The worst part is over. The sweat stinging the eyes; the numbness that overtakes the weary body as the final set of wind sprints are concluded; the nagging agony of a deep bone bruise.

Grueling summer football double sessions can test the mettle of the strongest of men, but now comes the reward: Game Day.

The schoolboy football season gets under way across the state tonight and the docket includes a rematch of last year’s Pine Tree Conference championship game between Bangor and Gardiner.

Bangor coach Gabby Price has plenty of new faces – he returns only four full-time starters off a 9-2 team – and he knows his Rams have drawn a tough opening-game assignment in the PTC champion Tigers. Gardiner finished 9-3 after losing to Noble High of Berwick in the state game.

“Gardiner was a very good team last year and they will be again this year. But we might as well find out where we are right off the bat,” said Price, who has guided his Rams to four PTC championship game appearances in the last five years. “Our question mark is our inexperience. We have good players. They just need to play.”

Price said his team will need to avoid turnovers and “just play, smart, sound football.”

Gardiner at Bangor, Cameron Stadium, 7 p.m. – Gardiner shocked the Rams in the PTC championship game 20-6 at snowy Cameron Stadium. Bangor had won an early season game 41-28 at Gardiner. Both teams have suffered significant departures – including Gardiner Fitzpatrick Trophy award-winner Nate Sergent and Bangor Fitzy finalist Tommy Waterman – but both should be in the playoff hunt. Tailback Willie Kane and fullback Hampton Clarkson will be a formidable tandem in the Bangor backfield. Pat Munzing and Zach Burke provide Gardiner with a quality backfield tandem.

Oxford Hills at Brewer, Doyle Field, 7 p.m. – The Witches, in their second year in Class A’s Pine Tree Conference, will unveil their single wing offense and leave it up to the Viking defense to figure it out. Brewer went 0-9 in its first year back in “A” last fall and first-year coach Josh Emmett has brought the offense of the early 1900s out of mothballs. Oxford Hills is coming off a 3-6 season. The Vikings whipped Brewer 34-7 in ’97.

Old Town at Foxcroft Academy, 7 p.m.: This is a battle of 1997 playoff teams. Old Town went 7-4 in LTC Class B, losing to Belfast in the final. Foxcroft went 10-2, winning the LTC “C” title before losing the state final to Lisbon. Josh Roberts and Brian Bellemare will replace offensive catalysts Brock Hartford and Ben Preston at quarterback and running back, respectively, for Foxcroft. Old Town must replace the 1,700 yards and 20 TDs of backs Peter Baker and Alger Yanush. Old Town clipped Foxcroft 12-7 a year ago.

Stearns at Belfast, 7 p.m.: These teams are perennial powerhouses. Stearns will introduce first-year coach Tom Bertrand, who benefits from having several offensive starters back. The Minutemen rolled up 281 points in nine regular season games, second-most in LTC Class C. Belfast won its third straight LTC “B” crown despite a 3-5 regular season. Wells beat Belfast in the state final. Stearns will have to contain 1,000-yard rusher Tim Parenteau. Stearns has five state championship game appearances in the 1990s. Stearns beat Belfast 42-20 last fall.

Winslow at Bucksport, 7 p.m.: Both made the playoffs in their respective classes last fall. Winslow lost to Belfast in the LTC “B” semis and Bucksport was beaten by Foxcroft in the LTC “C” final. Bucksport will be led by three-year starting QB Cameron Giroux, who threw for 663 yards last fall. He threw for 143 of those yards in a 20-18 loss to Winslow.