Area private schools will soon hit the practice field.
Pillow and Carroll academies open up July 29 with two-a-day workouts in preparation for season-openers that are now less than three weeks away.
Delta Streets Academy begins practice first, starting on Tuesday.
PA coach Tripp McCarty says his players and coaches are chomping at the bit to get started.
“Summer has gone great, but I think we are all ready to take the next step and start full practices,” said McCarty.
The Mustangs will be competing in a new conference this season after the most recent Mississippi Association of Independent Schools realignment — the most drastic since the association introduced the AAAA classification in 1996.
MAIS schools will be divided in football on a scale from 1A to 6A, and Pillow will be in 5A — District 1-5A to be exact. The Mustangs move from a three-team league the last several years to a six-member division that includes archrival Washington School, Bayou, Magnolia Heights, Starkville and Heritage.
MAIS Class 5A is divided into three districts. District 2-5A includes Lamar as well as Leake Academy, Hartfield Academy, East Rankin Academy, Simpson Academy and Park Place Christian Academy. District 3-5A includes Adams County Christian School, Central Hinds Academy, Copiah Academy, Silliman Institute and St. Aloysius.
The 6A classification in football will be the MAIS’ six biggest schools, and includes Jackson Prep, Jackson Academy, Madison Ridgeland Academy, Parklane Academy, Oak Forest Academy and Presbyterian Christian.
The two lowest divisions — 1A and 2A — will be made up of eight-man football teams.
The 2A football classification will be made up of the larger schools, such as Manchester Academy, Humphreys Academy and 13 other schools.
The classifications for sports other than football will be different than those for pigskins. The association counted male students in grades 8-11 to come up with the football classification.
The rest of the classifications are based on a traditional count of all students in grades 8-11. The non-football classifications will go from 1A to 5A.
McCarty is a fan of the new leagues.
“For sure, I like the new alignment that was created this past offseason. More teams in our classification has been due for a long time. Whoever can win it now will for sure have to pass several tests to get it done,” the PA coach explained.
The Mustangs open the season Aug. 23 at home against Jackson Academy. PA is coming off a 6-7 season in which it came up one step short of the State AAAA Division II championship game.
The Mustangs lost 41-36 in the state semifinals to eventual champion Lamar School.
For Carroll, the first game is also Aug. 23. It is home to rival Kirk Academy in Carrollton.
The Rebels are coming off a 7-4 season that ended with a lopsided first-round playoff loss to eventual Class AA runner-up Centreville Academy.
CA will start camp with 21 players — three less than it had last season but right around where the Rebels have been in recent years, according to CA coach Bo Milton.
And just like the Mustangs, the Rebels have seen some changes — moving up to Class 3A, which is made of up the smallest 11-man teams. They are joined in District 2-3A by Benton, Central Holmes, Indianola and Winona Christian.
