Young and inexperienced characterizes Harford County high
school boys basketball this season, and for a change there is no clear-cut favorite for the league championship.
It could be a year when Fallston or C. Milton Wright edges ahead of the pack, but several other teams could develop quickly enough to be challengers by midseason.
It will be a season when new faces take charge of their teams. Only two from the top 13 All-County players of a year ago are back -- senior forward Kernan Kelly of Fallston and junior guard Pete Surette of Harford Tech.
Kelly, a 6-foot-3 senior and three-year starter, and 6-4 senior Rick Shearer, the top reserve forward last season, will be looked to for the bulk of the scoring and rebounding. At the same time, better outside shooting will be needed to spread opposing defenses.
Last year, inconsistent guard play was one of the factors that kept Fallston from rising higher than the middle of the standings, but coach Robin Hood believes that situation should be improved.
The Cougars can put some height on the floor with one player at 6-6 and three at 6-5 (all juniors) ready to come off the bench.
C. Milton Wright has the tallest player in the league in 6-7 senior Chris Rueckert, but, like Fallston, the Mustangs will need some outside help. Junior Peter Troilo, the back-up point guard last year, will direct the offense.
Surette, an outstanding point guard, was a key player for 9-9 Harford Tech last year with averages of 12.0 points and a county-leading 12.5 assists, plus 49 steals. Gone is Kelly Turner, the county scoring leader at 26.6, but Lachea Johns (11.5 ppg) returns.
North Harford has perhaps the county's best starting guards in 6-1 senior Nick Piotrowski and 6-foot junior Ryan Renfrow, but they turned out to be the team's 1-2 rebounders last season.
That lack of team height is still a problem, but if this group finds a way to get the ball, it could generate some wins.
John Carroll has improving senior Jared Marmen, an imposing 6-8, 230 pounds, who will be asked to carry a lot of the load.
Once past Marmen and 6-4 junior Jeff Miles, however, this is a small team that will have to rely on defense to be competitive in the B Division of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association.
The leaders in the 11-team league are expected to be Boys' Latin, Friends and St. Paul's. The Patriots are in Division I, where Boys' Latin is the favorite.