Clovis football coach Eric Roanhaus calls out a play Monday during the first day of varsity football practice. The Wildcats first game is on Aug. 28 at Alamogord

If you can’t stand the heat, stay away from the Clovis High campus.

As the sun beat down, the Wildcats started the first of an untold number of practices Monday, the first day New Mexico high school football squads could practice.

An early-evening storm canceled the Wildcats’ 5:15 p.m. session, but temperatures in the high 90s took its toll of players in the afternoon.

“It’s been OK,” said senior Kyler Brewer-Hill, who alternated with Josh Potocki at quarterback last year and tops the depth chart going into the 2009 campaign. “We’ve had a few players throwing up out here. We’re not in as good of shape as we need to be.”

Brewer-Hill wasn’t one of the vomiters, but he has no guarantee that won’t happen later this week.

Clovis assistant coach Darren Kelley said the hot weather is just part of the process.

“The kids have to learn what to do,” Kelley said. “They’ve got to get their sleep, stay hydrated.”

Teams can’t practice with pads until Thursday, so Kelley said the Wildcats are mostly working on offense and timing until then. Defensive work will start Thursday for Clovis, which went 9-2 last season with both its losses to eventual state runner-up Eldorado by a combined four points.

The Wildcats have 10 days left until they get their first taste of competition in an Aug. 21 scrimmage against defending Class 5A state champion Las Cruces High at Roswell. The competition will heat up when Clovis travels to Alamogordo on Aug. 28, but the weather should cool down.

“The scrimmage we’re playing is going to be hot,” Brewer-Hill said, “but it’s good to know (when the season starts) you aren’t going to pass out when you’re running.”