After a week of conditioning, high school football teams willdon full equipment Monday as preparations continue for the 2001season opener. Most teams will kick off their 2001 campaigns onFriday, Aug. 31.

The first week of preseason practice was relatively comfortable.Almost daily rainfall kept the temperatures in the high 80s and low90s. Several schools were able to get their Picture Dayaccomplished despite the threat of rain.

Brookhaven’s Panthers had their team and group pictures takenThursday afternoon. Brookhaven Academy’s Cougars, West Lincoln’sBears and Wesson’s Cobras were snapped Friday afternoon. OnSaturday morning, Loyd Star took pictures.

Copiah Academy had the earliest Picture Day, posing on Friday,Aug. 3.

Bogue Chitto and Enterprise will pose for pictures on Tuesday,the Bobcats in the morning and the Yellow Jackets in the afternoon.Franklin County’s Bulldogs will pose for photographers on Fridayafternoon at 5 and Lawrence County’s Cougars will smile Saturdaymorning at 9.

Brookhaven: Coach Andrew Hickman was pleased with thefirst week of practice. His Panthers debut Aug. 31, atHazlehurst.

“Our coaches and players are working hard,” saidHickman. “We have gotten some good leadership from seniors MarcusFoxworth, Rayshone Autman, Kern Hoff and Brian Mitchell. They aretrying to get better and set an example for the rest of ourteam.”

Brookhaven Academy: Coach Ray Ishee was looking forwardto his team donning full equipment. They put on full equipmentThursday and participated in contact drills.

“When you put on pads, you separate the sheep from thegoats,” said Ishee. “We have 29 kids out and we’ve had some gooddays of practice and they’re working hard.”

The Cougars will participate in the Parklane JamboreeAug. 24 and host Copiah Academy in their season Aug. 31 seasonopener.

Loyd Star: “Our kids worked extremely hard this week,”said Coach Anthony Hart. “They are headed in the right direction asfar as attitude and practice habits.”

Hart said quarterback Seth Britt and offensive tackleMatt Sanders were making steady progress recovering from anklesurgery last spring. They have been held out of contactwork.

“Seth and Matt are out here running and lifting everyday,” said Hart. “It will be good to get them back withus.”

Hart’s Hornets host Bay Springs in their seasonopener.

West Lincoln: Coach Roe Burns said his Bears have beenworking hard in practice. The offseason conditioning program wasrewarding for most players.

“Some of our older kids didn’t want to run this summerso they’re not playing football this year,” said Burns. “You haveto work hard to be successful.”

The Bears debut Aug. 31, at St. Joseph in Madison. Thisis the fourth year for West Lincoln to have a footballprogram.

Wesson: “We had a good week,” said Coach Ronald Greer.”We got wet a couple days but our kids have beenenthusiastic.

“Our kids had a good summer and that has carried over,”Greer continued. “We have got most of our base defense and offensein.”

The Cobras scrimmaged Saturday morning and the actionwas recorded on film. “We have a good ways to go before the seasonstarts,” said Greer.

Forty-six players practiced the first week.

Lawrence County: Weather was the main concern of coachesas they started preseason practice but the rain has helped keep thetemperature tolerable. “The weather has been pretty good,” saidCoach Trent Hammond. “It’s been cloudy most of theweek.”

Hammond said teaching and conditioning were thepriorities this week. “Our kids have worked extremely hard. Thosewho missed the summer workouts have it pretty rough rightnow.”

The Cougars kick off their season atCollins.

Franklin County: The Bulldogs worked through a toughweek of practice. However, the temperature hasn’t been as hot aslast August.

“It was hot but not as hot as it could have been,” saidFranklin County coach Michael Goff. “We gave them plenty of waterbreaks and things went well. Our kids have respondedwell.”

Goff said 45 players are participating in practice. TheBulldogs host Vidalia, Aug. 31.

Bogue Chitto: “You can certainly tell our summerconditioning program has paid off,” said Coach Carl Cole. “Weobviously picked up where we left off in the spring.”

Cole said the Bobcats have some good linemen but depthis thin. “We are kind of short-handed in the line. We have a bunchof skill players.

“Everybody has been working hard,” Cole continued. “Thisweek we’ll be in pads and we’ll be able to evaluate playersbetter.”

The Bobcats host Stringer Aug. 31.