Avoyelles Parish Jamboree kicks off high school football season

It may not feel like “football weather,“ but this Friday night one of the most anticipated annual events in Avoyelles Parish will take place. High school football kicks off with the Avoyelles Parish Jamboree. The three mini-games will be played at Avoyelles High in Moreauville this year.

The Avoyelles Parish Football Jamboree is a series of 15-minute games pitting the three Avoyelles Parish School District high school teams against each other. This year’s edition of the traditional gridiron season starter will begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday (Aug. 24) with the Avoyelles Mustangs hosting the event.

The opening contest sends the Avoyelles Mustangs against the Marksville Tigers in a preview of the District 3-AAA opener later this year.

The second game will be a small sampling of the “Catskin” game that will open the season the following Friday (Aug. 31) as the Tigers take on the Bunkie Panthers.

The nightcap will feature the Mustangs and Panthers squaring off. The two will play “for real” in the second week of the season.

“Anything can happen in a 15-minute game,” MHS Coach J.T. Dunbar said.

Tickets for the game are $8 at the gate for non-students and $5 for students.

The regular season opens with a bang at 7 p.m. next Friday (Aug. 31) when Marksville travels to face Bunkie in the Catskin game. Avoyelles will open the season on the road as they travel to Livonia to face the Wildcats.

Mustangs Head Coach Andy Boone will be back for his 10th year while Dunbar returns for his 17th season at the helm of the Tigers. Nick Pujol will be leading the Panthers for the third straight year.

Boone had approximately 35 players in practice. The Mustangs scrimmaged Lakeview this past Friday in Moreauville.

“We are going to keep running the same offense and defense as we have for the last several years,” Boone said. “Just like in years past, we have to keep players healthy because we have no depth.”

Dunbar said he will start the season with 57 players. The Tigers scrimmaged the Menard Eagles at home last Friday.

“It is always an exciting time of the year when the football season starts,” Dunbar said. “We have three tough games to open the season, but I feel the games can only make us better for the rest of the season.”

Pujol goes into the Jamboree with over 50 players in uniform, which is more than last year. The Panthers traveled to play the Sacred Heart-Ville Platte Trojans last Thursday.

“This summer was a learning experience as many of our players are young and inexperienced,” Pujol said. “This continues to be a work-in-progress and we will see how it goes as the season starts, but we still have a way to go as a team.”

Avoyelles and Marksville will compete in District 3-AAA while Bunkie will continue to play in District 3-AA.