Ah, the magic of August. As prep sports go, it’s the month that makes every team a contender, if only for a moment and only in the minds of the athletes who will play for them.
    Exorcised are the demons of last season. The early playoff exits and the injuries. The humiliating blowouts and the 0-10 league records. They don’t matter in August…

    This month, not even attrition can dampen the enthusiasm. Today, every junior making the jump from junior varsity plans to make everyone forget about last year’s all-CIF senior. School is only a week old and every kid is a star waiting to rise.
    The problem is we don’t stay in August forever. September will barge in soon enough — the uninvited guest bearing the unwelcome gift of reality. Most will not want to let her in, but in she will come nonetheless, shattering dreams on her way in and breaking hearts on her way out.
    There will be those, however, who will remain standing in her wake. They are the elite — the dreamers who dream real dreams. The players who play for real contenders and the athletes whose claim to greatness is legit.
    They are the teams and/or players you can pencil in the winner’s circle right now.

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