Lawrence High's Danielle Bird drives to the goal during the black and white scrimage among LHS girls basketball players during Pack

Gymnasts playing basketball. Wrestlers wearing skirts. Teachers kissing pigs.

Welcome to the 2005-06 winter sports season, Lawrence High fans.

LHS held its annual “Pack The House” event Monday night inside its east gymnasium, giving students and fans an opportunity to step out of the bitter cold and catch a first glimpse of the school’s winter sports teams in action.

However, much like the “Late Night” event that takes place each year just up the road at Kansas University’s Allen Fieldhouse, the high school version is less about X’s and O’s and more about LHS athletes poking fun at themselves, their opponents and anyone else who might tickle their fancy.

After a quick introduction of some of the school’s non-varsity sports teams, this year’s three-hour tour opened with a group of school administrators, who, after coming out on the wrong side of a fund-raiser, had to pay up by kissing a baby pig brought to center court.

The entertainment continued with a relay race that featured members of the LHS wrestling, bowling and boys swimming teams having to dress in skirts and tank tops; a variety of dance numbers including LHS cheerleaders and athletes; and a challenge issued by the two-time defending state champion gymnastics team to the boys basketball squad.

Members of the Lawrence High boys basketball team perform a dance routine during the Lions' Pack

LHS football coach Dirk Wedd and principal Steve Nilhas read the LHS version of the Dr. Seuss classic, “Green Eggs and Ham,” which extolled the virtues of being a Lion and dislike for the “green and silver flim-flam” of a certain cross-town rival.

As for the sports action, fans were treated to a brief clinic on wrestling moves and scoring by coach Mark Dulgarian and three of his wrestlers, a rout by senior Sydney Wilson in a three-point shooting contest among selected members of the boys and girls basketball teams and 15-minute scrimmages featuring both of those squads.

LHS officially will open its winter sports season at 3:30 p.m. Thursday when the boys swimming and diving team plays host to a quadrangular meet at the Lions’ Knox Natatorium.

The boys basketball team tips off at 7 p.m. Friday at home against Kansas City Wyandotte; the girls basketball team opens at 3 p.m. Saturday at Kansas City Christian; and the wrestling team takes the mat at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Shawnee Mission East Invitational.

The bowling team won’t make its debut until Jan. 19.