MCHS to host Berwick, Patterson in football jamboree action

Area coaches are excited to see teams perform in the Morgan City High School Football Jamboree Friday at Tiger Stadium.
Berwick and Patterson open the 2016 season with new head coaches, while Morgan City returns third-year coach Scott Tregle.
Berwick’s first-year head coach, Eric Holden, said he wants to see his Panthers execute the base offense and defense.
“I really want to see the kids execute the base plays we’ve been working on this spring and summer,” he said. “If we do a good job of that, I will be satisfied.”
Like the other coaches, injuries are also a concern with regular season games a week away.
“Jamborees are a good opportunity to get a live practice period in,” Holden said. “But the main concern is to come out of the scrimmage healthy.”
In Friday’s action, Berwick will meet Morgan City at 6 p.m. in a 15-minute contest with no halftime, while Berwick will follow against Patterson in the same format.
Berwick will host local rival Morgan City Sept 2.
Patterson’s head coach Marvin Dantzler said he understands the draw of the jamboree to local fans but also stressed the importance of emerging from the scrimmage injury-free.
“For me, it’s all a part of the process to get ready for the opener,” he said. “To be honest, the coaches are preparing for week one.”
He said jamborees are good for fans interested in getting a glimpse of their team this season.
“But as coaches, we want to see the kids execute our base stuff and most of all, we want to come out healthy,” he said.
On Friday, in addition to facing Berwick at 6 p.m., Patterson will face Morgan City in the nightcap. Each scrimmage is 15 minutes long with no halftime.
Patterson will travel to Central Lafourche for the season opener Sept. 2.
At Morgan City, Tregle echoed the coaches’ concerns.
“I want to see us run our base offense and defense that we’ve been practicing over the summer,” he said.
But the Tigers’ play will have some big consequences for some players.
“We still don’t have everything in, so we will only show some base stuff,” Tregle said. “But we still don’t have our starting lineups set, so we will be evaluating who needs to play more or less.”
Injury concerns are still an issue for the Tiger’s head coach.
“You never want to get anybody hurt in a scrimmage, but you have to play and coach without fear whenever you’re on the field,” Tregle said.
MCHS will open the jamboree against Centerville at 5 p.m. in junior varsity action and face Berwick at 6 p.m. and Patterson in the nightcap.