SCOTT SOUZA: Touch of fall arrives for Hawks

And so it begins.

A coach barks at his team not to cut corners on a long run around the football field. A sophomore huffs and puffs his way through a sprint as the last hints of sunlight regress behind the western tree line. Players split up into small groups based on expected positions, with many immediately looking to switch their spots. A staff tries to set the tone for a season that will last at least three whole months.

The games don't start for another 18 days, and the pads don't even go on for another two, but football was back on Harding Field last night as Waltham High joined area schools taking to the turf for the first official practices of the season.

Whether it is the third week of August, it doesn't matter. All that matters is this was the date it was all going to start.

``I think this is the earliest,'' said Waltham coach Paul Mayberry. ``I keep hearing people say it, but I don't know. I know it's early, but I know we're back in camp, so that's how it is.''

That doesn't mean everything stays the same every year. The first practice of the year used to always start under the searing midday sun of some late summer day. Yet, last night, the Hawks weren't scheduled to step on the field until 5 p.m.

``It's because of the heat,'' he said of the change. ``We went from 3 o'clock, or even 11 o'clock practices, in the past to 5.''

At least, in theory it was 5.

``We started to prepare to come out at 5,'' Mayberry laughed. ``We didn't get on the field until 6. I always say 5, but I know it is going to be a 6 o'clock thing.''

And instead of leaving at 7, as scheduled, the Hawks wrapped up the final huddle at 7:52.

``I was expecting to leave at 8 o'clock,'' the coach determined, ``so we did pretty well there.''

While every season also brings something new, this fall will be filled with an unusual amount of the unexpected as the Hawks move into the Dual County League after nearly two decades in the Greater Boston League. It coincides with what could be the longest regular season in history as the Hawks open with a game Sept. 5 and Thanksgiving not until Nov. 27.

``What I like is that we do have 11 games and we also still have a bye week,'' Mayberry said. ``To me, that's perfect.''

Waltham's first league game in the DCL is not until Oct. 4 when the Hawks come off the bye week and face Boston Latin on the road. But, before that, Waltham has to tangle with Everett (Sept. 5), Xaverian Brothers of Westwood (Sept. 12) and Chelmsford (Sept. 19).

``We have a lot of warm-ups the first three games,'' Mayberry said before breaking out in a bellowing sarcasm.

There's plenty of time, though, to worry about that. Last night, it was just the start of a very long journey.

``Conditioning,'' Mayberry said was the focus. ``That's all. Seeing who's in shape and who's not in shape. Hopefully, everyone's in shape.''

Watching the staggered finishes of the suicide drills across the dusk-shrouded turf at the end of practice, it was clear that wasn't quite the case.

``Our seniors took part in the Performance Enhancement program at the school this summer and that did help very much with their conditioning,'' Mayberry said. ``Those seniors are in condition. It is some of the underclassmen who are not in condition.

``So you worry about people's health too. Not everybody is meant to run around for a couple of hours. Some kids haven't run at all this summer.''

And some ran like the wind yesterday, though Mayberry cautions that is only one part of being a high school football player.

``I can't tell much until we have pads on,'' he judged, ``because over the years I've watched kids look dynamite before pads. Then all of sudden they put pads on and they don't look so dynamite.

``I think that Thursday is the first real big test. That's really it. Without pads on, you can't tell who is going to help you and who is out there playing flag football.''

During a linebackers drill with Mayberry late in practice, it looked as though some players were more eager to hit than others. On Thursday, the cracks and crunches will start for everybody.

That's the day the girls soccer players will join the football team on the practice fields of Waltham. The boys soccer team arrives the next day, and field hockey, girls volleyball, golf, cross country and cheerleading all begin by the beginning of next week.

It may be the middle of August, but it is already the cusp of fall when it comes to high school sports.

The weather might not feel like it, some may want to hit the snooze button on the calendar, but as Mayberry noted none of that really matters.

The Waltham High football team was back in camp starting last night and that's the way it is.

Ready or not.

(Scott Souza is the Daily News Tribune sports editor. He can be reached at 781-398-8006 or ssouza@cnc.com.)