By Eric Lusk
Sports Editor
elusk@elkintribune.com

When Elkin’s football team did its annual “Midnight Madness” practice last August — to mark the very first minute contact drills were allowed by the state — several Starmount players and students could be spotted in the stands above the Buckin’ Elks practice field.

This year, don’t expect any Rams in the house. They will have their own Midnight Madness session to attend. So will players from nearby East Wilkes.

All three schools have decided to get a jump on the first day of hitting drills by holding special 12:01 a.m. workouts Saturday morning.

Starmount coach Scott Johnson said he plans to keep his players together all night, even after the midnight practice is over, as a team-builder.

“(Midnight Madness) is a little harder for our kids because we’re so spread out,” Johnson said. “This will be something different.”

SCRIMMAGE TIME: The hitting starts Saturday for area football teams. The hitting of players from other teams begins next Wednesday, Aug. 12.

Schools are allowed up to seven hours of preseason scrimmage time, per state high school rules.

Starmount will play in two scrimmages. The Rams will travel to South Iredell for one session next Wednesday and then will go to Lincolnton next Friday. East Surry and Bandys will join the Lincolnton scrimmage, though Starmount may not go up against East Surry since the two teams will play each other during the regular season.

Forbush is set to scrimmage Reagan on Friday, Aug. 14. That is the Falcons’ only exhibition.

Opening night for both Yadkin teams is Aug. 21. Starmount will travel to Mount Airy, while Forbush will entertain North Surry.

BACK TO THE HUDDLE: Forbush coach Pat Mitchell decided to scrap the no-huddle offense after experimenting with it last season.

The Falcons, who finished 2-9, will more resemble the 2006 playoff team that relied on an option attack, he said. Speed was the name of the game that year, and Forbush had a couple of track stars in Jesse Hoots and Shawn Wagoner who could leave everyone behind if they found a seam or turned the corner.

“We’re going back to the option. It’s what we know and what we’re good at,” Mitchell said. “We’re as fast as we’ve ever been. We haven’t had football players like this in a long time.”

The speed factor could help negate the lower-than-anticipated player turnout.

“I’ve seen Elkin win a state championship with 17 players,” Mitchell said.

OUT OF THE BOX: The biggest rules change in high school football in North Carolina this season involves a new restricted zone for coaches and sideline personnel.

Last year, only three coaches were allowed “in the box” adjacent to the field of play once the ball went live. This season, no one will be allowed in the box once the official places the ball and starts the play clock. Everyone will be required to step back a few yards into the team area and out of the field of play to clear the sidelines for the wing officials.

The state has said it will enforce this rule strictly this season. The rules change likely stems from an incident that happened in a Texas high school game where a coach and official collided during play, resulting in serious injury and a lawsuit.

College football uses a similar “no fly zone” on the sidelines, marked by a wide white border.

ELKS VS. BEARS ON TAP: Elkin vs. Mount Airy football is on the menu this season after all.

It’s only going to be a scrimmage, but the Elks are set to duke it out with the Granite Bears during a controlled exhibition next Friday night (Aug. 14) at Watauga High School in Boone.

Elkin and Mount Airy have been conference rivals for several years, with their meetings often deciding the top few spots in the old Northwest 1A league. But conference realignment for 2009-13 moved the Elks and Bears into different leagues, and the teams opted not to play each other as non-conference opponents.

Elkin will face Surry Central, North Surry and Charlotte Latin during its non-conference schedule. Mount Airy will challenge Thomasville, Parkland and Starmount.

The Elks and Granite Bears squared off twice last season, with Mount Airy rolling to two big wins on the way to an undefeated 1A state championship. Elkin beat the Bears in 2006 on the way to its most recent 1A title.

There is still a chance Elkin and Mount Airy could meet in a game that counts this season.

If both schools play in the “small 1A” bracket (based on school enrollment), they could be on a collision course in the quarterfinals or semifinals.

The Watauga scrimmages start at 6:30 p.m.