The stars are aligned for something special.
Not since golf returned as an official varsity sport in 2005 has there been so much returning talent at the top, as four of the top five boys and four of the top six girls in scoring from last season return this fall.
Included in the bunch are Wilde Lake's Tyler Silberberg and Atholton's Bryana Nguyen, who won the boys and girls county Player of the Year awards, respectively, as underclassmen in 2010. Both are coming off seasons where they produced regular-season scoring averages of 25.8 points or better.
Only Oakland Mills' Donnie Shinn, the Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006, finished a season with a scoring average higher than that of Silberberg and Nguyen.
There will be challengers, though, for this year's top individual spot, especially on the boys' side.
Centennial's Connor Flach, Marriotts Ridge's Chris Yoo and Glenelg's Matt Forester all averaged more than 23 points last fall and were qualifiers for the state tournament.
For Nguyen, who finished second at last year's state tournament as a freshman, the gap between her and the field is a little wider.
Still, don't be surprised if a push comes from either Marriotts Ridge sophomore Rachel Lee (20.9 average in 2010), Centennial senior Alex McShane (18.5) or River Hill senior Ariana Dial (17.2).
"It's probably going to be a little top-heavy for the girls, with only Rachel and maybe a couple others really capable of challenging Bryana," Marriotts Ridge coach Mark Dubbs said. "But the boys' (individual race) is pretty wide open."
In the team competitions, there is a wealth of familiar faces as well.
The Wilde Lake and Glenelg boys, last year's top two teams in the standings, return a combined seven of eight starters. On the girls' side, defending county champion Marriotts Ridge brings back three of its top four golfers.
But, as the Wilde Lake boys proved last season by winning the county title after going 6-5 the year before, there's always the possibility of a surprise or two.
"The top teams are going to be very good, but if you can get four guys playing consistently, who can all put it together at the same time, anything can happen," River Hill coach Matt Graves said.
The season's first matches were held Aug. 22 and the county championship tournament is scheduled for Sept. 27 at the Timbers at Troy, in Elkridge.
Here's a look at what to keep an eye on for each of the county teams:
Atholton
2010 boys record: 7-4; 2010 girls: 7-4
Top boys: Seniors Brandon Potter and Eliot Tarash; juniors Garrett Wallace and Steven Wolfe; freshman Chris Robinson.
Top girls: Senior McKenzie Fields; sophomore Bryana Nguyen; freshman Amanda Peterson.
What you need to know: The Raiders graduated a first-team all-county player in Ethan Wasil, leaving some big shoes to fill at the top. The good news is that the Raiders have two guys — Wallace and Wolfe — that got some valuable experience playing last year as sophomores. Wallace (17.8-point average) is the team's leading returning scorer. Keep an eye on the freshman Robinson, who should be an immediate contributor. Potter and Tarash are seniors that could be strong as well once they get match experience.
It was a freshman year to remember for Nguyen, as she produced a scoring average of 26 points, won the county tournament and finished top two at districts and states last fall. After a successful summer against national competition, the expectations are for an even bigger sophomore campaign. The development of Fields (9.5 average in 2010), Peterson and senior Jenny Tae behind her will determine if the Raiders can improve on last year's fourth-place finish.
Centennial
2010 boys: 3-7; 2010 girls: 8-2
Top boys: Junior Connor Flach; sophomores Mike Humphrey and Connor McAnallen; freshmen Gregg Cherry and Matt McShane.
Top girls: Seniors Alex McShane and Michelle Kuan.
What you need to know: New coach Rob Slopek inherits an extremely young boys team, featuring no seniors and just one junior. The good news is that the one junior, Flach, is a Player of the Year candidate and finished second at the county tournament last year. He'll be leading a group that is tightly bunched and filled with future potential. "We have the talent to compete with most teams, but consistency will be very important for us, particularly with our No. 3 and 4 golfers," Slopek said.
The girls graduated all-county performer Jessica Mehta, but return a fellow first-teamer in Alex McShane. McShane, a four-year starter, was top five among girls in scoring average as a junior. She will combine with Kuan (12.2 scoring average) to give the Eagles two experienced players at the top. Depth will be an issue, as the third and fourth spots will be filled with inexperienced players, but Slopek says the team's goal is still for another top-four finish.
Glenelg
2010 boys: 8-2; 2010 girls: 4-6
Top boys: Juniors Matt Forester, Charlie Harrison, Adam Leake and Greg Leake; freshman Steven Segrist.
Top girls: Seniors You Lee Hong and Colleen Castro.
What you need to know: The rich get richer. The Gladiators add stud-freshman Segrist to a team that also brings back four of its top five from last season's second-place finish. Forester has added length off the tee, which should only bolster his position as one of the county's elite players. The Leake brothers and Harrison have shown the ability to shoot in the mid-20s in the past and will be aiming for more consistency. It all adds up to coach Chris Beil's team having a serious chance at a county title and a return to the state tournament as a team for the first time in three seasons.
There were six girls out for the team, four of which are seniors. Lee Hong (12.2-point average) and Castro (9.5) have been mainstays in the line-up and Beil believes that "if the girls take it seriously, they can make some waves this year."
Hammond
2010 boys: 1-10; 2010 girls: 1-10
Top boys: Seniors Jack Stanton and Colin Creighton; junior Austin Kopnitsky.
What you need to know: The Golden Bears struggled last season, however, they do have some familiar faces in place as they try to make strides in the right direction. The team's top three scorers are back, with Creighton and Kopnitsky looking like the pacesetters in the early going. Both are aiming for averages in the upper teens, while Creighton is capable of close to that as well. "They work hard, which hopefully will pay off for them come the end of September," coach Mike Lerner said.
In the early going, the Bears are still trying to build up the numbers for their girls team. Lerner says that recruiting players "is a continuing struggle every year," but he hopes to have a couple players out once school gets going.
Howard
2010 boys: 6-5; 2010 girls: 6-5
Top boys: Seniors Corey Andrews and Chris Song; sophomore Steven Park.
Top girls: Senior Colleen Higgins and junior Amanda Song.
What you need to know: The Lions have three of their top four back and new coach Curtis Galbreath has his sights set on another above .500 finish. Andrews is the leading returning scorer, averaging 19.1 points as a junior, and Park (16.8) wasn't that far behind during his freshman campaign. Song has a couple years of experience and will join Kevin Reid, Sean Crawford and Max Balter as contributors in the back half of the lineup. Early on, Galbreath says he has been impressed with his team's "consistency" and "work ethic."
Higgins, who averaged a team-high 12.4 points last fall, will lead a small girls team. Expectations are for her average to jump up a couple points, as she and Song will be charged with carrying the team in the early going. Song had five rounds of seven points or better last season.
Long Reach
2010 boys: 0-11; 2010 girls: 6-5
Top boys: Senior Nick Tafuri and sophomore Trevor Appler.
Top girls: Senior Ellisa Lee; juniors Abigail Caspar and Courtney Sample.
What you need to know: It will likely be another rebuilding year for the Lightning boys. After going winless in 2010, two of the teams expected returners will not be playing and that leaves coach Bob Hawthorne with another inexperienced group. Tafuri and Appler are returners, but have just one year of high school experience each.
Lee has a lot of potential and, after a strong summer, Hawthorne says she could play her way into this year's state tournament. She averaged 14.9 points a match as a junior. Caspar and Sample have both been on the team since they were freshmen and, if the team can find a fourth player, the potential is there for another finish in the top half of the county standings.
Marriotts Ridge
2010 boys: 8-2-1; 2010 girls: 11-0
Top boys: Seniors Chris Yoo and Joey Park; juniors Joe Dorsche and Daniel Park; sophomore Michael Dorsche.
Top girls: Sophomores Ariel Beigel, Marissa Davey and Rachel Lee.
What you need to know: After two straight years finishing among the top three in the state in the 2A/1A classification, the Mustangs will be counting on some reinforcements this fall. Yoo will hold down the top spot, having averaged over 23 points in each of the last two seasons, and Joey Park is a strong No. 2 guy. Finding consistency in the other two spots is paramount to contending, which is something the Dorsche brothers and Daniel Park can provide.
The girls team shattered records last season, breaking the 80-point barrier in the last match of the regular season. The good news is that three of the top four are back, including Lee and her 20.9 scoring average. The bad news is that the team will have to try and make up for the 21.5-point scoring average of Jenna Albright. Both Davey and Beigel are capable of reaching 20 points on any given day and Michelle Kim, another sophomore, rounds out the top four. "It's a great group and, although they are young, I expect them to do very well," coach Mark Dubbs said.
Mt. Hebron
2010 boys: 6-5; 2010 girls: 2-9
Top boys: Seniors Jeff Mohilchock and Skutch Montgomery; juniors Sang Bae and David Marino.
Top girls: Senior Brooke Savage and sophomore Hayley Baker.
What you need to know: The Vikings' title chances took a big hit when would-be sophomore Joel Choi, last year's county tournament champion, moved to Virginia. That, combined with the graduation of Matt Baker (19.5 point average), creates a hole at the top. That doesn't mean Mt. Hebron won't be competitive, however. Marino, Montgomery and Bae all have notable match experience. Coach Don Walters is also excited about the potential of freshman Patrick Hardy.
The girls team is still building, but having veterans Baker and Savage return certainly helps. Both were mainstays in last year's starting lineup. Sophomore Paige Needham has joined the team as well and, although new to the game, has shown raw talent already.
Oakland Mills
2010 boys: 2-9; 2010 girls: 5-5-1
Top boys: Senior Terrance Diggs and sophomore Jackson Bailey.
Top girls: Sophomore Samyra Lewis.
What you need to know: The Scorpions once again have a team with limited returning experience. Diggs was a double-digit scorer as a junior and Bailey has match experience as well, but beginners will fill the other two starting spots. Matt Huewe, who also plays basketball and baseball, is a senior competing his first year on the team.
Lewis could be this year's breakout player on the girls' side. After a freshman season where she averaged 15.1 points a match, Lewis has "really improved her putting and her approach to the game" in the offseason, coach Jon Browne said. A first-team all-county season is not out of the question. Finding points to back her up, though, is still a work in progress.
Reservoir
2010 boys: 6-5; 2010 girls: 4-6-1
Top boys: Seniors Pat Kendall and Curtis Reybold; juniors Henry Leadbeater and Brent Sabot; freshman Brandon Yang.
Top girls: Senior Bailey Parater; juniors Tina Howard and Tabbi Gaverth.
What you need to know: The Gators are in rebuilding mode. The team lost five seniors, three of which averaged more than 17 points a match last fall, and Kendall is the only one left with more than three matches of high school golf experience. Kendall averaged 16.6 points as a junior and takes over as captain. There will be ups and downs, but coach Craig Alessio said he likes his inexperienced group's upside.
The top three girls, Parater, Howard and Gaverth, have all improved, Alessio said. Parater is the leading returning scorer, having averaged 10.6 points as a junior. It is likely that all three could be averaging in double digits by the end of the fall. The fourth slot will be filled by one of three newcomers to the team.
River Hill
2010 boys: 7-2-2; 2010 girls: 10-1
Top boys: Seniors Matt Gray, Greg Karas, Henry Ko and Zach Lynes; sophomore Brett Gold.
Top girls: Seniors Ariana Dial and Stephanie Feldblum; junior Kendra Rosnick.
What you need to know: For a team that has consistently been among the top four in the county for the past six years, it's going to take some work for the Hawks to stay there this fall. Lynes is the only returning starter, averaging 21 points as a junior. Gray also has experience, but played sparingly the past couple seasons. Don't count them out, though, because coach Matt Graves still has a team capable of putting up scores in the low 80s. Gold, in particular, could turn heads.
The girls team lost its top player, Krysten Badey, but Dial should step right in as the team's new No. 1. She has improved and could very well push her average into the low 20s. Rosnick (10.7 average in 2010), Feldblum (9.8) and senior Deena Damschroder all played roles on last year's second-place team. Freshman Lexi Hayward could also contribute immediately.
Wilde Lake
2010 boys: 9-1-1; 2010 girls: 0-11
Top boys: Senior Matt Shin; juniors Rafey Iqbal, Tyler Silberberg and David Yancich; sophomore Joe Boccher.
Top girls: Sophomore Mikala Teachman.
What you need to know: The Wildecats may have snuck up on the county last year on their way to the regular season title, but that won't happen again. With all of last year's top five back, including the Player of the Year in Silberberg, it will now be Wilde Lake with the target on its back. Boccher, Shin and Yancich averaged 17 or more points a match last season, while Iqbal came on strong late in the year to make the state tournament. When they play well, few teams have the firepower that the Wildecats do. A second-place finish in the Maryland Junior Boys Championship highlighted Silberberg's summer.
Teachman is the only girl out, but she has greatly improved. After averaging just four points last fall, she could be hitting double digits once the season gets into full swing.