"Zero week" for the 2008 football season is just eight weeks away. But for several Southland teams, that’s just too long to wait, as eight teams will play season openers in August.

Eric Sondheimer, LA Times (7/11)

Edison (8-4 in 2007, Pac-5 quarterfinalist) will be the first Southland team to kick things off, opening Aug. 23 at Lahainaluna, on Maui’s leeward coast. The Lunas were 9-2 in 2007 and advanced to Hawaii’s Division II championship game before falling to Iolani.

The next weekend, seven Southland schools will be in action. The biggest and most anticipated matchup will take place in Miami, where Long Beach Poly faces Miami Northwestern. Northwestern (15-0) was the Florida 6A and mythical national champion last year (so says StudentSports.com) and has won 30 consecutive games. Poly (13-1, Pac-5 Champion) is expected to be a top contender for the top spot in this year’s preseason Fab 50. The Poly-Northwestern game is the last of three games in the Miami Sports Kickoff Classic.

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