Joppatowne

Head coaches: Cheryl Oricchio (boys) and Heidi Fretz (girls)

Top prospects, boys: Derien Scott (Sr.), Tyree Gibson (Sr.), Brock Hamilton (So.), Myles Hamilton (Sr.), Malik Tyler (Jr.), Michael McCray (Fr.)

Top prospect, girls: Nashae Salomon (Fr.).

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Outlook: Joppatowne coaches are optimistic about the new season. "This is the first time we have had a girls' team in four years! Our team is young but determined," said Cheryl Oricchio. Derien Scott is the no. 1 runner on the boys' team, which opens the season with promising newcomers among its 10 members.

North Harford

Head coaches: Eric Benjamin and Laura O'leary

Top prospects, boys: Nick Fransham (So.), Ian Fiser (So.), Patrick O'Leary (So.), David Roloff (Sr.), Thomas Ogden (Sr.), Chris Busick (So.), Jake Creighton (Sr.), David Cordell (Sr.), Kyle Welsh (Fr.), Roy Oh (So.), Calen Dowley (Jr.)

Top prospects, girls: Megan Tidey (Jr.), Regan Davis (So.), Annie Scott (Sr.), Ellen Shephard (Jr.), Casey Welsh (Fr.), Emily Zeller (Sr.), Danielle Hurley (Jr.), Paige Rickey (Jr.), Laura Drapinski (So.) Breanna Knorr (So.).

Outlook: The Hawks have a big team, 27 girls and 38 boys, and lots of potential to improve on their 2011 conference finish. The boys' team returns its top seven and is led by Nick Fransham, a rapidly improving sophomore. Megan Tidey leads the girls' team, which has several experienced returnees.

Patterson Mill

Head coach: Al Dethlefsen

Top prospects, boys: Sam Caretti (Sr.), Aaron Smith (So.), Jason Noss (Sr.), Lawrence Nyanzi (Jr.), Alex Marconi (Jr.), Ken Ikemoto (Fr.), Stephen Hody (So.), Jake Nikkila (So.).

Top prospects, girls: Steph McCartney (Sr.), Samantha Herman (So.), Kayla Ricks (Sr.), Jess Benson (Sr.), Nikki Iacaruso (So.), Emily Regester (Fr.), Lindsey Petty (Jr.).

Outlook: Leading the girls' team is one of the top runners in the UCBAC, Steph McCartney, but the team is rebuilding its depth, having lost several to graduation. Most of the 13 girls on the roster are newcomers. Senior Sam Caretti leads the pack of 22 on the boys' team, which made the state meet in its first season in Class 2A last year.