By Chris Gabel, Reno Gazette-Journal

Not long after the sun rose over the Virginia Range on Thursday morning, high school football players around Washoe County hit the field for up-downs, wind sprints and the start of two-a-day practices.

“We hit it hard this morning, and the kids did good,” Carson High coach Blair Roman said.

The scene and the mood were similar at playing fields at Hug, Galena and Douglas, among others, as thousands of football players across Northern Nevada took part in the first day of official practices.

After weeks of voluntary workouts, Thursday marked the official start of the countdown to season-opener football games Aug. 27.

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