Around the area, high school athletes are getting ready for a tremendously grueling two-week period in which their bodies will be put to the test.

It's the start of football season, and every team has the same chance to be a league champion, make the playoffs, and earn a Division Championship!

However, the fact remains that everyone's chances really, are not the same. So let's get right into it, I am going to break down each team in the Suburban League, and give you a prediction for each of their first games of the season. At the end of this column I will predict the expected order of finish.

Mayfair: The perennial favorite, they have been league champions or had a piece of the league title for the last nine years. They are always a tough team to contend with; and this year they are loaded at the running back position with two 1000-yard rushers coming back from last season.

Keith Harvey is the smaller of the two backs but don't let the size fool you he has good quickness; Dominique Small is the bigger of the two backs. Both of these backs fit the traditional Mayfair running back in the mold of past running backs Jimmy Manley and Derek Driscoll. They are quick to hit the hole and in a blink, can cut it back and go to the house.

There are questions in the secondary this year for Mayfair. They lost two of the areas more talented DB's from last year's team to graduation. They will be guided by Evan Hunko, a big QB who was able to win the starting job his freshman year and was poised for a break-out year last year, before an injury curtailed his season.

In pre-league, they play Pac-5 members Los Alamitos, and Lakewood who are led by super talented QB Jesse Scroggins who has orally committed to USC.

Prediction: Look for Mayfair to repeat as league champs, but it's going to be a close race. They will be looking over their shoulder at Norwalk and La Mirada. I look for them to start the year off 1-3 as they play one of the toughest pre-league schedules

Norwalk: Coach Jesse Ceniceros walked into a dream job last season. He returned a 1000-yard rusher and a good group on defense, and a team that had the experience, size, and speed.

This season looks to be a little of an enigma. They no longer have the services of powerful pint sized RB Jose Guzman; he graduated leaving many on the campus wishing he had one more year.

They return two all-league members on the offensive line including #24 Adrian Gonzales. At one of the wingback spots, he saw extensive action last year in the Paramount game when Guzman was suspended. He does not have breakaway speed, but the kid, minus his 150 lb. frame, runs hard.

Norwalk also returns Senior QB Dominique Diaz who took over last season before their deep run into the playoffs.

The person that I am most anxious to see line up in that purple and gold is a former RB from La Mirada, Davion Edwards. This kid is a hoss. We are talking 5'10'' and probably 225lbs. He is going to line up at the FB spot for them and can really balance that double wing attack that they run. Don't be surprised if they ride his enormous shoulders past Mayfair for a league title.

Prediction: I think that of all the other teams in the Suburban League, Norwalk is going to be able to challenge Mayfair. They should start the season 2-2 and end up 4-2 or 5-1 in league. They will make the playoffs.