Just two months removed from the conclusion of last season’s spring sports, this year’s fall sports are on the verge of starting up again. Aug. 17 marks the beginning of practices for fall squads, which are cross country, football, boys soccer, girls tennis, volleyball and girls golf.

Cross country

Cross country kicks things off in 2015 on Sept. 5 with the Manhattan Invitational, a meet the team took first at last season. Junior Jackson Schroeder won State individually last year, leading the squad to an overall third-place finish, and will look to lead the pack this year with the departure of graduate Michael Melgares.

Football

The football team’s 2014 campaign was one of ups and downs. Graduate and would-be impact wide receiver Mike Settembrino went down in the offseason with a season-ending injury, but the Indians ripped off six straight wins to begin the season, only to end things in a much different fashion — two district losses ensued, knocking the team out of playoff contention for the first time since 2007. The team enters 2015 with a wealth of experience, though, as senior Blake Wewer, junior transfer Ian Trapp and junior Brady Woborny will compete for playing time under center. Manhattan will host Junction City on Oct. 9.

Boys soccer

Boys soccer rounded out its 2014 season with a sub-state loss to Washburn Rural, but not before the Indians captured a Regional championship and a 14-5-1 overall record. The team’s season-opener is Aug. 28 when Lawrence High pays a visit to Bishop Stadium, where a great amount of experience will be on the field for the home team: 12 seniors stack this year’s roster.

Girls tennis

The girls tennis team took home a third-place finish from Regionals last year, and is poised to make another postseason run in 2015. Though the squad lost three to graduation in 2014, it returns four seniors, among them Cathy Lei, who was one of two Indians to advance to last year’s State tournament. The team begins the 2015 edition Sept. 1 with the Topeka High dual, a road meet.

Volleyball

The volleyball team heads into this year with a sour taste in its mouth, after falling a match short of the State tournament with a loss to Washburn Rural. Five members of 2014’s team won’t be on this year’s due to graduation, but seven seniors line this season’s roster. The Indians’ road to redemption begins at home on Sept. 10, when they are slated to face off against Shawnee Heights, Silver Lake and Seaman.

Girls golf

In a departure from what most of the other teams have going for them this fall, the girls golf team won’t enter this season with much senior leadership. In fact, there aren’t any seniors on this season’s roster. Instead, the Indians return six sophomores and one junior.  The team begins its season on Aug. 25 with the J.V. squad’s first meet versus Clay Center, and on Aug. 27 with Varsity’s meet at Shawnee Heights.