As team pictures are taken and practice begins, the anticipated 2008 football season is here.

With picture day held Monday afternoon, Rayne High will begin after-school practice Monday, Aug. 11, on the campus’ practice field. Daily workouts in the weight room have been completed during the summer months.

The Wolves will travel to Vermilion Catholic on Aug. 21 for a pre-season scimmage, prior to the opening jamboree on Friday, Aug. 29, with a slightly different schedule than in past years.

Acadia Parish has joined forces with Vermilion Parish to put on a two-day jamboree that will be in place for at least the next four years.

The Acadia-Vermilion Parish combination jamboree will kick-off on Thursday, Aug. 28, in Iota. Kaplan will take on Church Point at 6:30 p.m., while Erath and Iota will take the field at 8 p.m.

Friday’s action will take place in Abbeville with the Wildcats’ jayvee team taking on Gueydan at 5:30 p.m. Rayne High will take on North Vermilion at 7 p.m., followed by Crowley and Abbeville at 8:30 p.m.

The old format for the Acadia Parish Jamboree had Iota and Crowley playing nearly every year and Church Point playing Rayne in the annual event. The new format seems to please all schools involved.

Acadia Parish schools will host the Thursday night games for the next four years, while Vermilion Parish teams will host the Friday games.

If football enthusists now want to go both nights, you will get to see all the Acadia parish teams and all the Vermilion parish teams in two nights.

In addition, it’s a plus for the schools also. Each school is now going to keep all their pre-sale ticket money where as before, everything was divided up. If you purchase your ticket from your school, all the money stays at that school; where as, if you purchase your ticket at the gate, less than a dollar goes to your school.

Tickets for this year’s jamboree are $6 and can be purchased at the participating schools or at the gate the day of the event.