald said. “I just want to run him over. He’s a good athlete. We’ll see what happens.”

Even Cougars who won’t be able to play in the game are excited. Lineman Spencer Williams, who injured his knee during summer condition (an MRI Tuesday revealed a partially torn lateral meniscus), said he can’t wait to cheer his teammates on, even if it is from the sidelines.

“Oh yeah, definitely, just for being around another good team,” Williams said. “It’s another good team to get us rolling for the season.”

The Central Kitsap band will perform on the 4:15 p.m. ferry from Bremerton to Seattle prior to the game.

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