By Jim Henry

jhenry@joplinglobe.com

PITTSBURG, Kan. — There’s a different feeling this year as high schools in southeast Kansas prepare for the start of football season.

School starts for most area schools next week, but under KSHSAA guidelines, the first allowable day of fall sports practice isn’t until Monday, Aug. 18.

“It is what it is,” Riverton head coach Cory White. “We’ll still get the same amount of practice time in. We’ll worry about the things we can control. They say we can start on the 18th, that’s when we’re going to start.

“We would have liked to had some two-a-days. We would have liked to get some more work in, as everyone would have. We won’t bring them in before school. We’ll try to make the best use of our time.”

A sign that football season is near — the fourth annual ESPN 1340 Preseason Luncheon — was held Thursday at Watco. Preseason coaches polls in the Southeast Kansas League and the CNC League were announced.

St. Mary’s-Colgan, the defending CNC champion, received seven first-place votes and topped the poll with 63 points, followed by Girard with 59 points. Those two teams collide in the season opener Sept. 4 at Hutchinson Field in Pittsburg.

“I was a little bit surprised (at being picked No. 1),” Panthers head coach Chuck Smith said. “I don’t mind it. I think it’s a nice honor that they think of you that way. But we only have two starters on both sides of the ball coming back. I think every game is going to be a big challenge for us.”

Riverton landed third in the poll with 48 points, and Galena was fourth with 39.

Defending SEK champion Pittsburg was picked to repeat as league champion. The Purple Dragons had seven first-place votes and 63 points, and Fort Scott was next with 57. Chanute was third with 47, two more than Columbus.

“I’m honored to be picked at the top, but polls are basically for the kids and the fans,” Pittsburg head coach Merle Clark said. “I don’t take a lot of stock in where you start. The reason for my not understanding totally why we’re picked first is we have three starters back on offense and five back on defense.

“We have a lot of holes to plug. For the first time since I’ve been (head coach) — this is my 10th year — we don’t know who our tailback is going to be. And when you’re an I team, that’s not a real good situation. ... We’ve been through camp, and we don’t know. We still have a few guys to look at and see who wants to step up and take charge.”

The delayed start to practice won’t prevent Baxter Springs from having two-a-day workouts.

“I like two-a-days, yes,” Lions head coach Brett Hartley said. “Since the state only allows so many days, you might as well try to get as much accomplished as we can.