CHARLO — The start to the fall sports season was marked by the eerie glow from the football stadium lights in Charlo on Friday morning. To kick off the season, the Charlo football team decided to camp out in the weight room and practice when the clock struck midnight.

There was no Cinderella, just a steady stream of rain, freshly cut grass and the whistle of head coach Mike Krahn that cut through the darkness and echoed throughout the town.

“I’m going to get shot here by the neighbors,” Krahn joked with his players.

While the people of Charlo slept, the boys of the gridiron worked.

“We like to say we’re the first ones on the practice field,” Krahn said.

The practice was fundamentally based, with plenty of conditioning, but the team also worked out some plays before calling it a morning at 1:30 a.m. for some sleep in the weight room before an 8 a.m. practice.

Krahn liked the progress he saw from his players and thought they were in good shape thanks largely to great participation, 75 percent, in the optional summer workout regiments in the weight room and open field practices called “Monday Night Football.” The team also attended two summer football camps.

“The kids have been pretty good,” he said. “This summer is the best I’ve ever seen.”

Krahn said the largest kid on the team was 198 pounds, and that the team was going to be very speedy this year. Last year’s squad went 7-1 in the regular season and won in the first round of the Class C playoffs.

“We’ve done it a couple of times over the years,” he said.

Charlo will play their Purple/White scrimmage at 7 p.m. next Thursday in Charlo.

“They look forward to being together and getting started,” Krahn said.