Area football teams endured the high heat and humidity in theopening week of preseason practice but they also made plenty ofprogress according to their coaches. The first three days limitedplayers to shorts, helmets and T-shirts. Shoulder pads were addedon the fourth day.

Most teams will don full equipment Monday as preparations continuefor the 2010 campaign. Jamborees are scheduled for Aug. 13 andClassic games are Aug. 20, according to guidelines provided by theMississippi High School Activities Association.

Brookhaven

Coach Tucker Peavey sent his Panthers through a 90-minute, Saturdaymorning practice as they concluded their first week of preseasondrills.

“We had a good first week,” said Peavey. “We worked on puntsituations and on our inside runs. Then we finished with an11-on-11 team period.”

Quarterback Duwone Harris is among 16 starters returning for thePanthers.

As a special treat, the BHS Booster Club provided ice-coldwatermelons for the team after Saturday’s sweat-soakedpractice.

The Panthers will dodge the predicted 100-degree heat Monday andstart practice at 6:30 p.m. School begins Thursday and practiceswill be a 2 p.m.

Peavey said he has 70 upper classmen on the varsity and around 40freshmen on the squad.

Brookhaven hosts the Terry Bulldogs for a jamboree on Friday, Aug.13. The Panthers play their first game Aug. 27, at Franklin Countyin Meadville.

Brookhaven Academy

The defending state champion Brookhaven Academy Cougars had aproductive week of practice under the direction of third-year headcoach Herbert Davis. He’s missing seven starters from last year’s15-0 squad.

“I’ve been pretty pleased with the carryover,” said Davis. “I’vebeen here three years so our third-year players know what to do.That makes practices run better. It’s been a pleasure.”

Several key positions must be filled before the Cougars kick offtheir season Aug. 20, at Silliman Institute in Clinton, La.

“Middle linebacker is huge question for us,” said Davis. “We willfill in there the best we can. It’s going to take a while for ouroffensive line to jell.”

Quarterback Chandler Rogers and wide receiver Bubba Keene returnall-state credentials. “I’m pleased with our passing game,” saidDavis.

The Cougars held two mini-practices at McComb Parklane Academy lastweek, giving both teams a break from routine drills.

The Cougars don full equipment Monday. A scrimmage is set forFriday at Jackson Academy, starting at 2 p.m. They’ll visitParklane for a jamboree Aug. 13. School starts Aug. 11.

Bogue Chitto

Coach Gareth Sartin said he has been pleased with his team’sprogress. “Practice has been going good. We have gotten lucky withthe weather It hasn’t been that hot. It’s been cloudy.”

“Our kids have been working hard,” Sartin continued. “They aregetting used to the heat. We’ll go full pads on Monday. We aregoing over plays and trying to learn assignments.”

Sartin’s Bobcats participate in the Pelahatchie Jamboree Aug. 13.They kick off their season Aug. 20, at Madison St. Joe.

Hazlehurst

Coached by Todd McDaniel, the Hazlehurst Indians battled heat anddodged scattered thunderstorms in the first week of preseasondrills.

“Practice is progressing really well,” said McDaniel. “We aregetting all the players acclimated to the system. We’ve had some upand down weather. But we have been able to get out every day andpractice.”

McDaniel has 52 players participating in practice. The Indians willhost Hinds AHS for a jamboree, Aug. 13, starting at 7 p.m.

“We had a great turnout for our summer workouts,” said McDaniel.”Our players haven’t had trouble with cramps or the heat. We aregiving them lots of water.”

Enterprise:

First-year head coach Josh Garrett led his Yellow Jackets throughan encouraging week of practice. They practiced twice each morning,taking a break between.

“We wound up having a good practice Friday,” said Garrett. “Thekids were happy to be there. We ran over our schedule 20-30 minutesevery day. We got a lot out of this week.

“The effort has been there through the heat,” added Garrett. “Wegave them a 30-minute break at 10. Then we went back out and theenthusiasm was really good.”

The Jackets used their morning session to concentrate on defense.In the later practice, they worked mainly on offense.

Enterprise participates in a jamboree at Lawrence County on Aug.13. They will face Tylertown, starting at 6 p.m.

School begins Thursday. Garrett said outside practice will begin a3 p.m., after lifting weights for an hour.

Loyd Star

The Hornets became better acquainted with new head coach RandallHuffman this week, learning his terminology. They practiced twicedaily under his tutelage.

“I was pretty well pleased,” said Coach Huffman. “When we get ournumbers up, we’ll be OK.”

Huffman said 29 players participated in the twice-dailyworkouts.

“We are pretty much behind with me coming in late,” said Huffman.”That’s why we had two-a-days last week. But the kids are pickingit up pretty good.”

The Hornets don full equipment Monday, starting at 4 p.m. Schoolbegins Thursday.

Loyd Star debuts Aug. 20 at Franklin County in Meadville.

West Lincoln

The Bears only practiced Tuesday last week since they aren’tparticipating in a jamboree. They will practice Monday at 3:30p.m.

“We only have about 25 players so there’s no sense in going outthere a week earlier and having someone get hurt,” said WestLincoln coach Chris Calcote. “We’ll crank it up Monday.”

Calcote’s Bears debut Aug. 20, at Williams-Sullivan inDurant.

Franklin County

Coach Rickey O’Quinn’s first edition labored through a hot week ofpractice. The Bulldogs had 3-hour morning practice sessions.

“We had a good week of practice,” said O’Quinn. “We moved practicetime back to eight o’clock instead of 10.”

O’Quinn said the basics were a priority this week. “We started overlast week. We are going to expand next week.”

Fifty-six players participated in the first week of practice. Meetthe Bulldogs has been set for Aug. 13 in Louie Mullins MemorialStadium. After morning practices on Monday and Tuesday, teachersmeet Wednesday. O’Quinn said the practice schedule would change tothe afternoon.

The Bulldogs debut Aug. 20, hosting the Loyd Star Hornets.

Lawrence County

The Cougars conducted their third preseason practice Friday morningand avoided the heat.

“We have had a very good three days,” said LCHS head coach MikeDavis. “We installed some new things this summer.”

The Cougars have a new offensive coordinator in Jaymie Palmer whomoved back to his alma mater after six years at Brookhaven.

Shorts, helmets and T-shirts were standard gear for the first threedays of practice. “We worked on assignments and special teams,”said Davis. “We can definitely tell the kids who came to the summerworkouts and the ones who didn’t. It really showed up the lastthree days.

“The ones who are struggling are in the minority,” added Davis.”Most of our kids did everything they were required to do thissummer.”

Earning the “Iron Cat” moniker demanded extra work in the summer.”We had about 45 kids who made all the regular requirements.”

Monday and Tuesday will find the Cougars working in shorts andshoulder pads before starting full contact work. Practice will beat 5 p.m.

School starts Wednesday. Practices will begin at 2 p.m.

Wesson

The Cobras won’t practice until Monday because of a later openerthan most teams. School starts Aug. 5. Practices Monday and Tuesdayare from 4-7:30 p.m.

Coach Tommy Clopton said he expects around 50 players to report forpractice. The Cobras play their first game Aug. 27, hosting theRichland Rangers.

Clopton said his team wouldn’t participate in a jamboree or aClassic game that is played on Aug. 20.