The Big 10

WARD MELVILLE FIELD HOCKEY The Patriots won a third straight Long Island Class A championship last year and reached the state semifinals. They also defeated Garden City in a non-league matchup during the season. They will meet Garden City again Oct. 2. Can they stay on top?

SOUTH SIDE GIRLS SOCCER The defending state Class A champion kicked off the 2010 season Tuesday, and will rely on forward Jackie Cifarelli and defender Caitlin Wallace to repeat. The program has seven state titles in the last decade.

ST. ANTHONY'S BOYS SOCCER The Friars opened the season with a pair of non-league games upstate. They defeated McQuaid, 2-0, on goals by Andrew LoManto and Colin Volpe. The Friars also played a scoreless tie against Cicero. The defending CHSAA champions are fifth nationally in the Fab 50 ESPN Rise rankings.

WARD MELVILLE GIRLS VOLLEYBALL The Patriots have won six of the last seven Suffolk championships and reached the state Class AA semifinals last year.

SACHEM NORTH FOOTBALL The Flaming Arrows defeated Patchogue-Medford, 33-7, in a Suffolk Division I opener. The team is ranked eighth in the tristate MSG Varsity poll and has a tough test against Lindenhurst Thursday.

ST. ANTHONY'S FOOTBALL The Friars wiped out a 14-0 deficit against State College (Pa.) and came back for a 28-17 win. They are in reload mode and open the CHSFL season against Holy Cross.

HALF HOLLOW HILLS BOYS VOLLEYBALL The two-time defending Suffolk champs return Chris Kaimis, arguably the best player in both counties, in search of a Long Island championship.

GARDEN CITY FIELD HOCKEY The Trojans reached the state Class B semifinals last season and the longtime powerhouse is a favorite again.

CHAMINADE BOYS SOCCER The Flyers opened the season with a 1-0 win over nationally ranked St. Benedict's Prep. They played to a scoreless tie against Farmingdale on Monday. Chaminade is ranked seventh nationally.

WEST ISLIP GIRLS SOCCER Amanda Martinez and Samantha Whitney led the defending Long Island Class AA champions to a 1-0 overtime win over last season's top seed, Sachem East, in their season opener.

ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: St. Anthony's girls volleyball, Brentwood boys soccer, North Shore girls cross country, Farmingdale boys golf, Garden City football.