St. Bede cancels 7-on-7 due to heat; Bruins turn to Booker’s ‘Bruin Boot Camp’

It’s never too early in the game to call an audible.

St. Bede has canceled its 7-on-7 and jamboree scheduled for Thursday with Hall, Ottawa and Durand-Pecactonica due to the heat, coach Jim Eustice said.

In its place, the Bruins are turning to the “Bruin Boot Camp” schemed by assistant coach Bill Booker.

They held their first Boot Camp session Wednesday morning, with another round set for Thursday morning. Booker said the camp includes a lot of calisthenics, running and team-building relay/obstacle courses.

“[Booker] makes it fun,” Eustice said.

And even though it’s a 6 a.m. start time, Booker said the kids are all on board because they get a “quality breakfast on Coach Eustice.”

The Bruins will then wait for the start of the first fall practice with rest of the state on Monday, Aug. 7.

Hall coach Randy Tieman said the Red Devils will have a shortened practice Thursday morning for their last day of camp.

Bureau Valley is holding its last night of team camp on Wednesday and Thursday.

Princeton coach Ryan Pearson gave his troops an extra week off this week ahead of the state mandated “dead week” next week.

Season openers

The Friday Night Lights will go on Friday, Aug. 25. Here’s a look at area season openers:

• Bureau Valley will be at Erie-Prophetstown

• Decatur Unity Christian will be at Amboy-LaMoille (8-man)

• Fieldcrest will host Dwight/Gardner-South Wilmington

• Hall will play at Orion

• L-P will travel to East Moline to play United Township

• Mendota will be at Morrison

• Princeton will be at Monmouth-Roseville

• St. Bede will play Tuscola in Bloomington at Illinois Wesleyan University