It's still July and doesn't feel anything like football weather in Chattanooga, but the 2010 version of the popular high school competition will be starting two weeks from Friday night.
The annual jamboree will again be held at Finley Stadium with 10 teams seeing action on Friday the 13th and a dozen more on Saturday the 14th.
Who has the best team in the Chattanooga area?
Will Boyd-Buchanan be able to make a return trip to the state finals and what will Ooltewah look like with someone other than Benny Monroe as their head coach?
And what about the Signal Mountain Eagles? Are they really as good as everyone says and are they serious about making a state title run of their own?
High school practice has been going on for the last four days. No doubt, area coaches still have plenty of questions to be answered as to who's ready to step up and accept the big challenge that's been laid in front of them.
Friday's action begins at 7 p.m. with Boyd-Buchanan taking on McCallie. Signal Mountain and Red Bank follow at 7:30 in perhaps the biggest grudge match on the schedule.
Central-Ooltewah are next around 8:30 while Walker Valley-Howard and Baylor-McMinn County complete the first day.
East Ridge and Grace Academy get things going on Saturday with a skirmish at 7 while Silverdale and Rhea County clash at 7:30.
The final four quarters include Bradley-Tyner, Soddy Daisy-Brainerd, Hixson-Chattanooga Christian and Cleveland-Franklin County.
The first week of regular-season action follows on Aug. 20.
(Email John Hunt at tnmoose2002@aol.com)