New Mexico high school football teams are getting a bit of an early start this season.

Practice for all teams can begin on Monday, a week earlier than usual. The early start is designed to reduce the need for two-a-day practices in what is often seering heat this time of year.

Clovis High is expecting perhaps 100 candidates in the sophomore thorugh senior classes, assistant coach Darren Kelley said Saturday.

The first week’s schedule will be from 4-8 p.m., with a break in the middle. Teams will be able to practice in pads for the first time on Thursday.

The Wildcats, who went 5-7 last season and lost in the Class 5A state quarterfinals last fall to La Cueva, will have some key seniors to replace.

“There’s some kids who’ll dodecent for us,” Kelley said. “I think we’ll have some decent size up front. We’ll just have to be able to get the ball to our athletes.”

The Cats and Las Cruces High meet in their annual neutral-site scrimmage at 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 19, this year at the Wool Bowl in Roswell.

The season opener is the following Friday at Alamogordo.