The Gloucester Dukes make their return to the gridiron this Friday at 7 p.m. looking to outperform their ranking of eight in preseason polls. Wins in their scrimmages made for a strong opening for GHS, but this young team will be tested when the Woodside Wolverines come to town.

“We got a chip on our shoulder,” head coach John Scalf said before Tuesday’s practice. “We’re ranked eight out of 10; it’s crazy but I love it. Everything we do better than that, it’s all gravy from there.”

Scalf put the ranking on the wall of the team’s locker room and will leave it up all season to remind his team that nothing will be handed to them. “We’re Rodney Dangerfield, baby, no respect … no respect,” he said.

Perceived disrespect aside, the Dukes did sweep their scrimmages against Green Run and Warhill. “I mean, you could tell with the execution on offense and the flying to the ball on defense that we...