When last observed, the Hereford High field hockey team was hoisting a trophy at Washington College last November in Chestertown after winning its second straight Class 2A championship.
This fall, with the Bulls returning eight starters, Hereford has a legitimate shot to make it three in a row.
If the Bulls can accomplish that feat, they will become the seventh team in the state field hockey tournament's 41-year history to three-peat.
And Hereford coach Caitlin Duvall — who has guided the program to a 36-4-2 record over three seasons — would be entitled to start talking about a dynasty.
"We have this great opportunity," Duvall said. "It's an exciting challenge to us because it rarely happens. It's a pretty big motivator. It's also a motivator because everyone comes out and plays their hardest against us. It's all about our effort and goals."
Hereford senior midfielder Emily Endres believes feels the chemistry is strong enough for her team to capture another title.
"We play really well together, but we have grown and gotten better by playing in summer leagues," she said. "We just keep working together to improve."
Duvall is leaning heavily on her returning starters, Endres and fellow seniors Dana Meehling, Kailyn Brandt, Graeme Eber, Gracie Sanders and Emma Reider, and juniors Peyton Martino and Camryn Kelbaugh.
"It gets me excited because we have so many veterans back," Duvall said. "We have a lot of leadership on this team. They have been through successful seasons. They know how hard they have to work and that it will not come easily."
That strong leadership will be beneficial to help break in players with increased roles, including junior Maddie Knight, sophomore Madison Hackett and senior Julie Flemming.
Hackett is part of a stellar defense, considered the strength of the team.
Meehling, the 2016 North County News female Athlete of the Year, and Sanders and Kelbaugh, the goalie, highlight a unit that posted 12 shutouts in 19 games last year.
"There's a lot of strong, skilled athletes there," Duvall said of her defense.
Kelbaugh, who is backed up by sophomore Sydney Lippe, is a good communicator and calming influence on her teammates.
The goalie earned Field Hockey Coaches Association of Maryland second-team All-State honors last year while saving 88 percent of the shots she faced.
"They have a phenomenal goalie," Dulaney coach Kellie Fialcowitz said.
Duvall agrees.
"Camryn has been starting since she was a freshman," said Duvall, noting that Lippe could get some starts as well. "She has that experience. She is a great leader on and off the field. She has a lot of composure in the goal and I think that really helps."
Duvall calls her offense more "dynamic" than in past seasons.
Hereford graduated standout forwards Haley Jolly, who is playing field hockey at Ball State, and Rachel Karwacki, who is playing lacrosse at the University of Denver, but the Bulls do return attackers Reider (9 goals, 14 assists last year), and Brandt (10, 3) and Endres (7, 7) to spearhead the offense.
"I think our forward line has a lot of speed," Duvall said. "They are definitely very attacking. That's what makes them more threatening than past years. They really can move the ball at a high speed."
Hereford started out the season with a 2-1 loss to Broadneck on Sept. 2, but the Bulls rebounded to beat C. Milton Wright, 2-1, five days later, thanks to goals from sophomore forward Mackenzie McKillop and junior forward Grace Clark.
"It's early on in the season and we have a lot of things to clean up," said Duvall, who led her team to Baltimore County championships the past two seasons.