Metro-east football teams are back at it again tonight, as the 2008 high school season gets under way. We preview the season prospects for 27 area teams, many of them with a raft of new star players and a handful of them with new coaches running their programs.
All three Belleville high schools will be playing at home tonight in their 2008 prep football season openers -- and second-year Belleville West Maroons coach Ric Johns isn't mincing words.
Led by a stingy defense and one of the top goal-scorers in the area, Belleville West is shooting for the top of the Southwestern Conference.
Armed with two of the area's top young players, the Belleville East Lancers should once again be among the top girls tennis teams in the Southwestern Conference this season.
Highland football coach Ron Holt is not holding back any punches.
When the East St. Louis Flyers compete in the Kirk Herbstreit/Burger King Varsity Football Series Challenge next Sunday, they'll do it without one of their main offensive weapons.
The O'Fallon Panthers will roll out the (green) carpet today for the Cahokia Comanches.
Carly Thomas might be the best setter for her age group in Illinois, possibly the Midwest and maybe, the nation. At Althoff High, however, she's just another topflight player on a team brimming with talent. "I have some great, great players that are here, and Carly Thomas is lucky to be playing with some of these girls," said Althoff coach Kathy Wuller.
Finally, Melanie Korte has some experienced volleyball players to work with at Belleville West. In what Korte views as a positive sign, four seniors and 11 juniors comprise the bulk of West's varsity roster.
Belleville East's volleyball team is tired of getting sand kicked in its face. The Lancers haven't had a winning season since 2002, when they were 24-12.
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East St. Louis and Columbia will start the season atop their respective classifications in the Associated Press' preseason state football polls.
After a nine-year hiatus from competitive tennis, a familiar name returns to lead the Althoff girls tennis program in 2008.
Illinois State Football Preseason Polls Here is The Associated Press preseason football poll compiled by Marty Maciaszek of the Daily Herald in Arlington Heights.
Kathy Baldus enters her 11th season as head coach of the Belleville West girls golf program with an interesting dilemma.
The Belleville East Lancers head into the 2008 girls golf season confident, experienced and -- If everything goes right -- a team that could contend for the championship in the Southwestern Conference. At least that is the dream of veteran coach Terry Neutzling.
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When Becky Holzgrafe took over the Belleville West girls tennis program a year ago, she began a quest to have a good season.
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