The first major heat wave of the summer greets high school football players Monday, with the start of preseason practice. Mississippi High School Activities Association members officially joined the sweat-soaked workouts, which will lead to the Aug. 23 season openers for public and private schools.

     Players are restricted to shorts, t-shirts and helmets during the first three days of practice. Shoulder pads may be worn on the fourth day, followed by full gear on the sixth day.

     Mississippi Association of Independent School members have scheduled scrimmages for Friday, Aug. 9, after starting preseason drills Aug. 1. Most teams will participate in jamborees on Aug. 15 or 16, as a prelude to the 2013 campaign.

     Area teams began rigorous offseason conditioning and weight training workouts June 1, so most players will be in good physical condition. However, coaches will continue monitoring the heat and humidity, allowing their players numerous breaks for the consumption of water and other fluids.

     There are two new head football coaches in the area: Herbert Davis at Lawrence County and James “Jimbo” Nowell at Franklin County. Those two teams will meet in a jamboree Aug. 16, at Monticello.

     Brookhaven: Coach Tommy Clopton’s Panthers will practice Monday at 3:45. There will be a team meeting at 2:30 and position meetings at 3.

     Clopton said he expects around 85 players to report for practice, including freshmen. The Panthers will participate in a jamboree at Clinton, Aug. 16, starting at 6:30 p.m. with the junior varsity.

     Working on Clopton’s staff are Chaz Allen, Jeremy Loy, Darian Dorsey, David Tadlock, Chad Leggett, Corey McLaurin and Joel McCarty.

     The Panthers play their first game Aug. 23, at Franklin County.

     Bogue Chitto: Coach Gareth Sartin said he expected around 35 players to report for Monday’s 3 p.m. practice. Assisting Sartin are coaches Chad Norton and Adam Moak.

     Sartin’s Bobcats finished 13-1 last season, their best-ever record. They were South State runners-up to Stringer, the eventual state champion.

     The Bobcats will host a jamboree Aug. 16, on Troy Smith Field, including Wesson, Enterprise and Dexter.

     Assistant coaches are Chad Norton and Adam Moak.

     BC makes its 2013 debut Aug. 23, at Loyd Star.

     Wesson: Coach Ronald Greer’s Cobras practice at 3:30 p.m. each day. 

     “We will practice twice,” said Greer. “We will give them a 30-minute break in between practices.”

     Greer said he expects around 55 players to report.

     Wesson participates in a jamboree Aug. 16, at Bogue Chitto. The Cobras host Lawrence County Aug. 23.

     Wesson’s assistant coaches are Hugh Knight, Phillip Knight, Ricky Gunter, Seth Lofton, Rob Channell, Jessie Terrell and Ronnie Channell.

     Loyd Star: The Hornets will practice at 5 p.m. Monday. Coach Randall Huffman said he is expecting around 35 players. They’ll start practice at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday and continue that schedule for the rest of the week.

     Working with Huffman as assistant coaches are Seth Britt, Dustin Sisco and Jared Britt.

     Loyd Star will host Bogue Chitto Aug. 23 in its season opener, also known as the Possum Bowl.

    Lawrence County: The Cougars will practice at 3 p.m. School starts Wednesday.

     Coach Davis said he expects to have 45 varsity players report. He comes to Monticello from Ocean Springs, where he worked as offensive coordinator.

     The Cougars host Franklin County for a 7 p.m. jamboree Aug. 16.

     Davis has assembled a new staff of assistant coaches: Justin Sawyer, David Barber, Joseph Hooker, Bruce Brady and Marc Howard.

    Franklin County: Coach Nowell said his team would practice at 3 p.m. Monday. Nowell said he expects 60 players to report.

     He comes to Meadville from Pearl River Community College where he was defensive coordinator.

     Franklin County assistant coaches are Adam Barron, Johnathan Brooks, Phillip Poole and Brent Calcote.

     The Bulldogs host Brookhaven Aug. 23.

    Enterprise: Second-year head coach Brooks Burns said he expects to have around 35-30 players on his varsity squad. The Yellow Jackets will practice after school each day, around 3 p.m.

     Enterprise will participate in a jamboree at Bogue Chitto, Aug. 16.

     The Jackets play their first game on Saturday, Aug. 24, at Resurrection Catholic in Pascagoula.

     Working with Burns as assistant coaches are Josh Thibodeaux, Shane Adams and Roe Burns.

    West Lincoln: Coach Willie Brumfield’s Bears will practice once Monday at 3 p.m. That schedule will continue the remainder of the week.

     Brumfield said his team would not participate in a jamboree. The Bears debut Aug. 23, at Salem.

      Brumfield expects around 35 players to participate in preseason drills.

     Assistant coaches are Luke Addison, Steve Barrington, David Flake and Jeff King.

    Hazlehurst: The defending Class 3A state champion Indians, coming off a perfect 16-0 campaign, start practice Monday. Coach Randal Montgomery begins his third season at the helm and expects around 60 players to report.

     Montgomery said his team would participate in the Madison-Ridgeland Academy jamboree Aug. 16. The Indians will play Terry and Yazoo County.

     Working as assistant coaches are Jarred Milloy, Robert Benson, Ted Thompson, Jerome Cleveland and Trey Lindsey.

            The Indians host Jackson Murrah in their Aug. 23 debut.