Scrimmages are a necessary component of a high school football season.
Without scrimmages, football coaches can’t truly measure who deserves to be a starter or a reserve.
Without them, coaches can’t truly discern what plays will work best on offense, and which formations will help the defense play with maximum efficiency.
Last night, the Bowie High School football team competed in a scrimmage against Bridgeport at Jackrabbit Stadium.
Also, Saint Jo played host to Wichita Christian at Harley Sewell Field in another scrimmage.
At 9 a.m. today, Gold-Burg travels to Wichita Falls for a scrimmage against Notre Dame. Meanwhile, Nocona will have a scrimmage at Windthorst at 10 a.m. and Forestburg will play at Northside in rural Vernon with Paint Creek.
Scrimmages go by many names.
Some call them exhibitions such as what the Dallas Cowboys played against the San Diego Chargers on Thursday night.
In tennis, a scrimmage is commonly referred to as a warm-up match, and basketball games preceding the playoffs in Texas also are termed warm-ups. Bellevue played a warm-up game during the 2014-15 season.
Snobs have called scrimmages a preparation match or a demonstration. In soccer, or association football, scrimmages are coined a “friendly.”
There’s rarely any prize money on the line in a scrimmage. Your win-loss record is not affected in a high school football scrimmage.
In the National Football League, the win-loss record is reflected and standings are kept. Personally, this sports editor has always thought preseason standings are silly. Read more in the weekend Bowie News.

Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.

Forestburg’s Malaci Moore rushes with the football during a 2014 scrimmage versus Bryson at Forestburg. Click on the image itself for the complete photo. (News file photo)