The first taste of high school football happens this week as area teams scrimmage in preparation for next week’s jamborees and the first week of the prep season in two weeks.

For Catholic High School coach Brent Indest, it’s the first opportunity to see his team in action since the start of fall camp as the Panthers get ready to defend the Division III state championship in 2018.

“I want to see how we compete,” Indest said as his Panthers hit the road Thursday to face Class 3A Iowa. “Iowa is a top 10 Triple-A school. I think they got upset last year in the quarters but before the playoffs they were like third in the state.

“They are one of the better-coached teams in the area. They have a full staff of a bunch of former college coaches that coached at McNeese. We haven’t had a lot of contact this fall so it will be good to see us mix it up.”

Most Teche Area teams are scrimmaging Thursday this week and one team will have it’s season opener Friday night.

In scrimmages this week, New Iberia Senior High plays host to Breaux Bridge Thursday at 6 p.m., Catholic High travels to Iowa Thursday, Hanson goes to Loreauville Friday at 6 p.m., Centerville plays host to West St. Mary Thursday at 5:30 p.m., Delcambre is home against Westminster Christian Academy Thursday at 6 p.m., Erath is home against Church Point Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and Highland Baptist travels to Franklin for a 5 p.m. scrimmage Friday.

The team opening the regular season is Assembly Christian.

The Lions, who finished fourth last season in the Association of Christian Educators of Louisiana 8-man football, play host to defending league champion Berchmans Academy Friday at 7 p.m. to kickoff the 2018 campaign.