The Fallston girls and C. Milton Wright boys are again the teams to beat in Harford County track and field.
Fallston returns with its girls team almost intact from last year's .. lopsided win in the county meet, its sixth in eight years.
The Wright boys graduated most of their top performers but retain plenty of strength to make a ninth straight boys title likely.
Much can change before the championships on May 11. But picking the favorites this spring is at least simpler than picking the championship site.
Where the county meet is conducted will be determined by a curious formula: If the average ground temperature exceeds 50 degrees in early April, the meet will be at Edgewood. Otherwise, it will be at Bel Air.
Edgewood's track is scheduled to have a $75,000 surface applied the week of April 3 -- but only if the ground is warm enough for proper curing. A similar surface will be poured at C. Milton Wright about March 27.
Given a cool spring, Edgewood and Wright could be without a track for the entire season.
Even without the new surfaces, there is a noticeable change in track and field: All 10 Harford schools have larger teams. Overall, the number of participants is up almost 19 percent over last year, to 657.
Aberdeen Eagles
"We have a real positive outlook," said Aberdeen boys coach Eric Kemp. "We have more depth and enthusiasm and a larger team than last year."
Heading the list of returnees on the 30-man squad is Terrance Washington, who won the county long jump and was second in the high jump. Other strong holdovers are Larry Brown (hurdles and jumps), Joe Ragan (400), and Nate Stewart (shot, discus). Newcomers Curvine Ridgely and Dondre Gilliam are expected to add strength in the sprints.
Aberdeen's girls team returns only two scorers from the '94 county meet, sprinter Amanda Laughton and distance runner Kim Helmers. But 12th-year coach Donna Lewis sees several top prospects among her 24 girls.
The Eagles look for points from Jessica Solar (distance), Ayana Burnett (sprints), Holly Andrews (shot, discus), and Lia Vance (hurdles). Freshman Heather McGrath has been impressive.
Bel Air Bobcats
With reigning county champs in four events, Bel Air will be a strong contender in the girls competition. Michelle Apland (1,600 and 3,200), Jenny Gaines (high jump), and Tiffany Higgins (shot put) won county titles. Higgins is a transfer from Edgewood.
"I think we'll have a well-rounded team," said girls coach Randall Cerveny. "We'll be strong in the field events."
Versatile Monica Grigora, a hurdler and jumper, should be a top point producer. Other veterans are Casey Hentz (sprints), Laura Whitsel (discus), and Tia Melvin (jumps). Freshman Erin Nett (jumps) is an impressive newcomer. The girls team, which numbers 50, was second in the county last year.
County high jump champ Brian Grimm, a senior, is the top boys returnee.
County meet placers Jay Vignola (400), Chris Siplin (hurdles), Scott Schoenberg (high jump), Jeff Kuck (pole vault), and Bob Joy (triple jump) return. Bryan Jeunette and A.J. Johnson are top prospects in the sprints.
C. Milton Wright Mustangs
This could be described as a rebuilding year for the Wright boys. Gone are athletes who scored 60 percent of the points in winning the county title. Shot putter Will Hanks is the only county champ who returns.
"I lost some strong people last year," said coach Bob Johnson. "But I've got a good bunch coming back."
Sophomore distance runner Eric Benjamin is expected to dominate the 800 and 1,600 in the county, with junior Dave Warnick giving strong support in the 3,200. Duane Fisher and Ryan Lesh provide a 1-2 punch in the hurdles.
Other returnees are Jason Stiles and Todd Behler (sprints), Will Steedman (400, 800), Brian Harris (distance), Kevin Slezak and John Judy (long jump), and Larry Taylor (vault). In the high jump, Johnson sees strong potential in newcomers Marcus Perkins and Cory Smith.
"Our strength is in distance events," said girls coach Barbara Johnson, whose team placed third in the county and lost only to Fallston in regular meets last year.
Amy Altman, Jen Englehart, Mary Beth Rollins and Kelly Coogan provide outstanding depth in the distances. Liz Kaiss returns in the 400 and Beth Walls and Brie Kotula in the sprints. Freshman Kelly Jones and Angela Fisher show promise in the sprints. The team has 65 girls, 32 of them newcomers.
Edgewood Rams
Although the Rams have lost four-time Harford sprint champ Rebecca Lesesne to eligibility and shot put champ Tiffany Higgins to transfer, coaches Roy Norris and Don Todero are optimistic.
Returning are three members of the sprint relay team that placed second in the state meet: Crystal Thomas, Erica Brown and All-County selection Delicia Haynes. Newcomers Tanisha Ellis and Nicole Brazil make the Rams the team to beat in the short relays.
Sharron Wesson, returning from injury last year, is one of the county's best in the long jump. Other top prospects among the 22 girls are Sandra Hazard (hurdles, 400), Maurissa Willoughby (shot put), Allison Lockes (hurdles), Shanna Epps (field events), and Rayonda Coleman (jumps).
Norris sees greater strength in the distance events than past years with sophomores Robert Allen and Jason Bullock, and junior Jeremy Breidel. Other top prospects among the 32 boys are Willie Parrish (high jump), Mike Brown and Dwayne White (discus), and Carlos Putney (shot). Sprinters are Reggie Jarvis, Mike Guggenheimer, Giovanni Colon, Mike Moore and Willie Pass.
Fallston Cougars
Coaches Greg Thompson and Dean Hefner have a combined team of 120 -- 68 girls and 52 boys.
"We've got some big numbers again, and I see a lot of potential," said Thompson. "But it is a rebuilding year for the boys."
The Cougar boys, who lost 18 seniors from the team that placed second in the county, will be strong in the distance events with Chris Parkinson, Todd Weller, Matt Waldron, Mike Martinek, Jason Sayers and Nick Sayers.
Top prospects are Jim Pappas (shot, discus), Paul DiFrancesca (sprints), Pete Chamberlin (hurdles), Billy Allers (sprints), Max Reinholdt (Jumps) and Howie Sullens (sprints).
The girls team is loaded with talent, having lost only three from its county championship team. Back are 1994 All-County Performer of the Year Cindy Wolf, 1993 state hurdles champ Laura Snyder and All-County selection Becky Bystry.
Returning too are a host of others who scored in the county meet last year: Jumpers Suzanne Sharff and Blythe Hunsinger; hurdlers Holly King and Kelly Wolf; sprinter Jen Cook; throwers Heather Baldwin and Tracy Nussle; distance runners Candy Credito, Erin Chlumsky, and Brigid Leaf.
Harford Tech Cobras
Most of the 10 girls and 15 boys on the Harford Tech team are distance runners.
"We look like a real good cross country team," said girls coach Becky Fitzgerald. "The outlook is much better than it has been in recent years. The team looks strong, with only two seniors."
Leading girls distance runners are Erin Fitzgerald, Christy McKinnon, Stacy Ensor and Tiffany Whitley.
Coach Bob Ober's boys team, which includes all seven members of the regional champion Odyssey of the Mind team, is focused on distance running. Prospects are Jason Powers, Mike Knefel, Jason Goode, Eric Agan, Kevin Agan and Tim Gross.
Junior Jade Downing will handle the shot and discus, and sophomore Paul Ledebur, the hurdles.
Havre de Grace Warriors
The Warriors have Harford's top returning sprinter in Mike Wood, 1994 All-County Performer of the Year as a sophomore. He is in top shape, despite a leg injury from in football.
"We have outstanding individual performers but are not deep enough to contend in team scoring in many meets," said coach Michael Knoll about the squad of 10 boys.
Leading prospects are Justin James (400), Mike Hitchings (distance, high jump), Al Mann (sprints), and Wilbur Ballard (sprints, hurdles, shot).
Zakiyya Muhammed, a junior sprinter, leads the girls team. Last year she was a double-winner in the regional meet and placed second in the county 200 and fifth in the 100 in the state.
First-year coach Tara Custer has 20 girls on the team, including versatile Renee Grainger (sprints, hurdles, jumps), Christina Fox hurdles), Jamie Baker (hurdles, 400), Wendy Anderson (relays), and Jennifer Lawson. Newcomers Sarah and Susan Whatley are expected to bolster the distance events.
John Carroll Patriots
The girls have a standout in junior Amy Goeztinger, a hurdler and jumper who last year scored half her team's points in the county meet, won three events in the Catholic League championships and set five school records.
Senior Laura Dembiec, who scored in all three jumps in the county meet, is also back. Other leaders on the 30-girl team are Katie Lannon (distance), Jen Williams (800), Michelle Zilka (hurdles, jumps) and Beth Farrall (sprints).
"Middle distance will be the strength of our team," said third-year boys coach Terry Brant. His team of 21 boys has two returnees who scored in the county meet: Mike Giordano (sprints) and Bill Lort (hurdles, discus).
Other prospects are Bill Pate (400), Paul Kim (hurdles), Mike Babiak (field events), Tony Leiter (400), B.J. Prior (1,600), Nick Antanasio (sprints), A.J. deRosset, (middle distance), and Brian Baesner (800, 1,600).
Joppatowne Mariners
With a team of 20 boys and 20 girls, coaches Greg Komondor and Angie Spinner are upbeat.
"Our goal was to get 40 and we're there. We have doubled the team," said Komondor.
Sophomore Kristen Hulbert, a regional winner in both the 400 and 800 last year, is the top returnee. She will be supported by two members of the 3,200 relay team that took fifth in the state meet, Lora Harkins and Nicole Simone. Freshman Beth Hadrys, an All-County cross country runner, will add distance strength. The only senior is sprinter Wendy Evans.
Returning to the boys team is regional high jump champion Brad Hulbert. A senior, he also competes in the 400, in which he placed third in the county.
Football standouts Andre Turner and Louis McKisset will help in the dashes. Other returnees are Stuart Simms in the 1,600; Warren Hodges, county runner-up in the discus; and Tony Rufus in the 200 and 400.
North Harford Hawks
North Harford's headliner is Susan Kirn, the only athlete to win three individual events -- the 100, 200 and 400 -- in the county meet last year. She is the only senior on the team of 43 girls.
Returning are Cara Johnson, third in the state meet high jump, Hope McGreevy (shot put), Megan McNew (distance), Jennifer Ayers (200, 400), Lindsay Guckert (distance) and Kelli Fuka (hurdles).
Freshman distance runners Beth Fox, Allison Dorvall, Melissa McNutt and Jennifer Gittings are top prospects.
Steven Shaw will be a solid point producer for the boys. The junior discus thrower won the county meet and placed second in the 2A state meet last year.
"We have a lot of newcomers so I don't have the foggiest idea how we'll do this year," said coach Dave Starnes, who is beginning his 27th year of coaching at North Harford. Eighteen of his 35 boys are newcomers.
Among the top holdovers are Jaysson Eicholtz (hurdles), Eric Hall (jumps) and Scott Johnson (shot put).