The story from Hammond has been the same the past two years: look out for these young guys, they're going to be good.

This is the year that we may want to listen up.

Big things are expected from Hammond, led by twins Travis and Tyler Clark at the corners, Jared Christensen at shortstop, Joey Logan and Taylor Kopnitsky in the outfield and newcomer Danny Wissmann anchoring the pitching staff - all juniors. Still, the Golden Bears have not played better than .500 in either of the past two seasons.

"We're talented, but we haven't done anything yet," coach Mike Lerner said. "You've got to stay healthy, you've got to be a little lucky."

Hammond's Opening Day win over 2008 regional champion Centennial, 9-0, March 20 was a step toward "doing something," as Wissmann threw six innings of one-hit baseball and Travis Clark, Christensen and Logan all came up with big hits.

Centennial, led by Player of the Year candidate Joe Couch, should bounce back from the loss. River Hill is led by Jeff Crosswhite, another Player of the Year candidate, and one of the county's best in hitting and pitching last season. Reservoir returns a pair of all-county players, Corey Mantanona and Tyler Steele.

Atholton

Coach: Kevin Kelly, 19th season

Last year's record: 4-12 county, 4-17 overall

Top players: Seniors Wes Hand (CF/P) and Corey Stirmer (LF); junior Jamie Williams (P); sophomores Kory Britton (SS/P) and Paul Beers (C) and Jake Yasenka (OF/P).

What you need to know: Last year was a transitional year for the Raiders, with a few talented underclassmen coming up late in the year to develop on varsity. Atholton only won four games, losing five by two runs or less, but expects to have a much more successful season with those underclassmen taking on greater roles. Britton may be the best all-around athlete: he led the team in average (.352), runs (15) and stolen bases (eight) last year and will lead off. Hand and Stirmer are probably the next best hitters and give Atholton a solid outfield. Kelly expects big things out of the battery of Williams and Beers.

Centennial

Coach: Denis Ahearn, eighth season

Last year's record: 14-2, 19-4 (3A region champion)

Top players: Seniors Joe Couch (1B/P) and Jake Beck (OF); juniors Richard Duffee (CF), Russ Patti (C), Dan Powers (3B), Tejus Kulkarni (SS), Alec Baum (OF/P) and sophomore Cody Jaeger (2B).

What you need to know: The Eagles have graduated Ben Winter, the two-time Player of the Year who anchored both the batting order and pitching rotation, but it looks like they're ready to compete again. Couch has held down first base since he was a freshman. He led the regional champion Eagles last year in home runs (four) and RBIs (25). He was the county's only pitcher to have an ERA of less than 1 (0.93). Duffee is a lead-off type who is capable of making the big play in center field. Baum has several pitches he can throw for strikes and will be the second mound option after Couch. Beck, Patti, Powers and Kulkarni were called up last year and have a year of experience.

Glenelg

Coach: Tom Thrasher, 13th season

Last year's record: 11-5, 12-7

Top players: Seniors A.J. Rosenthal (P) and Evan Sanna (C); juniors Ross Ryan (SS), Wes Niemela (LF/P) and Cody Ruben (2B/P); sophomores Tim Benjamin (3B), Ricky Hall (RF) and Jake True (CF).

What you need to know: Glenelg has a mix of sophomores and experienced players. Rosenthal is the staff ace; he pitched a complete-game shutout on Opening Day against Howard, striking out 13 and walking none. Niemela added a complete game, 6-3, win over Chesapeake the next day without issuing a walk. Much is expected from the trio of sophomores: True, a speedster, leads off, Hall bats third and Benjamin, who is big for a sophomore, is batting cleanup.

Hammond

Coach: Mike Lerner, eighth season

Last year's record: 7-9, 8-12

Top players: Senior Jeff Snyder (OF); juniors Travis Clark (P/3B), Tyler Clark (1B), Jared Christensen (SS), Danny Wissmann (LHP), Joey Logan (P/CF) and Taylor Kopnitsky (OF).

What you need to know: The Bears are getting tons of buzz because Wissmann, arguably the best lefty in the county, moved into the Hammond district in the offseason, adding sparkle to an already strong roster. The Clark twins, who Lerner says got in tremendous shape over the summer, were both first team all-county last year, as was Christensen, who led the league in homers (8) and RBIs (25) and has improved his defense. Logan and Kopnitsky use their speed in the outfield and to score runs in front of the big bats; they combined for 36 runs last year. But, as Lerner reminds, Hammond finished under .500 last year and has yet to earn anything.

Howard

Coach: Jay Morraye, second season

Last year's record: 11-5, 11-6

Top players: Seniors Brandon Yurechko (1B), Chris Keenan (RF), Adam Mease (3B); juniors Liam Aquino (P/SS), Doug Rohrbaugh (P/CF), Rod Wotring (C), Reed Scott (P) and Josh Vonella (2B).

What you need to know: Losing Wissmann was a blow, but Howard has a few other strong arms. Scott, an imposing figure at 6 feet 6, leads a rotation that also includes Aquino and Rohrbaugh. Yurechko returns as the team's big hitter. Keenan, Mease and Vonella also are strong hitters.

Long Reach

Coach: Chuck Spalding, first season

Last year's record: 2-14, 3-18

Top players: Seniors Shawn Hendon (SS/P), Chris DeFeo (P/SS), Anthony Lyon (OF), John Doppler (OF), Thomas Carroll (OF); juniors Chase Miller (P/3B) and Ben Linton (C); sophomores Shaun Hairston (1B/C) and Kevin Reggie (2B).

What you need to know: Spalding, the JV coach for the last 10 years, takes over for Tim O'Brien, who is now coaching at UMBC. The key for the Lightning will be how well the pitchers respond; the starters haven't pitched at the varsity level. Miller comes up from JV to lead the staff, while DeFeo, the team's top returning hitter (.290), will be the second option. Lyon, Doppler and Carroll make up an athletic outfield and will be counted on to produce at the plate. Other than DeFeo, no one on the team batted over .200 on varsity last year.

Marriotts Ridge

Coach: Paul Eckert, fourth season

Last year's record: 11-5, 17-6, county and 2A regional champion, state semifinalist

Top players: Seniors Stephen Kahl (OF), Tim Blair (2B/P) and George Harrison (P); juniors Kevin Kratochwill (SS), Nick Marinelli (2B), Mitchell Smith (OF/1B/P) and Ethan Rice (P)

What you need to know: The Mustangs made it to the state championship last season with a rotation of trustworthy arms. With Tim Blair, the county's only returning 10-game winner, off the mound until midseason with a shoulder injury sustained during football season, pitching will be a much bigger question for Eckert. Rice, who played JV last year, is penciled in as the No. 1 starter. Eckert has much less to worry about with the top half of his lineup. Kahl (.368), an all-county second-teamer, Kratochwill (.363), Smith (.328) and Marinelli (.315) all batted above .300 last year, representing four of the team's top five batting averages.

Mt. Hebron

Coach: Brian Culley, third season

Last year's record: 9-7, 14-9

Top players: Seniors Brandon Mothershead (P), Pat McNamara (P/OF) and Greg Barr (2B/3B); juniors Brody Tennant (OF), Brian Lewis (P), Ben Bleyer (C), Andrew Monger (1B/P) amd Clint Huber (OF/P).

What you need to know: Pitching won't be a problem for Culley. He's got half a dozen guys who can eat innings and two -- Mothershead and McNamara -- who combined for almost 80 innings last year with an ERA well below three. Lewis also pitched some last year, while Monger, Huber, and Smouse come up from a JV that won the county with a 13-3 record. Tennant, the team's best all-around athlete, Barr and Bleyer all had enough at bats last year to become accustomed to varsity pitching.

Oakland Mills

Coach: Rod Clifford, sixth season

Last year's record: 7-9, 9-11

Top players: Seniors Alex Suggs (C/P), Josh Yarn (P/CF) and Corey Sevarino (MI); sophomores James Pope (OF), Kevin Flanagan (OF/P) and Joey Yarn (SS/3B).

What you need to know: Clifford starts with only 12 varsity players, but he says JV players will earn their way up as the season progresses. Suggs is the top hitter and pitcher. Though he did not throw a pitch last year, he spent the summer with the Columbia Reds developing his arm. He was second team all-county last year after batting .391 with four home runs. Josh Yarn will anchor the outfield and pitch significant innings. Of the sophomores, Pope has the best speed, Flanagan the best arm, and Yarn the best bat.

Reservoir

Coach: Adam Leader, seventh season

Last year's record: 8-8, 10-11

Top players: Seniors Corey Mantanona (3B) and Jake Saunders (1B); juniors Mike Quatrone (SS) and Tyler Steele (CF); sophomores T.J. Pipik (2B/P) and Kyle Alexander (LHP)

What you need to know: In Mantonona and Saunders, Leader has a pair of big bats anchoring the infield at the corners and leading the team in the dugout. Mantanona, a four-year varsity player, had a breakout season at the plate last year leading the team in RBIs (17) and average (.426). Pipik was a significant contributor as a freshman (4 wins, 1.31 ERA) and returns to lead the rotation a little bigger and stronger. Steele joined Mantanona on the all-county second team last season and will anchor a fresh outfield.

River Hill

Coach: Wes McCoy, first season

Last year's record: 7-9, 9-13

Top players: Senior Jeff Crosswhite (OF/P); juniors Christian Laidley (OF), Michael Parco (SS), Adam Brookhart (2B) and Drew Henderson (P); sophomore Brandon Estrain (LHP).

What you need to know: Crosswhite is a returning all-county first-team choice and could be among the league leaders in pitching ('08: 1.46 ERA, 54 K, 4 BB) and hitting (league-best .477). Beyond Crosswhite, the Hawks are youthful. Parco was the team's third-leading hitter in '08 (.256) and is a slick fielder. Brookhart has transferred in from Good Counsel. Henderson has already pitched more than 30 innings on varsity. Laidley, a sharp-hitting, strong-armed outfielder, and Estrain, a lefty, were the leaders on JV last year. McCoy graduated from River Hill in 2003, where he played baseball, basketball and ran cross country. He played basketball at Dickinson and teaches history at Mt. Hebron.

Wilde Lake

Coach: Perry Sauers, first season

Last year's record: 5-11, 6-14

Top players: Seniors Adam Baxley (C/P) and Alex Kempler (OF); juniors Anthony Scafone (CF/P) and Steven Perdigao (SS/P); sophomores Joe Kelly (3B), Mike Bucci (LHP) and Matt Holdefer (1B/RP).

What you need to know: Wilde Lake has youth on its side. The team's top hitter, Kelly, and pitcher, Bucci, are sophomores. Sauers coached JV the last four years. Kelly (.318), Baxley (.305) and Kempler (.302) each hit over .300 last season, and Bucci had a sub-3 ERA with more strikeouts (32) than innings pitched (28). Scafone is a speedster who will lead off. Perdigao has the best glove of the infield.

Chapelgate

Coach: Rob Van Ness, first season

Last year's record: 8-6 MIAA B, 9-8

Top players: Senior Josh Sacks (SS/C); juniors Chris Ahrens (LHP) and Nathan Sigrest (P/OF/1B); freshmen Dylan Snyder (P/SS/2B), Rick Glidden (1B), Ryan Hordyski (P) and Jordan Lawrence (P).

What you need to know: Sacks, who will play for Salisbury University next year, is by far the team's rock. He batted .400 last year, stole 16 bases and scored 25 runs. But to say that the Yellowjackets are young would be an understatement. Van Ness, Chapelgate's headmaster, takes over a team that graduated a slew of productive seniors including Matt Siggins, a one-man pitching rotation last year (80 innings, six wins, 134 strikeouts, 1.23 ERA). As a result, none of this year's pitchers have any experience. Ahrens, a lefty, looks to lead the rotation, but Van Ness has five guys who will pitch.

Glenelg Country

Coach: Al Poklemba, 10th season

Last year's record: 0-15 MIAA B, 4-15

Top players: Senior Sean Eitze (OF/P); sophomores Doug Miller (C), Andrew Franklin (1B/P) and Ben Coffel (3B); freshmen Tyler (P/SS) and Brandon Henderson (SS/OF).

What you need to know: Eitze is the only upperclassman on the team, which has six freshmen and five sophomores. He batted above .400 last year. In Tyler and Brandon Henderson, the Dragons have their own franchise pair of twin brothers; Tyler is the staff ace. Glenelg Country has won one conference game in two years, but help is coming.

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