Pearl River’s Rebels begin the season at home tonight, squaring off with the Varnado Wildcats.

Pearl River comes in following a 42-0 loss in Salmen’s Jamboree against the host team.

Rebels’ first-year coach Chris Thomas said he hasn’t seen Varnado play yet.

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“Varnado’s always got kids with talent,” Thomas said. “They’re going to have speed. Coming from a defensive point of view, you have to stop the big play.”

Varnado was scheduled to play in the Washington Parish Jamboree at Franklinton last Friday, but it was cancelled following passing of student and basketball player Damian Jenkins, who died the afternoon before in a fall from the football stadium. Also, the Wildcats didn’t play a scrimmage.

Since Varnado hasn’t played a scrimmage or jamboree, the teams didn’t exchange film.

“I’m going off last year,” said Wildcats’ coach Paul Meyerchick, who enters his seventh season. “I’ve talked to Chris. We’re good friends. I know they’re not running the wing-T, but we have no film to swap.”

Varnado has gone 7-5 the past two years and lost in the regional round of the playoffs against South Plaquemines.

The Rebels took last year’s match up 28-20.

Offensively, Pearl River is running multiple sets with freshman Chase Moore at quarterback. Aaron Roberson is the running back.

The wide receivers are senior Nathaniel Steigler along with juniors Jordan Vicknair, Gabriel Wiley and sophomore Jerry Davis.

Despite his team’s struggle offensively, Thomas said senior right tackle Matt Flores played well.

“He was up against one of the big boys from Salmen,” Thomas said. “He did all right with them. We thought he did the best on offense.”

Defensively, PRHS is a 3-5 group. They had a tough match up last week, but Thomas said junior end Shelton Pichon, who’s in his third year of playing and a first year starter, worked hard at everything asked of him.

“He’s not going to impress you with his height or size, but sometimes football comes down to heart,” Thomas said.

For Varnado, the Wildcats are also a young team.

“The kids worked hard this summer,” Meyerchick said. “I’ve got a bunch of young kids that want to play hard. This game’s going to be a shock for them coming out.”

Meyerchick said they had 18 seniors last year. They have just two returning offensive starters and one on defense, but wide receiver/defensive back JåVautae Bell is back on both sides of the ball. He’s also the only senior on the roster.

The only other returning starter is junior quarterback LåTerrius Crumedy, who was the district’s Most Valuable Player at running back last year. He ran for 1,296 yards and nine touchdowns in 2009.

The running back is sophomore Jamar McGow-an, who Meyerchick described as a scat back.

Varnado’s wide receivers include Bell and sophomores Reggie Green along with Reggie Miller.

Defensively, the Wild-cats are a 3-5 group.

The leading players are Bell, linebackers Crumedy along with juniors Denzel Harry and Jeremy Wolfe.