A preview of the 2010 Lansing volleyball team.

Rathjen scores both goals in 2-0 victory at Blue Valley Southwest

Immaculata goes 1-1 with win over PR and loss to JCN at season-opening triangular on Tuesday.

Kenneth Kieser's weekly outdoors column.

A preview of the 2010 Leavenworth cross country team.

Leavenworth Pioneers

KEY RETURNEES

• FS Alex Waugh, QB Mark Dabeck, ATH Judson Cole, CB Eli Keppler, DE Jesse Colver, DE JT Core, LB Jacob Decker, LB Miquel Powell, OT Nathan Butler, WR Anthony Truelove, DE Devyn McPhaull

KEY LOSSES

• RB Warren Brown, WR/DB Cody Frazee, OL/DL Garrett Watson, WR/DB Jacob Rowe, RB/OS Michael Fields, OL/DL Billy Raymond, OL/DL Kevin Lee

WHAT'S SOLID

• Speed and athleticism will be utliized with the new spread offense.

WHAT'S NOT

• New systems in every phase of the game will leave the Pioneers with some inevitable growing pains.

Lansing Lions

KEY RETURNEES

• QB Tyler Terron, QB Litton Van Der Werff, HB/LB Spencer Blew, WR/CB/P Parker Gibson, OL/LB Nick Pfrimmer, FB Tyler Baughman, DT Derique Cary, OL Zach Hammer

KEY LOSSES

• QB Cullen Demarest, RB Dillon Scanlon, OL Tyler Gates, OL Matt Grisham

WHAT'S SOLID

• Depth at skill positions with the help of a large senior class, including Gibson, who in the last game of ’09 had 13 catches for 176 yards and two touchdowns.

WHAT'S NOT

• Run defense and depth on the offensive line. Several of last year’s blockers do not return, and the Lions will emphasize the fundamentals to try to improve run defense.

Pleasant Ridge Rams

KEY RETURNEES

• RB/SS Will Ryan, OL/DE John Ernzen, OG/LB Dylan Brown, WR/FS/K Gary Flack, DT Jacob Bass, CB Andrew Heim

KEY LOSSES

• OT/DT Greg List, WR/CB Terell Jordan, QB Matt Hager, OT Jace Warren, WR/KR Cliff Robinson, TE/P Levi Johnson, OG/DT DJ Brown

WHAT'S SOLID

• The first-team starters. Powers said he feels confident against their opponents with the 11 players on the first team.

WHAT'S NOT

• Depth. Powers said the competition in practice won’t be as tough with lower numbers of upperclassmen, and freshmen and sophomores might have to take important roles.

Immaculata Raiders

KEY RETURNEES

• OL Sam Metivier, OL Cole Cannon, OL John Lednicky, OL James Morley, WR Patrick Boisson, RB Brad Holcomb, QB Corey Leintz, WR Sean Murray

KEY LOSSES

• WR Greg Ponder

WHAT'S SOLID

• More experience and more overall speed have the Raiders excited for the team they’ll put on the field in 2010. The expansion of their district to five teams provides some extra movitation for an already driven group of seniors.

WHAT'S NOT

• With fewer than 30 players on the roster, numbers are a concern forthe 2010  Immaculata team.

University of Saint Mary Spires

KEY RETURNEES

• QB Chris Joly, RB Kameron Ridley, WR Frankie Walburn, NG Pat Dermann, DE OP Tuiava, LB Ryan McDonald, LB John Annino, LB Noah Wooten, DB Terrell Harper, DB Chris Barrett.

KEY LOSSES

• QB Daniel Robles, RB Kyle Jones, WR Glen Wallin, WR Willie Harris, WR Tim Brooks, C Robert Smith, OT Nate Helvey, DB Tyler Osborne.

WHAT'S SOLID

• Increased speed and depth, especially on defense where added linemen should allow for some four down-linemen sets.

WHAT'S NOT

• Experience, especially on the offensive side. Some starters at receiver and on the O-line could be freshmen.

Tonganoxie Chieftains

KEY RETURNEES

• QB/DB Jeremy Carlisle, WR/RB/DB Dylan Scates, RB/SS Jeff Simms, OL/NG Ryan Lynch, OL/LB Jonas Myers

KEY LOSSES

• RB/LB Jeremy Moss, FB/NG Austen Holloway, WR/LB Justin Jacobs, OL/DL Dane Gonser, OL/DL Ben Myers, RB/DB DJ Lindsay, C/DL Dylan Young

WHAT'S SOLID

• Overall speed. Elston said his team was fast in ’09 but that they have more shiftiness and football knowledge in the backfield this year.

WHAT'S NOT

• Game experience on the offensive line and depth. All five starting offensive linemen from last year are gone, and there will be a lot more 2-way starters than their opponents will have to use.

Basehor-Linwood Bobcats

KEY RETURNEES

• WR/QB Colin Murphy, RB/LB Steyr Stubenrauch, OL/DL Caleb Johnson, RB/LB Jesse Hiss, TE/WR Ryan Murphy, LB Chandler King, DB Nathan Quigley

KEY LOSSES

• QB Brandon Leppke, C Zach Ross, OL Jacob Bennett, OL David Wynn, OL Justin Nichols

WHAT'S SOLID

• Twins Colin and Ryan Murphy are legitimate Division-I recruits. Colin will have to move from WR to QB this year, but their height and playmaking ability could make for a dynamic aerial attack.

WHAT'S NOT

• The biggest task is replacing four starting linemen on offense and three on defense, and they have to do it with only 7 seniors.

A look at the top county players for the 2010 season.

A preview of the Sunflower League, Kaw Valley League and Delaware Valley League.

See more football fever stories, including previews of county teams, under the Sports tab.