Area football teams completed their first sweat-soaked week ofpreseason practice, working on conditioning and basic fundamentals.Most of them will don full equipment Monday as practice continuesfor the 2002 season openers.

Brookhaven: New head coach Tucker Peavey has been pleased withthe progress of his team. The Panther varsity and freshman teamstook part in Picture Day Thursday afternoon on King Field.

“It has been a productive week for us,” said Peavey. “Theplayers have worked extremely hard. They’ve been giving a goodeffort up to this point.”

Due to teacher meetings on Monday and Tuesday and schoolstarting Wednesday, Peavey was unable to run his team throughtwice-daily practice sessions. Participation in the summer weighttraining and conditioning program has been a plus for the team.

On Saturday, Peavey conducted a morning practice session in fullequipment. “We got some contact in but we are still doing a lot oflearning.”

The Panthers kick off their season Sept. 30, hosting theHazlehurst Indians.

Lawrence County: “We are loaded with young guys so they have tolearn what is going on,” said Coach Trent Hammond. “We lost somegood seniors who will be hard to replace.”

Football teams face a daily battle with the heat and humidityduring preseason practice.

“Our kids have shown a great attitude,” said Hammond. “Theydidn’t let the sun beat them when we started at 2:15 in theafternoon. “

Fundamentals were stressed in practice this week. “We did a lotof teaching,” said Hammond. “Our offense and defense worked onformations and getting our calls right.”

Hammond said parents of some players had expressed concern aboutthe West Nile virus and the abundance of mosquitoes in the area.”We spray the kids down every day with Off,” said Hammond. “Thecoaches keep bug spray cans in their back pockets at practice.”

The Cougars start their campaign Aug. 30, hosting the CollinsTigers.

Brookhaven Academy: Starting a week earlier than the publicschools, the Cougars put on pads Monday.

“We are trying to get people in the right places,” said BA headcoach Ray Ishee. “We want to have as few players as possible goingboth ways.”

The Cougars scrimmaged Friday afternoon. They’ll participate ina jamboree scheduled for Aug. 16, at McComb Parklane.

Bogue Chitto: “Practice has been going well,” said head coachGareth Sartin. “We have had around 24 out and we should pick upsome more, with school getting started.

“The kids have been working hard and they have a good attitude,”said Sartin. “We are trying to find replacements for the seniorswho graduated. The weather has been hot.”

Franklin County: “Practice has gone well,” said Franklin Countycoach Anthony Hart. “We are making progress but we have a long wayto go.”

Hart said he was pleased with the physical condition of histeam. “The kids seem to be in pretty good shape.”

The Bulldogs worked on special teams, offense and defense thisweek. They wore shoulder pads on Thursday and Friday.

On Saturday, Aug. 31, the Bulldogs participate in the VidaliaJamboree. They’ll play Jena, La. in the third session. The jamboreestarts at five and the Bulldogs will play the third game.

Wesson: Pictured day was Friday for the Cobras.

“Our guys have given a good effort and they have been realattentive,” said Wesson head coach Ronald Greer. “They have workedpretty hard.”

The Cobras have practiced twice daily except Wednesday. Greercanceled the second practice so players could attend church.

“We tried to get a balanced effort each day,” said Greer. “Weemphasized our special teams a good bit.”

School starts Monday and it will be the first day of fullequipment for the team. Wesson hosts Salem in its season opener,Aug. 30.

Enterprise: “Our first week of practice went fine,” saidEnterprise coach Ricky Deere. “We are just battling the heat.”

The Yellow Jackets practiced after school Thursday and battledthe high heat and humidity. “Our kids survived,” said Deere. “Theywere looking forward to having two days off.”

Deere said he would be able to tell more about his 45-membervarsity when they don full equipment Monday.

The Jackets make their debut Aug. 30, hosting the McLaurinTigers.