SAN MARCOS -- After nearly 20 hours of practice for his junior midget Pop Warner team, Alexander Carajaval was seeking one thing: hit someone in a different colored jersey.

On Thursday, the Oceanside Fearless Wildcats linebacker got his chance, thanks in part to the inaugural Palomar Conference Junior Midget Jamboree held on the football and baseball fields at Mission Hills High.

After walking off the field, Carajaval was met with high fives and cheers from the crowd after he laid three big hits on the opposing team.

"That felt good," said Carajaval, a Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School student.

The event, the first of its kind in North County, was the brainchild of San Marcos Dukes coach Jasen Boyens. It featured 12 teams and 275 players from throughout Southern California, including nine North County teams.

Boyens said he got the idea from the old Avocado League carnival held three decades ago in North County. Each Avocado team would meet at one stadium on a Friday night before the season and scrimmage each other.

"Every year that would be the start of the year," Boyens said, "and I just thought it was a great way to start a season."

The junior midgets features players ages 10-12 who weigh less than 135 pounds and 13-year-olds who weigh less than 115 pounds, The season starts Sept. 8 throughout North County.

For Collin Orellana of the Dukes, the jamboree was all about having fun.

"We've been going to practice for three weeks, so when you get to come out here and face another team, it is like 'Finally,' " said the 12-year-old safety and running back. "It is good to get practice in against another team that you may face in the regular season."

While the players were looking to get that first hit out of the way, the coaches were looking to evaluate the team as they played three different squads for 30 minutes each.

"You've worked so hard in practice, and this is the first chance we as coaches get to see what the kids can do against somebody else," Boyens said. "You never know what your team is really like until you see them on the field against another team."

Just like the professionals during preseason games, there were mistakes. But there were also flashes of excellence, like Ramona Guard Dawgs running back Shane Barnes' 35-yard touchdown run.

"I cut a lot," said the Olive Pierce Middle School student, "and I just looked for the touchdown while I was running."

Orellana also made a nice running touchdown, scoring from 30 yards and cutting across the field to score. Orellana said the overall theme of the day was to improve.

"It went pretty well," he said. "We made some mistakes so we have to work on some stuff. Like coach said, we have to hit our holes. But overall, it was good."

Boyens hopes the event continues next year. With 12 teams and three on a waiting list, he knows there is a demand for such an event.

"Hopefully we will have another one," he said. "The idea was a concept and hopefully we can build on it. I think it would be great to find a facility to support it, sponsors to donate money and people who will volunteer their time to make this event a yearly thing."

Contact staff writer Matt Null at mnull@nctimes.com.