Volleyball

While the majority of the fall sports season is spent outdoors in the increasing chill of the autumn air, area spikers have taken to the area's gymnasiums for another season of high-octane volleyball. It looks to be another ultra-competitive season on both sides of the high net as a number of local teams look to stake their claim to the 2008 championship. First-time State Class AAA Tournament participant Shakopee took home the title last season, completing a 31-1 campaign with a three-game match victory over Andover in the championship game. As good as the Sabers are again this season, there's a real possibility that they might not even make a return trip to St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center. That's because their western neighbor, Chaska, returns loaded after a 21-8 campaign in 2007 that concluded with a loss to the Sabers in the sectional final. The Hawks graduated just two seniors from last year's roster and were installed as the No. 1-ranked team in the first Minnesota State High School Coaches Association poll. Likewise, the Sabers return all but one member of their state tourney team and include among their returnees leading attacker Ashley Wittman (340 Kills) and setter Jean Theis (50 assists). Not to be ignored, Eastview began 2008 as the preseason No. 3 after losing three members of last year's 17-11 squad with St. Michael-Albertville holding down the No. 4 slot. A team that bested Eastview in both conference and sectional play last season, Lakeville North, began this year ranked fifth after finishing third at state last season. The Panthers were one of just two Class AAA teams to win 30 games last season, but mass graduations have North scrambling to rebuild for this campaign. The team that Lakeville North defeated for third place last season, Woodbury, occupied the sixth slot in the opening survey as the Suburban East Conference champions return in search of greater laurels this fall with a deep lineup. Outstate Waconia began 2008 as the No. 7-ranked team, followed by Wayzata, Alexandria and Apple Valley. The Trojans fell to Hopkins in a sectional final last year to cap a 21-8 season, while the Eagles figure to bounce back after a sub-.500 turn in 2007. This year's Class AAAA state volleyball tournament takes place Nov. 6-8 at the Xcel Energy Center.