Heritage got off to a strong start to the 2010 playoffs, as both its girls and boys teams strive to reach the championship rounds.
 The Heritage girls, who made it to the final four a year ago, defeated Douglass County 5-0.
 The boys' team also made short work of their opponent, defeating Sandy Creek 3-0, as the Patriots try to reach the final four for the first time since 2007.
 "We feel like both played well," Heritage boys coach Chuck Landy said. "We talked all about continuing to work hard. It was the first round, but these teams were still good."
 The boys' squad came out quickly, winning the No. 1 singles and doubles matches, and finishing it off with the No. 2 doubles before Sandy Creek, decided to call the five match event short.
 Zach Landy picked up the No. 1 singles win 6-0, 6-2 over Keelan Klarl, Frankie Merkel beat Cory Woods 6-1, 6-2 in the other singles and the team of Erik Lauritsen and Trey Calcinore beat David Lam and Kyle Sekellick 6-0, 6-2.
 The No. 1 seeded Patriots advanced to face Region 5-AAAA's No. 3 seeded North Springs at Heritage on Tuesday.
 The boy's matchup will be the first of two home matches for Heritage in the second round, as the girls will play Hill Grove on Wednesday.
 "We know that the competition is going to get better and better," Landy said. "There are 16 teams left, and we've been in the position the last two years, so we know we get better opponents now. Next week we're getting two tough matches."
 The first round match wasn't that tough on the Heritage girls on the scoreboard as the doubles teams of Amanda Voyles and Callie Alford and Ashley Merkel and Brooke Craft set the tone.
 Voyles and Callie won in the No. 1 doubles 6-0, 6-0, followed by a 6-2, 6-0 win by the No. 2 team of Merkel and Craft.
 "The girls played strong," Landy said. "Both doubles teams were really sharp, and they got us off to a good start."