Football tryouts start for local high schools

The calendar may lead us to believe there is still another month of summer, but don?t be fooled. High school football practice started Monday. Fall is here.High school football coaches greeted their returning players and got their first good look at the incoming talent and as always, hope springs eternal.English High coach Peter Holey greeted 72 players.?I?m happy with that,” Holey said. “The kids appeared to be in shape. We had a decent amount of kids back, but we certainly have a lot of work to do.”Holey and Co. will jump right into the fire when they head to Everett for a scrimmage Friday night. The Bulldogs are coming off a 3-7 season. They?ll open up the regular season against Peabody (on the Tanners? new turf field) the second week of the season.Tech coach James Runner had his troops out Monday, but the Tigers are scrambling for practice space. The athletic fields adjacent to the school have been undergoing a renovation that began last March and they?re still not ready, leaving the football teams and the boys and girls soccer teams looking for space.Runner said people are working on the problem, but for now his team is using the area in front of the school with the field house another option. Barry Park is an option, but Runner said getting players, equipment and water up there every day is a problem.Runner said he was happy with the turnout, although it could always be better. Tech has been dealing with low enrollment the past few years. The Tigers open their season Sept. 6 at Pope John of Hyannis. That game will be played at Mass Maritime.St. Mary?s coach Matt Durgin was pleased with how things went on Day 1. The Spartans are coming off a 7-4 season. Durgin said everyone seems to have come in in pretty good shape and although he lost some very good players to graduation, including Jordan Manthorne and Eddie Faulkner, who will be playing at Bridgewater State and Framingham State, respectively, he?s optimistic about the group he has returning.St. Mary?s will open its season Saturday, Sept. 13, at Swampscott but before that happens, the Spartans will tune up with scrimmages against Revere, Greater Lawrence and English.Classical also launched its 2014 campaign. The Rams, under coach Tim Phelps, will open their season Friday, Sept. 5, at Gloucester. The Rams went 5-6 in 2013.