A half-hour before school opened Wednesday, the student parking lot was empty save for an errant tennis ball, a fuzzy reminder of summer pastimes.

Ropes slapped an empty flagpole, clanging like an old-fashioned school bell.

With just minutes to spare, a noisy procession of trucks and cars rounded the bend into the lot.

Bass boomed from car stereos. Heads popped from rolled-down windows to shout to friends. School staff herded students toward the building's entrance.

The early wake-up call takes some getting used to.

"I've been setting my alarm back an hour each day," said Greg Webster, 17, trying to acclimate his body from his usual summer rising time of 11 a.m. back to 6 a.m.

Samantha Miletta, 17, arrived excited to start her senior year. Her boyfriend -- Adam Hipsley, 18 -- drove her and two friends, Heather Payne and Vanessa Reynolds.

"Now we're in charge," Miletta said.

Not quite. Enter Principal Ken Soboloski. Taking the mike, he addressed juniors and seniors as they packed the gym's bleachers.

Enjoy the year, he advised. Take the little ones under your wing. And no more schedule changes. Students requested 194 adjustments in the last three weeks.

"This isn't Burger King. You don't get it your way," Soboloski said, dismissing students to homeroom.

Sitting in room 104, Vincent Cifaloglio, 17, looked forward to a year packed with football, wrestling and baseball.

Football practice was set for 2:30 p.m. in the John Zucal Stadium.

The season starts Friday with a game against Pleasantville. Cifaloglio hopes for an undefeated season and a Group II championship.

Guidance counselor Gary Cocking tried to focus attention on something else -- next month's SATs.

At his desk, Tino Cinotti, 17, sighed at the realization there's 180 days left in his senior year.

"I'd rather be at work," said the budding electrician.

The first day of school serves a purpose.

"It reminds me it's almost hunting season," Cinotti said.

Vincent Cifaloglio, 17, a Buena Regional High School senior, looks over Scholastic Aptitude Test information on the first day of school Wednesday.