Why ease into something when you can jump right into a pivotal confrontation?

Luckily for football fans, the latter scenario will happen on Friday night when the Snohomish Panthers play host to the Marysville-Pilchuck Tomahawks at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Snohomish. It’s the first Wesco North game of the season for both teams and — even though it’s only Week 2 — this is clearly a biggie.

M-P (1-0), the defending North champion, was picked by coaches to win it again. Meanwhile, Snohomish (1-0) was picked to place fourth in the division after taking second behind M-P a year ago.

I will be at this game. The crowd should be huge, and plenty of other media will be there. KRKO 1380 AM sports radio is scheduled to broadcast the showdown and it looks like Q13 Fox of Seattle will feature it, based on an overwhelming amount of votes cast for M-P vs. Snohomish in an online fan poll. So far, the M-P vs. Snohomish game has gotten a whopping 79.2 percent of the votes.

Friday’s other Wesco North opener is Monroe at Oak Harbor. The other three North teams have non-league games: Glacier Peak is at Lake Stevens, Lynnwood is at Arlington, and Stanwood is at Meadowdale.

Within a few weeks we’ll get a good idea of who might prevail in the North. But, based on what you know now, who do you think will finish on top?

For reference, check out our preseason Wesco North team capsules and our North coaches’ poll. Then share your opinion.

Which team will win the 2009 Wesco North football title?(survey software)