Players begin to prepare for season this week

High school football coaches are always eager for the first day of practice.

Mike Bargas is more so at Estancia High. He has to get his players ready before most teams do.

The Eagles open the season on Sept. 3, while the four other programs in the Newport-Mesa play later.

Practice starts this week for Estancia, Costa Mesa, Corona del Mar, Sage Hill School and Newport Harbor.

“This is going to be the last Week Zero game for us,” said Bargas, whose team plays host to Trabuco Hills at Jim Scott Stadium. “I hate Week Zero.”

Players are going to hate the grind of practice. It starts Monday for Corona del Mar.

Estancia’s two-a-days begin Friday, while CdM starts Thursday. Newport Harbor’s first practice is Thursday.

“We aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel,” CdM Coach Jason Hitchens said of the first week. “But we do have some question marks at key positions and we’re looking for answers.”

— David Carrillo Peñaloza