PREPARING FOR FOOTBALL: Above, Matt Lowe, East Palestine High School band director, works with

PREPARING FOR FOOTBALL: Above, Matt Lowe, East Palestine High School band director, works with drummers, from left, junior Timm Unkefer, seniors Jeremy Sedlock and Matt Watkins and sophomore Alex Duncan during a practice at the school. Many area high school marching bands have begun their practices for the this year's football season, which opens with some scrimmages today.