North Harford coach Lin James groans at the suggestion her team is the preseason No. 1 in Harford County girls basketball.

Last year, the Hawks were the early pick, but they ended up tying Bel Air for the county title. The Bobcats overcame inexperience to upset the Hawks in the regular season finale.

Although James returns three starters from last year's 20-3 team,she warns that the Hawks could still face some tough competition.

"Bel Air and C. Milton Wright will be in there," James said. "You just can't write people off because they lost a number of players."

But the Hawks look like the team to beat. None of the other contenders has as much experience. North Harford returns three key inside players in forwards Carie James (14 points, 14.8 rebounds) and Shannon Bracken (10.2 points), as well as back-up center Tonia Bruno.

Also back is point guard Valerie Phipps, who is getting off to a slow startafter suffering a broken leg in soccer.

While Phipps is bouncing back, the Hawks have Nicole Bogarty running the point. Bogarty leads a group of strong sophomores up from the county champ junior varsity.Guard Melissa Anderson and swing player Jennifer Walter should also start.

In addition to winning the county title, the Hawks have settheir sights on winning a Class 2A regional championship. North Harford has finished second to Parkside, from the Eastern Shore, the lasttwo years.

The team most likely to challenge the Hawks is C. Milton Wright, but the Mustangs will not be at full power early. Junior forward Stacey Milton (11 points, 10 rebounds) is recovering from a broken finger and mononucleosis. Coach Gloria Liedlich doesn't expect Milton back at full strength until mid-season.

The Mustangs also look thin at guard. Junior Debbie Keiser, a hustling back-up last year,is the only guard with experience. Returning forward Kim Haker can move outside, but she still is not fully recovered from knee surgery over the summer.

If the Mustangs get off to a slow start, they probably will fall too far behind to press the Hawks for the county title. But they should peak in time to make a run at the Class 3A regionalchampionship.

Bel Air has lost the most talent of the top three. Only one starter, point guard Lisa Thomas, is back. Thomas averaged seven points, four assists and just over three steals a game last year, but she didn't draw much defensive attention.

This year, the opposition will look to shut her down and put the pressure on her less experienced teammates. Forward Amy Sullivan was last year's sixth player, and center Jen Emig saw some time. Both will be major factors in how well the Bobcats' season goes.

If they can improve quickly andThomas can remain effective, the Bobcats could peak in time to contend for the Class 3A regional title.

Havre de Grace returns four starters and could move up a notch in the standings. Nitrease Hamilton,a 6-0 senior center who averaged 17 points and 18 rebounds last year, leads the Warriors.

The rest of the league's teams -- Fallston, Joppatowne, Aberdeen and Edgewood -- are inexperienced.

Fallston, led by guard Cindy Jenkins, and Joppatowne, led by swing player ThoriStaples, have talent, but they also have a lot of questions.

Aberdeen and Edgewood, each with a new coach, have the least experience. Aberdeen has no seniors and Edgewood has just two, so both coaches are building for the future. Still, both teams have players with great potential, and either one could steal a game from one of the top three.

John Carroll will struggle in the mighty Catholic League, although the Patriots are among the best teams in Harford County. Led by guards Amy Dean and Krystin Porcella, the Patriots shoot well from outside and play tough defense. But the top Catholic League teams have all that and more.

ABERDEEN EAGLES

Coach: George Connolly, first season

Assistants: Lynette Shelley, Janie Robinson and Sanciahera Jones

Last year's record: 3-17

Starters lost: 3

Returnees: Deanna Johnson, 5-4, jr., PG; Siobhan Kelly, 5-9, jr., C; Stephanie Hooks, 5-7, so., F; Kenya Jordan, 5-5, jr., F/G; Michelle Motley, 5-7, jr., G; Jesica Rivera, 5-10, jr., F.

Newcomers: Erna Jones, 5-7, so., F/PG; Natasha Hunt, 5-5, so., G; Tyra Kenly, 5-10, jr., C; Monica Trottie, 5-5, jr., G; Michelle Germany, 5-8, jr., F.

Coach's outlook: "We hope we can improve on that record. Realistically, a team is not going to go 3-17 and turn around and be 17-3. If we can play .500 ball that would be realistic goal for us. But we'll take anything better."

Harford County Sun's outlook: Connolly coached the Eagles boys team from 1964 to 1970, but he is taking his first turn at the helm of the girls team. He is stressing fundamentals and defense while trying to mold a winner from a promising team with little experience. Johnson and Kelly are the only starters back. The other returning players saw little action last year. With so much inexperience, the Eagles could be a team that looks great one day and terrible the next. Connolly is striving for consistency over the next month. With some speed and quickness, the Eagles will press, hoping to get a lot of points off their transition game. They could have trouble with their set offense because their two main problems early are rebounding and outside shooting.

BEL AIR BOBCATS

Coach: Phyllis Hemmes, 18th season.

Assistants: Val Cooper, Mike Ennis

Last year's record: 17-6, Class 3A regional finalist, co-county champ

Starters lost: 4

Returnees: Lisa Thomas, 5-6, jr., PG; Amy Sullivan, 5-7, sr., F; Jen Emig,5-9, jr., C; Maria Poggioli, 5-3, sr., G; Jen Jankowski, 5-10, jr., F.

Newcomers: Allison Braman, 5-8, jr., F; Robin Rosch, 5-9, jr., C; Jamie Kocher, 5-7, so., F/G; Melissa Scharoun, 5-6, so., F/G; Angie Phong, 5-4, so., G; Jean Tyrell, 5-5, fr., G.

Coach's outlook: "We lost about 30 points and 15 rebounds to graduation, and we only have two people with much playing experience. We're very young. I can'ttell what we're going to do. Right now, we're putting it all into perspective, but that's what December's for.

Harford County Sun's outlook: The Bobcats lost more talent than anyone else to graduation. Their only returning starter is Thomas, a solid point guard who can pass or shoot. Hemmes is building her offense on Thomas but is not looking for Thomas to do everything. Sullivan came off the bench for somequality minutes last year. She gets great positioning for rebounds and should pick up her minimal scoring contribution. Emig has also improved her rebounding. In scrimmages, the Bobcats have looked strong defensively. Last year, the Bobcats started off slowly and rebounded for a tough playoff run. If they can overcome their lack of experiencequickly, look for the Bobcats to be near the top again this year.

C.MILTON WRIGHT MUSTANGS

Coach: Gloria Liedlich, 8th season

Assistants: Bonnie Fry, Kristen Brown and Paul Snyder

Last year's record: 14-7, Class 3A regional quarterfinalist

Starters lost: 3

Returnees: Kim Haker, 5-8, sr., F; Debbie Keiser, 5-4, jr., G; Amanda Sherman, 5-6, sr., F/G; Danielle Rivas, 5-10, sr., F; Jennifer Kreps, 5-9, sr., F; Amanda McCulloch, 5-7, jr., F; Stacey Milton, 5-11, jr.,F.

Newcomers: Carmen Kinard, 5-11, jr., F; Joanna Kreps, 5-8, jr., F; Erika Dedrich, 5-7, jr., F; Katie Hatton, 5-7, jr., F; Nicole Kemp, 5-5, so., G; Cynthia Padilla, 5-3, so., G.

Coach's outlook: "We are absolutely young. We have to start out slow and begin executingthe things we've learned. It doesn't pay to run before you can walk.It'll take us a while to build but we'll get there."

Harford County Sun's outlook: As if Liedlich didn't have enough trouble trying toreplace three guards, injury and illness are taking a toll on her forwards. Milton, the one player the Mustangs desperately need to make a run at the county title, is out for a few weeks ill. She's also nursing a finger broken in five places. Haker is still recovering from knee surgery over the summer. Just about everybody, including Liedlich, has had the flu. But if they can get everybody back in the lineup, the Mustangs should have one of the most dominating inside games in the league with Milton and Rivas. Ball handling could be a problem since Keiser is the only true guard returning. The Mustangs may be too weak early to make a run at the county title, but look for them to peak at playoff time.

EDGEWOOD RAMS

Coach: Eddie Santana, first season.

Assistants: Matt Rankin, Lou Collins.

Last year's record: 4-18.

Starters lost: 2.

Returnees: Monica Santana, 5-7, jr., G; Kareema Holmes, 5-8, jr., F; Erika Pleasant, 5-5, so., PG; Jennifer Miller, 5-9, sr., C/F; Kara Brink, 5-4, jr., G; Becky Denton, 5-4, jr.,G; Francie Busbee, 5-6, sr., G.

Newcomers: Mandy Luellen, 5-2, so., G; Rebecca Lesesne, 5-8, fr., F/G; Nicole Wilson, 5-9, so., C/F; Shannon Basham, 5-3, so., G; Gyivan Collins, 5-7, sr., C/F; Ronilyn Kirby, 5-7, fr., C/F.

Coach's outlook: "We're definitely going to get better. Our goal is to improve our wins by 100 percent, but what is100 percent? That's only 8 wins. I think we can reach that and maybemore."

Harford County Sun's outlook: Santana, last year's JV coach, has also coached a girls Junior Olympic team for the past four years, so the Rams should benefit from his experience. The Rams are one of the youngest teams in the league, but they have a lot of potentialstrengths, especially rebounding. Santana is expecting a lot from his daughter, Monica, who averaged 15 points a game last year, but he is also expecting to spread the scoring around. Holmes and Miller alsostarted last year while Pleasant saw a lot of action. Luellen, a transfer from Iowa, adds some outside offense. Santana is concentrating on defense, hoping to put pressure on the opposition and force turnovers. But the Rams' inexperience may show through on offense, where they must play as a team to increase their scoring power.

FALLSTON COUGARS

Coach: Nancy Ferguson, seventh season

Assistants: Alice Puckett

Last year's record: 11-10, Class 2A regional finalist

Starters lost: 2

Returnees: Nicole Lauer, 5-10, sr., C; Cindy Jenkins,5-5, jr., G; Pam Toth, 5-9, jr., F; Tammy Kloiber, 5-6, sr., F/G; Heather Wilkens, 5-5, sr., G.

Newcomers: Meredith Brown, 5-7, sr., F; Lisa Taylor, 5-4, jr., G; Robin Davis, 5-6, jr., G; Wendy Kanely, 5-7, jr., F; Kara Jackson, 5-8, jr., F; Suzy Harrison, 5-9, fr., C/F; Jenny Weber, 5-9, fr., F/G; Lori Heffley, 5-4, fr., G.

Coach's outlook: "We have a lot of if's. If we can play together, we can put together a nice squad. If we get in foul trouble, we're cooked. This is a very young group. I could be starting two freshmen, so it's going to take some time."

Harford County Sun's outlook: The Cougars have plenty of promise on this squad, much of it untested. Harrison and Heffley could draw starting spots, but Ferguson isn't sure they are ready for varsity-level competition. However, the Cougars do have strength in their veterans. Jenkins is one of the top guards in the league.Toth is playing with added confidence that could turn her into a force under the basket. Lauer and Kloiber also look steadier. Ferguson is most worried about foul trouble, because the Cougars are aggressiveand don't have much depth. The Cougars will also have to stay healthy. If Ferguson can make varsity level players out of Harrison and Heffley quickly, the Cougars could end up in the top half of the county standings.

HAVRE DE GRACE WARRIORS

Coach: Sheilah Collins, third season.

Assistants: Phyllis Tayon, Susan Zachry.

Last year's record: 8-14, Class 1A regional finalist.

Starters lost: 1.

Returnees: Nitrease Hamilton, 6-0, sr., C; Karen Romanelli, 5-6, jr., F/G; Bobbi Zachry, 5-4, jr., G; Courtney Miller, 5-9, jr., F; Rebecca Hawkins, 5-5, jr., G; Courtney Raudenbush, 5-6, sr., G.

Newcomers: Jessica Mason, 5-5, sr., PG; Rakha Wesley, 5-8, so., G; Nicole Barker, 5-8, so., G; Jamie Whatley, 6-0, sr., C; Leslie Mathais, 5-9, so., G; Kewalda Brooks, 5-11, so., C/F; La'Tonya Robinson, 5-10, fr., F; Tawnya Humphries, 5-11, jr., C.

Coach's outlook: "Our intention is to beat some of the teams we haven't beaten in the past. Last year, we beat Aberdeen twice and they had beaten us the year before. We're getting close to beating some of the other teams. We want to beat one or two more of them this year."

Harford County Sun's outlook: The Warriors return four starters -- Hamilton, Romanelli, Zachry and Miller -- so they have experience. Hawkins or Mason, who played two years ago, will round out the starting lineup. Beyond that, however, the Warriors have almost no experience, because they have no junior varsity. Collins' starters will have to stay healthy if they expect to post a winning record. Hamilton should be one of the dominant inside forces in the league, but she can handle the ball and hit the short jumper. Romanelli and Zachry are also outside threats. If the Warriors have the consistency that usually comes with two- and three-year starters, they could pick up a couple more wins.

JOHN CARROLL PATRIOTS

Coach: Joe Rehrmann, first season.

Assistants: Rick Gayo, Mike Beczkowski, Annette Pyzik.

Last year's record: 11-15.

Starters lost: 1.

Returnees: Amy Dean, 5-7, jr., G; Carrie Stevenson, 5-10, jr., F;Amity Torbit, 5-4, jr., G; Kristy Metz, 5-9, jr., F; Krystin Porcella, 5-5, so., PG; Lisa Melewski, 5-11, sr., C; Jenny Lund, 5-6, sr., G; Kristin Hughes, 5-5, sr., G; Stephanie Tobash, 5-7, sr., F.

Newcomers: Amanda Sappington, 6-0, jr., C/F; Karen Cashour, 5-10, jr., F;Laura Meeholz, 5-8, jr., F; Shannon Burke, 5-7, fr., F/G.

Coach'soutlook: "What we have is a lot of individual talent wth good potential for development. We have to maintain our composure and do things in a team context rather than everybody getting excited and trying todo it themselves."

Harford County Sun's outlook: The Patriots probably have the most talented overall lineup in the county, but Rehrmann's challenge is to turn them into a true team. With so much athletic ability, the Patriots need to show patience rather than head off tothe races every time they get the ball. The Patriots want to run allthe time. Rehrmann will try to slow them down a little for a more controlled offense. If Dean, Torbit and Porcella, all of whom can shootfrom outside, look inside for Stevenson and Melewski, the Patriots should have a balanced offense. Last year, the Patriots did well in the Catholic League B Conference. Now the league has only one conference, so the Patriots will face powerhouses like Seton Keough and Mercy.Against that competition, Rehrmann is hoping for a .500 season.

JOPPATOWNE MARINERS

Coach: Kathy Wunderlich, fifth season.

Assistant: Greg Komondor.

Last year's record: 13-9, Class 1A regional finalist.

Starters lost: 1.

Returnees: Thori Staples, 5-7, sr., F/G; Betzi Faust, 5-10, jr., C; Kendra Meggett, 5-8, jr., F; Lauren Glaze, 5-3, so. G; Dionna Bishop, so., F/G; Santae Boyd, 5-8, so., F/G; Denae Boyd, 5-4, so., G; Tamika Dorsey, 5-9, so., C/F.

Newcomer: Renee Cummings, 5-6, so., F/G.

Coach's outlook: "We're still young but we have some experience. The kids have also gained some confidence. I think we can improve. We just have to execute everything and not make stupid mistakes."

Harford County Sun's outlook: Wunderlich islooking for balanced scoring from her four returning starters, Staples, Faust, Glaze and Bishop. Meggett, who saw limited action last year, also will start. The rest of the Mariners' sophomores have little experience because they moved up to varsity in mid-season when the JVfolded. Wunderlich is trying to build a team ethic, so the Mariners don't rely too much on Staples, who averaged 15.8 points and 14.8 rebounds last year. None of the other returning starters averaged in double figures, but Wunderlich would like to see that change. The Mariners have also graduated most of their long-range points, so they are looking for someone to step up and hit from the outside. If they can come together as a team, the Mariners could make a return trip to the regional final. But if they rely on one person to do all the work, they may not post a winning record.

NORTH HARFORD HAWKS

Coach: Lin James, 26th season

Assistants: None

Last year's record: 20-3, Class 2A regional finalist, co-county champ

Starters lost: 2

Returnees: Carie James, 5-11, sr., F; ; Shannon Bracken, 5-11, sr., F; Tonia Bruno, 5-9, jr., C; Valerie Phipps, 5-7, sr., G; Kelly Healey, 5-4, sr., G; Dawn Hale, 5-4, jr., G.

Newcomers: Nicole Bogarty, 5-6,so., PG; Melissa Anderson, 5-7, so., G; Jennifer Walter, 5-8, so. F/G; Trisha Daughton, 5-9, so., C/F; Kristen Archer, 5-6, jr., G; Rachel Tanchuk, 5-9, jr., F.

Coach's outlook: We're going to be a different kind of team. We're going to be moving the ball rather quickly, I think. We have a lot of speed, and we hope to use that.

Harford County Sun's outlook: The Hawks have one of the most dominating inside games in the league with James, Bracken and Bruno. James drew plenty of defensive attention but still averaged 14 points and 14.8 rebounds a game last year. This year, Bruno should be tougher underneath, giving the Hawks a double threat. Bracken is also tough on the boards,and she has extended her shooting range. The question is who will step up and provide the outside scoring to complement that inside strength. Bogarty will start, and Anderson and Walter will see a lot of action after moving up from a junior varsity squad that lost only one game last year. All three can hit from outside, but Bogarty appears tobe the top gun. If all of this potential plays out, it will be hard for anyone to catch the Hawks.