For many, the height of the high school sports season is football in the crisp Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons of the fall, culminating with this week's state championships. For others, especially in the Baltimore area, the height of the year is the lacrosse season in the spring.

That's all well and good, but for this observer, there's no better time than basketball season, boys and girls, which thankfully opens around the area this week.

This season starts with a number of interesting questions. On the girls side, can Poly build off its surprising run to the state semifinals last year? How good will defending state 2A champion Atholton be without Julie Taylor, who graduated? And can St. Frances win the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland's A Conference again without Mi-Khida Hankins?

On the boys side, we look forward to the battles between Towson Catholic and Mount St. Joseph, while wondering if former Owls coach Mike Daniel is ready to establish City as a power and if River Hill can parlay their 3A state success to a 2A title?

Let the games begin!