Ira Bedenbaugh was in midseason form on the public address, but the teams wore practice togs, and it was not unusual for players wearing green jerseys to clobber others wearing the same.

The occasion was Laurens District High’s spring scrimmage at K.C. Hanna Stadium. As a rule, offensive players wore white and defense wore green, but the competing Raiders were not limited by the designation.

The Raiders won’t tee it up for real until they visit Hillcrest on Aug. 18, and spring practice, which ended Monday evening, is just the beginning of the countdown to kickoff.

Daryl Smith and staff have been judging on a preliminary basis just what they’ve got.

Last season the Raiders earned the top Class 4A seed from Region 2 but fell in the first round of the playoffs to Indian Land, 41-20. Laurens finished 4-7 overall but 3-1 in region play.

There were no bands or cheerleaders, but the pregame entertainment was energetically, if not efficiently, provided by a powder-puff flag-football game. It looked like fun.

The Raiders, ran, passed, punted and kicked, and the defenders, in general, looked better than the offenders.

The reverse may be true in the autumn, but it’s still too soon to tell.