Footballs began filling the late-summer air when Washington state high school teams took to their practice fields Wednesday to prepare for the 2015 season.

Oak Harbor head coach Jay Turner welcomed 35 freshman and about 80 varsity and junior varsity players to the Wildcats’ first turnout.

“It’s always good to get started on the season,” Turner said. “I love this time of year.”

Oak Harbor, priming for its 7 p.m. opener at Monroe Friday, Sept. 4, is running two-a-day practices Saturday through Wednesday. The Wildcats are meeting 8:30-11 a.m. and 1:30-4 p.m. each day. Starting Thursday, Aug. 27, Oak Harbor will cut back to only the morning session.

The Wildcats will scrimmage during their 8:30-11 a.m. practice Saturday, Aug. 29.

Oak Harbor’s second game will be its first home game, hosting Ferndale at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11.

Coupeville begins its season with four road games, starting at South Whidbey at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4.

The Wolves will finally get to play at Mickey Clark Field when they entertain Klahowya at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2.

Coach Brett Smedley said more players, about 45, turned out this year than in 2014, and he expects that number to increase as the beginning of school nears.

Smedley, in his first year as the head coach, said, “It feels great running the team. I could not do it without the efforts of the players, coaches, managers, parents and my wife.

“It gets me fired up day in and day out to go to practice with a group of hard working people.”

Coupeville will practice 3-7 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, and 3-7 p.m. the remainder of next week.

Before jumping into the regular season, the Wolves and Burlington-Edison will head to La Conner at 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28, for a jamboree.

The other fall sports at Oak Harbor and Coupeville begin their 2015 practices Monday, Aug. 24.

The Coupeville boys tennis schedule is still being built, but as of Aug. 22, the Wolves first match is 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, at Klahowya. The home opener is 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, with Port Townsend.

Oak Harbor’s tennis team travels to Mount Vernon at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, and then opens at home with Glacier Peak at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14.

The Coupeville and Oak Harbor soccer teams will compete in a jamboree hosted by the Wildcats Thursday, Sept. 3, at a time to be determined.

The Coupeville soccer team, like the school’s football team, begins its season with four away matches, starting at Mount Vernon Christian at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8. The first home match is Friday, Sept. 25, with Orcas Island (time to be determined).

The Oak Harbor soccer team goes to Lakewood at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8. Lynnwood visits for the first home match at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15.

The Oak Harbor volleyball team will host its annual jamboree at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 5.

Both Oak Harbor and Coupeville open the volleyball regular season at home at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8. The Wildcats host Ferndale, while the Wolves take on rival South Whidbey.

The Oak Harbor cross country team joins Cascade and Kamiak at Jackson High School at 3:45 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, for its first meet. The Wildcats’ lone home meet is 3:45 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, when Arlington, Edmonds-Woodway and Glacier Peak join Oak Harbor at Windjammer Park.

The Oak Harbor swim and dive team starts the season at the Snohomish Aquatic Center, where it will face Snohomish and Glacier Peak at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15.

The initial home meet is 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, with Stanwood.