When the high school basketball season ends in March, last week's Thanksgiving tournaments will be little more than an afterthought.

However, it never hurts to get off to a good start, and three area teams are hoping to use their early-season success as a springboard to bigger and better things down the road.

South Elgin, Dundee-Crown and Westminster Christian all claimed Thanksgiving Tournament titles, and all three can be deemed surprises, although to varying degrees.

Check out the Courier's 2008-09 boys basketball preview, complete with previews of all of our area teams.

Changes are in store for Westminster Christian's softball program.

The school announced Thursday that coach Jim Mueller resigned for personal reasons. The Warriors finished 3-11 in their first-ever varsity season in 2008.