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Tonganoxie High cross country team members gather on the Beatty Field track early Monday morning. The team started the early morning tradition with a midnight run through for their first run of the season, which started at the high school campus and included a jaunt through downtown.

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Tonganoxie High volleyball players meet in the THS cafeteria and commons area for a group photo Monday, as that squad also got an early start on the 2022 campaign.

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Tonganoxie High boys soccer gets the season started early Monday at Beatty Field. The team has joined in with the tradition of an early practice on the first day of the preseason for Kansas high school teams.

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Tonganoxie High fall sports teams continue to be some of the earliest squads in Kansas to get started on a new season.

High school teams can begin preseason practices on a specific Monday in mid-August each year, per Kansas State High School Activities Association rules.

Several years ago, the THS cross country team began a tradition of opening that first practice at the earliest possible moment — midnight.

Monday was the first practice day for fall sports in the 2022-23 academic year, so cross country, along with boys soccer and volleyball, got started at midnight. THS football and girls golf started their seasons later in the year. Teams will be introduced as part of Tongie Tailgate festivities from 5-7 p.m. this Friday at Beatty Field.

Tonganoxie boys soccer, which finished third at state in Class 4-1A last year, is the first Chieftain team to start its regular season. Tonganoxie hosts Kansas City Christian at 6 p.m. Aug. 26. THS football also has a preseason jamboree at 7 p.m. that day at Paola.