Brookhaven’s three weeks of sweat-soaked spring footballpractice will climax Saturday at Summit when the Panthersparticipate in the McComb Coca-Cola Jamboree at SouthwestMississippi Community College’s Hurst Stadium.. The Panthers playNatchez at 2 p.m. and Amite County at 5. The junior varsityPanthers will play Natchez at 3 p.m.

Also entered are teams from McComb, South Pike, Brookhaven,Picayune and Mendenhall.

Under the jamboree format, each team will run 12 straightoffensive plays. Then the opponent runs 12 straight plays.

“The enthusiasm has been good and they’ve been working hard,”said Brookhaven head coach Tucker Peavey. His Panthers advanced tothe South State 4A semifinals last year, losing to eventual statechampion D’Iberville.

Peavey has a veteran group of offensive linemen returning plusstandout quarterback Jimmy Johns and powerful running back DariusPerkins. Johns and Perkins both will be juniors this fall.

“We have a bunch of kids hurt right now,” said Peavey. CenterMatt McGuffie has been sidelined by illness. Offensive linemen CodySmith and Tyler Gatlin have sustained knee injuries.

Peavey said Smith and Gatlin are having their injuries evaluatedby sports medicine personnel.

“We’ve got some ninth graders coming up who are going to helpus.”

Leading candidates at various positions for the Panthersare:

OFFENSE

Quarterback: Jimmy Johns, Brandt Hinton, T.J.Qualls

Running back: Darius Perkins, DominiqueSmith.

Wide receiver: Taurean Jones, Bud Chapman,Cortney Jackson, Josh Patrick, Anthony Caffie.

Left tackles: Tyler Gatlin

Left guard: Adam Ogden, Zach Ray.

Center: Grant McDonnieal, Matt McGuffie, AaronMoore.

Right guard: Kenneth Fairman, Cody Smith.

Right tackle: James Barker, Jerry Dickey.

Tight end: Michael Thrasher.

“We are looking at new kickers,” said Peavey. Guy Orr andBrandon Nations are the leaders to replace punter/placekickerDomenick DiPaolo who graduates.

DEFENSE

End: Philip Tobias, Patrick Earl.

Tackle: Jesse Bowman, Julius Brown.

Inside linebackers: Jason Dixon, EricEdwards.

Outside linebackers: Aljur Herring, TyroneJones.

Secondary: Jarvis Wilson, Lakendrick Williams,Alundis Chapman, W.T. King, Corey Hickman.

Assistant coach Jaymie Palmer is the new offensive coordinatorand will coach the offensive line. Palmer replaces Ryan Ross whohas accepted the offensive coordinator position at Southwest.

Peavey is working with the backfield and Eric Stokes withreceivers.

On defense, Rod Henderson works as defensive coordinator.Patrick Hardy directs the secondary. Palmer also is helping withdefensive line.

McComb Coca-Cola Jamboree

at Southwest Miss. Community College

VARSITY SCHEDULE

10-11 a.m., South Pike vs. Picayune

11 a.m.-12 noon, McComb vs. Mendenhall

12-1 p.m., McComb vs. Picayune

1-2 p.m., South Pike vs. Mendenhall

2-3 p.m., Brookhaven vs. Natchez

3-4 p.m., Lawrence County vs. Amite County

4-5 p.m., Lawrence County vs. Natchez

5-6 p.m., Brookhaven vs. Amite County

JUNIOR VARSITY SCHEDULE

10-10:45 a.m., McComb vs. Mendenhall

11-11:45 a.m., South Pike vs. Picayune

2-2:45 p.m., Lawrence County vs. South Pike

3-3:45 p.m., Brookhaven vs. Natchez