The eighth-ranked Austin girls' softball team starts its defense of the Section 1AAA title tonight when it plays at 8 p.m. at Todd Park.

The Packers (18-2) got the section's top seed and a first-round bye, as did second-seeded Farmington (18-2). Austin will face the winner of the first-round game between No. 8 Winona or No. 9 Hastings. Winona is one of only two teams to beat AHS this season.

Austin has lost at Winona each of the past two seasons, crimping a near-perfect Big Nine Conference record.

"I can't think of a better time to get over it than now," said AHS coach Todd Waterbury, who has guided his team to state in three of the last four seasons. "We just need to focus on the things we do well."

The Packers are 13-1 this season against Section 1AAA teams. All games will be played at Todd Park, starting with tonight's first round at 6 p.m.

"It's a pretty balanced section," Waterbury said. "The records of Farmington and Austin set them apart, but in the section that doesn't mean too much."