MARYSVILLE – The head football coaches at Marysville-Pilchuck and Lakewood high schools enjoy starting their seasons with a jamboree.

“It’s fun to go compete against someone that isn’t on your own team,” Lakewood coach Dan Teeter said.

M-P coach Brandon Carson had similar thoughts.

“The reason we do the jamboree is just to have our teams take a different look at other teams. It’s just about playing football,” Carson said.

At the jamboree Aug. 30 at QuilCeda Stadium, the field was divided, with the varsity squads on one half and the junior varsity on the other. The squads, which included Cascade High in Everett, scrimmaged against each other.

The jamboree allows the teams to assess different schemes and take a break from inter-school practices before the start of the regular season.

M-P opens at home Friday against Kamiak, and Lakewood also is at home against Liberty.

Teeter said there’s another reason he likes the jamboree.

“It’s also a fun opportunity for us to play some of the bigger schools around here that we don’t get to see on our schedule,” he said.