Area high school football teams begin preseason practice inearnest Monday. The players and coaches will be greeted by highheat and humidity on the second day of August.

An abundance of new coaches in the area will become betteracquainted with the teams. In Lincoln County, there are new headcoaches at Loyd Star (Wade Henderson), Enterprise (Mac Bezet) andWest Lincoln (Brooks Burns). Also new to the area are Mike Davis atLawrence County, Tommy Clopton at Wesson and Mitch Mitchell atCopiah Academy.

Players will work three days in shorts and T-shirts. They canwear shoulder pads the next two days before donning fullequipment.

Bogue Chitto: The Bobcats will practice at 4p.m. each afternoon. Coach Gareth Sartin said he expects around 30players to report.

Sartin’s Bobcats advanced to the second round of the Class 1Astate playoffs last year, finishing 9-3.

Bogue Chitto will host a jamboree on Friday , Aug. 20, includingEnterprise and West Lincoln. The Bobcats play their first game Aug.27, hosting McAdams.

Enterprise: Coach Bezet said the Yellow Jackets wouldpractice at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day. He said he expects 25players to report.

The Jackets play their first game Aug. 27, hosting theWesson Cobras.

West Lincoln: Coach Burns said he expects around 20players to report for practice tomorrow. “It will be good to seewhat we’ve got to work with.”

The Bears will practice Monday and Tuesday at 9 a.m. OnWednesday through Friday, they will practice at 3 p.m.

The Bears host Loyd Star on Thursday, Aug. 26. Kickoffis 7 p.m. on Perry Miller Field.

Wesson: The Cobras will practice each day 2 p.m., due toteacher’s meetings in the mornings. Coach Clopton said his teamwould take a 30-minute break at 6:30 p.m. and then return topractice for another hour.

Clopton said he expects around 45 players to reportMonday. The Cobras play their first game Aug. 27, atEnterprise.

Loyd Star: Coach Henderson expects his team to practicefrom 3:30-6:30 p.m. each day. He said 35-40 players are expected toreport for preseason drills.

Last year the Hornets went 10-0 in the regular season and wonthe Region 6-2A championship under former head coach SidneyWheatley. They lost to Bassfield in the opening round of the stateplayoffs.

The Hornets debut Thursday, Aug. 26, at West Lincoln.

Lawrence County: Coach Davis’ Cougars will practice at 2p.m. each day. Students report to school Tuesday.

Davis, in his 11th year at LCHS, said he expects around50 players for the opening day of practice. The Cougars play theirfirst game Aug. 27, at Franklin County in Meadville.

Franklin County: Coach Anthony Hart begins his thirdcampaign in Meadville with 65 varsity players. The Bulldogs willpractice at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. this week.

Hart’s Bulldogs kick off their campaign Aug. 27, hostingthe Lawrence County Cougars.

Brookhaven: Coach Tucker Peavey’s Panthers will practiceMonday through Thursday at 3:15 p.m. The Panthers will participatein Picture Day on Friday at 3 p.m. on King Field and have ascrimmage Saturday morning.

Peavey said he expected 60-65 players to report. “We areanxious to get started.”

The Panthers are fresh from winning the Region 6-4Achampionship and advancing to the second round of the stateplayoffs.

The Panthers kick off their season Aug. 27, hosting theHazlehurst Indians. Game time is 7 p.m.

Brookhaven Academy: The Cougars were among theMississippi Private School Association members who kicked offpreseason practice a week earlier than the public schools. Coolmornings greeted them during the first three days ofpractice.

Coach Ray Ishee’s Cougars concentrated on fundamentalsand reviewed their offense. On Thursday, they worked on theirpassing attack.

“We are looking real good in practice,” said seniorfullback/linebacker Dusty Bratton. “I think we have better seniorleadership this year.”

The Cougars will participate in a jamboree at Natchez onAug. 13, featuring Trinity Episcopal and Adams County ChristianSchool. Their regular season arrives Aug. 20, at Copiah Academy inGallman.

Copiah Academy: Coach Mitchell directed the Colonelsthrough their first week of preseason drills. Assistant coaches areLance Teasley and Scotty Cline.

The Colonels will host their jamboree on Saturday, Aug.14. Other teams in the jamboree are East Rankin, Hillcrest andJackson Academy.

McComb: Coach Ted Milton expected 50 players to reportfor practice Monday at 3:15. Milton said his Tigers had worked hardin the offseason.

The Tigers debut Aug. 27, at Hattiesburg.

South Pike: Coach Randall Huffman said around 60 playerswere scheduled to report for practice at 3:30 p.m.tomorrow.

“We installed a more intensified weight training programin the spring and our players really responded,” saidHuffman.

Huffman and his staff have been clearing an area aroundColee Field to install more bleachers.

The Eagles debut Aug. 27 at North Pike.

North Pike: Coach Adam Barron said his Jaguars willpractice Monday and Tuesday at 3 p.m. On Wednesday, the start ofpractice could be delayed by teacher meetings. They’ll practiceThursday and Friday at 2 p.m.

Barron said he expects 50 players to report forpractice.