And we're off and running in 08-09

Today officially kicks off the 2008-09 Tigers sports season with the girls' tennis team taking the courts on a perfect summer day.

Hutchinson, which had its opener with Foley and MACCRAY rained out a year ago, will start play at 9 a.m.

The team returns seven of the 10 starters from a season ago, and three other players that played at least one varsity match. What does this mean? Well, compared to some teams, Hutchinson should be fairly experienced, especially with all the summer tennis the girls have played this year.

The Tigers have lofty goals - conference title and a trip to the section final four again. It all starts today with two non-league matches.

The Tiger volleyball team is six days into practice, and eight days away from the first match at New Ulm. Hutchinson participated in a scrimmage at Buffalo Lake-Hector Friday - it is the first of three in a week-span.

The team travels to Shakopee for the conference jamboree at 4 p.m. Tuesday and then to Glencoe for a six-team scrimmage Friday. I hear the competition for spots on the court is intense as it has been in a number of years.

The football team will participate in the Watermelon Scrimmage at 9 a.m. Saturday in Litchfield, while the girls' swimming and diving team begins their competition season Saturday in their home invitational.

There will be plenty to cover this week - look for the fall preview Thursday, Aug. 28.

I'm also working on a 25-year anniversary story for next Tuesday on the 1983 state football championship and a feature on Cory Sauter for tomorrow's paper.

I'll blog about the Gophers intrasquad scrimmage later today as well.