Lake Havasu High School head football coach Karl Thompson has a reminder for his team going into tonight’s scrimmage with River Valley: the regular season starting positions have not been decided.

David Bell/News-Herald Photo. Havasu running back Javaree Thompson is gang tackled by the Knights defense, led by Tyler Poggemeyer, during practice Wednesday. The Fighting Knights play host to the River Valley Dust Devils in a scrimmage tonight starting at 6 p.m. at Lake Havasu High School.

‘There’s still the battle for the starting positions. They no they’re competing for those jobs,” Thompson said at practice Wednesday. “Plus we’re looking for the guys to pick up the speed.”

Doug Greene, Jeremy Ernst and Dylan Culwell have all been getting reps at quarterback, with Greene appearing to have the best shot at the starting job.

The Knights are coming into the scrimmage with no major injuries – one player is nursing a sore hamstring but should be in the lineup – which is a boost to Thompson’s platoon strategy.

“I know a lot of the guys at the JV and freshmen level, they played every down. But up here at varsity, we want to keep fresh bodies out there,” he said. “Like with the offensive line. We’ll be moving guys in and out there. Because if you control the trenches you can do a lot of things.”

Thompson will also be looking closely at the defensive secondary, where there’s just one returner – Blake Garcia, who also splits time at linebacker.

“We’re young but we’re coming along,” Thompson said. “This will be a baptism by fire for these guys. But this defense talks more than any other defense I’ve had here so that helps.”

Garcia said the scrimmage will help his younger teammates get a feel for what next week’s season opener will be like.

“No matter how much we work here (in practice), you can’t replicate a game. It’s so much faster and intense,” Garcia said.

Scrimmages are not scored. Each team will run 20 offensive plays.

Season opening opponent Yuma was scheduled to also scrimmage Wednesday.

“We’ll do a film exchange (of the scrimmages) on Saturday,” Thompson said. “Then we’ll get ready for the season.”

While Yuma is in the Knights region – the 5A Gila Valley Region with the other Yuma-area schools – and the Sept. 28 game will generate power points used to determine playoff eligibility, it will not be considered a non-region contest. The Oct. 2 game in Yuma will count in the region standings.

You may contact the reporter at dbell@havasunews.com.

Lake Havasu High School

2009 Fighting Knights varsity football schedule

Aug. 21 vs. River Valley (scrimmage), at LHHS, 6 p.m.

Aug. 28 vs. Yuma, at LHHS, 7 p.m.

Sept. 4 at Kingman, 7 p.m.

Sept. 11 at Tolleson La Joya, 7 p.m.

Sept. 18 Bye

Sept. 25 at Bullhead City Mohave (Golden Shovel), 7 p.m.

Oct. 2 at Yuma, 7 p.m.

Oct. 9 vs. San Luis, at LHHS, 7 p.m.

Oct. 16 at Yuma Kofa, 7 p.m.

Oct. 23 vs. Yuma Cibola (Homecoming), at LHHS, 7 p.m.

Oct. 30 vs. Yuma Gila Ridge, at LHHS, 7 p.m.

Nov. 6 vs. Kingman, at LHHS, 7 p.m.

Lake Havasu High School

2009 Fighting Knights junior varsity football schedule

Sept. 3 vs. Kingman, at LHHS, 6 p.m.

Sept. 10 vs. Yuma Cibola, at LHHS, 6 p.m.

Sept. 17 vs. River Valley, at LHHS, 6 p.m.

Sept. 24 vs. Bullhead City Mohave, at LHHS, 6 p.m.

Oct. 1 vs. Yuma, at LHHS, 6 p.m.

Oct. 8 at San Luis, 6 p.m.

Oct. 15 at Kingman, 6 p.m.

Oct. 22 at River Valley, 6 p.m.

Oct. 29 at Bullhead City Mohave, 7 p.m.

Lake Havasu High School

2009 Fighting Knights freshmen football schedule

Sept. 2 at Kingman, 6 p.m.

Sept. 9 vs. Yuma Cibola, at LHHS, 6 p.m.

Sept. 16 vs. San Luis, at LHHS, 6 p.m.

Sept. 23 at Bullhead City Mohave, 6 p.m.

Sept. 30 at Yuma, 6 p.m.

Oct. 7 vs. Yuma Gila Ridge, at LHHS, 6 p.m.

Oct. 14 vs. Kingman, at LHHS, 6 p.m.

Oct. 21 vs. Needles, at LHHS, 6 p.m.

Oct. 28 vs. Bullhead City Mohave, at LHHS, 6 p.m.