NOTE: The Winter Sports Preview runs Thursday.

With games
officially starting Thursday, it's time to break out the preseason
rankings. Updated top 10s will run every Thursday here on the high school sports blog. I have two quick previews for big games Thursday and Friday and the normal week-ahead preview will be up late Sunday night.

In brackets are their rankings in the category at the end of last year.

Power Rankings
1. Northampton (1)
2. Minnechaug (3)
3. West Springfield (4)
4. East Longmeadow (7)
5. Palmer (6)
6. Central (2)
7. Wahconah Regional (NR)
8. Ludlow (7)
9. Amherst (NR)
10. Monument Mountain (8)

GazetteLand Rankings
1. Northampton (1)
2. Amherst (2)
3. Belchertown (4)
4. Easthampton (3)
5. Hampshire (7)
6. South Hadley (5)
7. Hopkins Academy (8)
8. Smith Academy (10)
9. Holyoke Catholic (9)
10. Frontier Regional (11)
11. Granby (6)
12. Gateway Regional (12)
13. Smith Vocational (13)

Division 1
1. Northampton (1) - Defending state champs return best one-two punch in region, but don't sleep on the supporting cast.
2. Minnechaug (3) - Strong inside-out game make the Falcons the most likely team to knock off Hamp.
3. West Springfield (4) - The squad grew up a lot last year in a run to the semifinals. Can they take the next step?
4. East Longmeadow (6) - The Spartans made an incredible leap forward last year and could even be ranked too low here.
5. Central (2) - New coach Jay Fenlason will have this team focused and prepared. But can they overcome the graduations of Felicia Barron and Esther Wallace?
6. Ludlow (7) - The most likely challenge to East Longmeadow in the Suburban League.
7. Amherst (8) - The big sleeper team this year on the bottom of half of the top 10, but must overcome missing sophomore center Mariah Lesure until the new year.
8. Holyoke (5) - Graduation hurt, but the team has size and athleticism.
9. Agawam (9) - Good size returning enough to get into the top 10.
10. Longmeadow (NR) - The best of what's left.

Division 2
1. Palmer (1) - Alyssa Orszulak leads a talented returning squad from last year's sectional champs.
2. Wahconah (4) - Has everyone back and looks poised to go deep this year.
3. Monument Mountain (2) - You know they'll be in it until the end.
4. Mahar (5) - Genny Averill's back and should lessen the loss of Morgan Murphy inside.
5. Mohawk (6) - The Franklin North is going to be fun to watch this year.
6. Belchertown (8) - Returns its starting five from a team that took a big step forward last year.
7. Athol (NR) - Catie Brighenti and company could move the team much higher on this list.
8. Easthampton (7) - Allyson Rannikko is the best inside defender in Division 2.
9. Hampshire Regional (NR) - Still playing that ridiculous schedule, but will be much improved.
10. Commerce (3) - Lost a lot to graduation, but returners are confident after last year's run to the Cage.

Division 3
1. Lee (1) - Will miss seeing Tom Cinella at the Cage each and every year.
2. New Leadership (4) - Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir is worth the price of admission every day.
3. Sabis (5) - Alex Chappell is the next great Division 3 guard.
4. Monson (7) - Time for a run to the Cage?
5. Lenox (3) - Will emerge from the wars in Berkshire County ready for the postseason.
6. Hopkins (6) - Need to find some scoring.
7. Smith Academy (NR) - Could come out of nowhere to contend in the Franklin South.
8. McCann (8) - Point guard Nhi Nguyen doesn't get enough attention, according to most opposing coaches.
9. Ware (9) - Too high? Too low? We'll know in a few weeks.
10. Putnam (10) - The likely cream of the Tri-County.

*Note: I'm going to wait to post the preseason All-Division teams until next week.*

Two great games to kick off the season. I'll have the first full weekly preview posted on Sunday night.

THURSDAY, DEC. 11

Monument Mountain at Belchertown -- We'll find out a lot about both teams right away. Belchertown wants to prove it can hang with the big boys this year and Monument should be looking to put the hammer down right away. I'll be interested to see how Monument deals with Belchertown's size inside, especially the Del Valle sisters, while the Orioles will have to prove they can handle the ball against the always intense Spartans pressure.

FRIDAY, DEC. 12

Amherst Regional at Central -- The Hurricanes will have to south to play against the perennial power without Lesure, but could give themselves a huge confidence boost with a 'W' here. Central, meanwhile, plays its first game under Fenlason and its first without Barron. Do the Golden Eagles have the leadership to win a big game early?