The curtain goes up tonight on another season of football at Varnado High School.

Tonight, the Wildcats are at home, taking on the St. Patrick Catholic High School Fighting Irish.

“This is the first week of the season,” Varnado coach Scott Shaffett said. “I’m really more concerned on whether we can play four quarters, more than I am with St. Patrick. Right now, I don’t know if we’re ready for four quarters. Some of our guys got tired in the jamboree and you only play half of a game.

“We’ve got to step it up to the fourth quarter. We can’t play half a ballgame and then just go flat. This week, it’s really more of a challenge to see if we’re OK in the fourth quarter.”

Last year, Varnado went 6-4 in the regular season and made it to the second round of the Class 1A state playoffs.

Varnado played in the North Oaks Jamboree at Ponchatoula High School last Friday and were victorious, 14-6.

The Wildcats’ tallies came on a Jadarrell Magee 3-yard run and Desmond Harry’s 15-yard rush. Armontee Kemp added a two-point conversion.

The defense was solid. They kept the Bulldogs off the board until the 2:10 mark of the second half.

Shaffett said other than the touchdown against Springfield, the defense hasn’t given up much.

The teams met last year and VHS won, 34-3.

St. Patrick enters tonight with an 0-2 record, as their season has already started. Last week, the Fighting Irish lost to Columbia Academy, 41-20.

“We’re taking it week-by-week,” St. Patrick coach Jim Bloomfield said. “We’re trying to get better with fundamentals and toughness and everything that goes with being successful in football.”

Bloomfield said his team is struggling with turnovers.

“There’s no way we can win a game if we don’t take care of the ball,” Bloomfield said.

Bloomfield said another key for his team is staying away from injuries. They have just 26 players on their roster.

Quarterback Carson Bishop has run for a touchdown this season.

The running backs are Robert Starks and Presley Harris. Starks has 180 yards rushing with two touchdowns.

The wide receivers are Jack Magandy and Luke Seicshnaydre.

St. Patrick’s top defenders are inside linebacker Austin Schepens, outside linebackers Magandy and Britton Tatum and nose guard Ryan Hymel.

Hymel has two sacks this season.