Brookhaven football fans who prefer the best seats at King Fieldmay have to settle for the bricks if they don’t respond in time.Chairback seating renewal forms are in the mail and the responsedeadline is July 19.

Brookhaven head football coach and athletic director TuckerPeavey said the reserved, chairback seating has become a popularitem. “Two weeks ago, 64 people were on the waiting list forchairback seats. It’s important to renew as soon as possible.”

The cost is $50 for one season of chairback accommodations. Italso covers the price of admission to 5 home football games.

There are 264 chairback seats already installed. Peavey said ifthere is enough demand, two more rows of the plastic seats would beinstalled before Aug. 27, the season opener against Hazlehurst.

Brookhaven Gridiron Club members Buddy and Sherry Thibodeaux arein charge of the chairback seating promotion, plus the sale ofseason parking passes which sell for $100. Keith Gatlin serves asGridiron Club president and Mike McKee is vice president. Stan andSuzi Patrick serve as the club’s secretary/treasurer.

Peavey’s Panthers are defending Region 6-4A champions. Theybegin preseason practice Aug. 2.

The Panthers have been participating in an offseasonweightlifting and conditioning program this summer. Players meet at6 a.m. and 9 a.m. in the field house weight training room.

“We have had real good participation,” said Peavey. “Around 40of them meet at 6 in the morning. We have from 10-15 lifting at9.”

Peavey said the conditioning program was extremely important.”When practice starts we won’t have to worry about players gettingin shape. We can start right away working on offense anddefense.”

The Panthers lost several outstanding players from last year’sstate playoff team that reached the South quarterfinals, losing toWayne County, the eventual state champion. They finished 9-3 andwere ranked No. 10 in the final Associated Press Poll.

All-region returnees for the Panthers are quarterback JimmyJohns, wide receiver Taurean Jones, running back Ronnie McNulty,center Grant McDonnieal, offensive tackle Tyler Gatlin anddefensive lineman Jessie Bowman. Johns was named the region’s BestOffensive Player.

“We have some big shoes to fill when you think of the seniors welost,” said Peavey. Among the losses were all-state defensive endPhilip Tobias who signed with Southern Miss. The offensive linelost guards Adam Ogden and Kenneth Fairman, both Copiah-LincolnCommunity College signees.

Defensive back Jarvis Wilson signed with Co-Lin.

Besides Hazlehurst, the Panthers have home games with JacksonJim Hill, McComb, Laurel and Lawrence County.