It’s time to get serious about high school sports as prep action kicks off in a big way across Montana this coming weekend.

Along those lines, here is a roundup of the activities affecting our local schools, and a way for fans to form a plan of attack for what to watch this week.

In football, most of the action will be in Mineral County as the Superior Bobcats host the Arlee Warriors, and the newly minted St. Regis-Mullan-Alberton Tiger Cats will host the Noxon Red Devils in a specially arranged 6-Man game to kick off the season.

Hitting the road for their first games, the Thompson Falls Blue Hawks are headed to Cut Bank for a contest with the hometown Wolves in 11-Man Class B play, and the Plains Horsemen are set to saddle up and ride into Troy for their first 8-Man contest of the season.

All four football games are scheduled for Friday.

Volleyball play also begins in earnest this week. Plains and Thompson Fall netters are set to participate in the Mission Tournament Saturday, Superior, St. Regis and Alberton are to play in the Granite County Tip Off tourney in Philipsburg, and Hot Springs will open the season hosting Victor for a match Saturday.

On the cross country scene, the Plains Invitational, featuring several area teams, will be held south of Plains Saturday, and harriers from Arlee, Seeley-Swan, Two Eagle River, Dixon, Mission and Thompson Falls are set to compete in that meet.