Sports Report: Winter Sports Heat Up With Tournament Time

The winter sports season began slowly last week but are off to the races this week.

The second week of the season is the kick off of tournament time. All across St. Charles County, tournaments are starting. Teams will quickly have to knock off the rust to earn some crucial early-season victories. 

Here are some of the biggest games taking place this week. 

• Who: (Girls basketball) Timberland vs. Troy Buchanan
• When/Where: 7 p.m. on Nov. 28 at Troy
• Why the big deal?: The Timberland girls get a crack at host Troy in the Wolves opening game of the Troy Tournament. 

• Who: (Boys basketball) Holt vs. McCluer
• When/Where: 8:15 p.m. on Nov. 28 at Pattonville
• Why the big deal?: Holt starts the 2011-12 season on the road at the Pattonville Tournament. The Indians will take on McCluer in the opening game of the tourney.

• Who: (Girls basketball) Fort Zumwalt South vs. St. Francis Borgia
• When/Where: 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 28 at Troy
• Why the big deal?: The Lady Bulldogs are 1-0 on the young season and will face another test at Troy Invitational. 

• Who: (Boys basketball) Zumwalt East vs. North Tech
• When/Where: 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 28 at Winfield
• Why the big deal?: The Fort Zumwalt East boys march on in the 2011-12 season with an appearance in the Winfield Tournament. First up: North Tech.

• Who: (Girls basketball) Lutheran vs. Barat
• When/Where: 7 p.m. on Nov. 29 at Lutheran
• Why the big deal?: The Lady Cougars first test of the season will come at home in a season-opening tournament—the Little Caesars Cougar Invitational. 

Francis Howell Central

• Who: (Wrestling) Howell Central vs. Seckman
• When/Where: 6 p.m. on Nov. 29 at Howell Central
• Why the big deal?: Coming off a last season, the Spartans will hit the mats for the first time this season against Seckman. 

• Who: (Wrestling) Howell North vs. Holt
• When/Where: 6 p.m. on Nov. 30 at Howell North
• Why the big deal?: The Knights and Indians will wrestle for the first time in the 2011-12 season at Howell North.

• Who: (Girls basketball) Duchesne vs Zumwalt West
• When/Where: 7 p.m. on Nov. 29 at Marquette
• Why the big deal?: The Duchesne girls are 0-1 on the young season but will get a chance for win No. 1 against Zumwalt West at the Marquette Tournament. 

Orchard Farm

• Who: (Boys basketball) Orchard Farm vs. Lutheran St. Charles
• When/Where: 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 28 at St Charles High School
• Why the big deal?: Orchard Farm and Lutheran will both get a taste of tournament play at the St. Charles Round Robin. Orchard Farm will play three times in five days at the event. 

• Who: (Boys basketball) St. Charles vs. Barat
• When/Where: 7 p.m. on Nov. 28 at St. Charles 
• Why the big deal?: The 1-0 St. Charles boys will have a chance to boost its record with three games at the St. Charles Round Robin. First up: Barat.

• Who: (Wrestling) St. Charles West at Fox Tournament
• When/Where: 4 p.m. on Dec. 2 at Fox High School, TBA on Dec. 3 at Fox
• Why the big deal?: Wrestling season is all about tournaments and the Warriors will be able to take on plenty of foes at the two-day Fox Tournament.  

• Who: (Wrestling) Zumwalt North vs. Parkway West vs. Rockwood Summit
• When/Where: 6 p.m. on Nov. 29 at Rockwood Summit
• Why the big deal?: The Panthers wrestling team opens up the season with a triangular dual. The Panthers will take on Parkway West and Rockwood Summit to get the season underway. 

• Who: (Girls basketball) Zumwalt West vs. Duchesne
• When/Where: 7 p.m. on Nov. 29 at Marquette
• Why the big deal?: The Zumwalt West girls get the first taste of tournament action this season when it heads to Marquette. In the opener, the Lady Jaguars will face Duchesne. 

• Who: (Girls basketball) St. Dominic vs. McCluer South
• When/Where: 4 p.m. on Nov. 28 at Troy
• Why the big deal?: The St. Dominic girls will hit the floor to take on McCluer South in the opening game of the Troy Tournament. 

• Who: (Boys basketball) Christian vs. Timberland
• When/Where: 6 p.m. on Nov. 29 at Winfield
• Why the big deal?: The Christian boys begin the 2011-12 season at the Winfield Tournament with a big game against Timberland.