• The dish: The 2006 Class AAAA champions bring back six starters, including centerfielder Jeff Rowland and infielder/pitcher Brandon Cumptton, both Georgia Tech signees. The pitching staff should be solid with Cumptton, Nolan Belcher, Michael Hester, Damien Lucree and Pat McGowan all seeing innings for coach Rodney Holder, who feels his team has a chance at repeating in AAAA.

• The dish: The mood is optimistic at Kennesaw Mountain, where talent seems to be growing on trees. Pitchers Will Casey (committed to South Carolina) and Josh Means (East Tennessee State) anchor the pitching staff, while leadoff man Navarro Hall sets the table in a potent lineup that includes homerun leader Don DiPetta.

• The dish: The Trojans have to replace quite a bit off last year's Class AAAAA state championship team Ñ 80 percent of the offensive productivity and 50 percent of the innings pitched Ñ but don't feel too bad for coach Mickey McMurtry's bunch. Mound ace Michael Palazzone returns for his senior year after an 11-1 junior season and Chad Johnson is a solid No. 2. Centerfielder Grant Youngblood, who's committed to Penn State, had 57 total bases last season; junior Garrett May will be asked to raise his .250 average while manning either third base or shortstop.

• The dish: Last year's Class AAAAA runners-up lost a lot when Ben Paulsen, Michael Demperio, Clint Roques and Nick Fuller all signed with colleges. Senior Taylor Phillips and juniors Adam Morgan, Chris Base and Matt Smith have the inside track on rotation spots. Newcomer Brandon Williams is expected to leadoff and jump start an offense that lost 82 RBI in Paulsen and Roques.

• The dish: The defending Class AA champions have an excellent junior tandem in first baseman Adam Whitlock (.404 with 36 RBI) and pitcher Carr Churchill (7-0 record) coming back. Despite losing their middle infield in Andrew Adams and Michael Seaborn, and pitchers James Wiley and Reid Terry, the Lions should still be a contender under third-year coach Lance Oubs.

• The dish: Last year's Class AAA champions' strength is up the middle, where ace Evan Tieles (11-0, 2.04 ERA); catcher Benton Yaun (.404 average); shortstop Tim Bondell (.563 on-base percentage; 26-26 stolen bases); and centerfielder Jonathan Kolowich (.452 average, 49 RBI) form as solid a quartet as any in the state.

• The dish: The Vikings reached the Class AAAAA semifinals in 2006 and return most of their major offensive contributors. Junior catcher Christian Glisson (.370 average, 31 RBI); senior first baseman/pitcher Colby Yates (.386, 22 RBI); senior third baseman Jarrod Pass (27 RBI); and senior outfielder/pitcher Scott Wilson (.348) will carry the offense. On the mound, senior lefty Tanner Fudge returns to anchor the staff after going 3-1 with a 3.07 ERA.

• The dish: Marist won eight straight playoff games to reach the Class AAAA championship series, before scoring only one run and losing to Greenbrier in two games. The War Eagles will try to return to the state playoffs with significantly less production: Jason Garofalo (.370); John Herman (four homeruns, 29 RBI); and Taylor Stevens (24 RBI) have all graduated.

• The dish: The Eagles were 27-8 last season and reached the Class AAAAA semifinals. Two-way star Daniel Warzon was 2-2 with a 2.06 ERA in 23 2/3 innings and hit .396 with eight home runs (60 total bases) will lead the way. Justice French will follow Warzon on the hill after going 5-1 with a 3.16 ERA and 22 RBI at the plate.

• The dish: The defending Class A champions are loaded. Only pitcher Christian White (10-0 last year) graduated off a team that went 34-2 and 10-1 in the postseason. Junior Jake Davies returns as one of the finest hurlers in the state after winning 12 games (he also hit .448). Senior Russ Cooper (11-0, including state-title clinching win) follows Davies in the rotation. Every major offensive contributor returns for a team that averaged nearly 10 runs per game in 2006.

• Parkview: Eight players who graduated from last year's team signed college scholarships; junior outfielder/pitcher Zach Cone could have a special season.