Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • Clarke County lost four starters from last year's team that won the Virginia A championship, but returns several experienced players, including Moyer -- who has won 11 state championships in basketball, cross-country, soccer and track -- and Payton.
• Strasburg and George Mason return five and four starters, respectively, and are most likely to stand between Clarke County and a third straight district title. Four-year varsity players Valerie Yeakle and Warner and sophomore forward Jenna Smoot (9.5 ppg last year) hope to lift Strasburg past the first round of the state tournament, where the Rams lost last year.
• George Mason's Walton and junior center Kim Kenny are an effective 1-2 punch after averaging a combined 22 points per game last year. Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • James Monroe's Armstead and Cole combined to average more than 30 points per game last season. So with the addition of Connie Harrison-Lewis, a junior transfer from Massaponax who averaged 10 points per game last season, look for the Yellow Jackets to vault to the top of the district standings, particularly with defending district champion Riverbend's move to AAA.
• Courtland lost the two all-district players who led the Cougars to the state quarterfinals a year ago, but returns senior forwards Bowser and Kendra Jackson. Bowser averaged seven points per game last season, but is averaging nearly 20 through Courtland's first two games. Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • Loudoun County finished tied for second in the district last year and is led by Akers (10 ppg) and Kerry Sarver (8 ppg, 4 apg), two of four returning starters.
• Freedom-South Riding will rely on four key players: Last year's leading rebounder, Alicen Heinrich; Buchanan (11 ppg); Porter, the team's leading scorer last season; and newcomer Dionna Scott, a 5-10 freshman who immediately joins the starting lineup.
• Broad Run is led by Campbell (14 ppg), the reigning Dulles District player of the year, who signed to play for Division I Sacred Heart next year.
• Briar Woods' sophomore Kim Bell, who made 42 percent of her three-point shots last season, will move into the post this year for the Falcons. Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • Nine of the 14 players from Warren County's program last year will play this year for the county's new school, Skyline.
• Handley has a freshman point guard in Erin Drumheller, whom many coaches pointed to as a key newcomer in the district this year.
• Many coaches believe that Millbrook, behind the play of Hawkins (18 ppg.), has the chance to fight for the district crown.
• Several coaches expect James Wood junior Haley Smith to have a breakout season. Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • The Cardinal District boasts arguably as much talent as any league in Virginia, with Potomac's Kizer (Maryland), Hylton's Moorer (Virginia) and Forest Park's Jackson among the top rated players in the state.
• When Mike Payne took over at Hylton this summer, he became the team's third coach in three years.
• Former Osbourn Park Coach Rebecca Tillett takes over at Forest Park for Chrissy Kelly -- now an assistant at George Mason University. Kelly won two Virginia AAA titles and four Northwestern Region championships in six seasons with the Bruins. Forest Park has two players who have signed with GMU, and another who has committed.
• Potomac returns nine players and all five starters. Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • Reigning Northwestern Region champion Stonewall Jackson has three players who have signed to play basketball in college -- Washington (East Tennessee State) and Mashonna Hughes and Amber Carter (both at Virginia-Wise). Two undersclassmen also have Division I offers.
• Battlefield returns all five starters and eight players from last season. Most of the Bobcats' players have been on varsity since the school opened in 2004.
• Osbourn Park, a district power last season, graduated four starters and lost Coach Rebecca Tillett, who took the same position at Forest Park. Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • Brooke Point is seeking a fourth straight district championship and got off to a fast start when Shegog, a North Carolina signee, scored 41 points on Monday in a win over Osbourn.
• Colonial Forge, led by William & Mary signee Murchinson, likely has the best chance of dethroning Brooke Point. This year, Murchinson has moved to the guard spot and is on pace to score 1,000 career points.
• Riverbend is entering its fourth year, but only its first in Group AAA play. The Bears had a dominant run in AA where they lost just one Battlefield District game in three years. Frye hopes to get the Bears off on the right foot in the larger classification. Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • Three-time defending district champion Oakton must replace its top two scorers, but the backcourt is seasoned with Jackie Shewmaker, Johnston and Erin McGartland. Junior forward Brianna Johnson transferred in from Paul VI, and freshman Zora Stephenson already has scored 21 in a game.
• Westfield Coach Pat Deegan kept five freshmen for the first time in his 28-year career.
• Centreville is coming off its first winning season since 2000-01.
• Chantilly's Furr has committed to Shepherd.
• Herndon lost by three points at Madison in the first round of regionals last year and could challenge the front-runners, with Martin and senior guards Emily Baumgartner and Erin Parker.
• Robinson should be strong defensively but lacks proven scorers.
• Fairfax has a new coach, Marcus Konde. Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • Madison brings back its top six scorers, all seniors. Jay has committed to Holy Cross.
• W.T. Woodson's Schoof has committed to Iona; the Cavaliers are trying to solidify their back court.
• Langley, the last Northern Region team to beat Edison (in the 2005 region quarterfinals), could have returned six seniors but instead brought back only two to make room for younger talent, including 5-1 freshman post player Audrey Dotson.
• Marshall (23-5) won the past two Liberty titles but lost its top four scorers.
• McLean, with senior guard-forward Jessica Stillman (34 three-pointers), qualified for regionals for the first time in 14 years.
• South Lakes could be much improved after winning seven games the past three seasons combined.
Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • Two-time defending region champion Edison (30-2), which lost by one point in each of the past two state finals, is considered the region front-runner. The Eagles have won 57 consecutive district games. Crawford will play for Georgetown next year and Clayton for Florida State. They combined to average 27 points and 17 rebounds last year.
• Dwight Trimmer, formerly of Fairfax, Robinson and Herndon, is the third coach in as many years for Mount Vernon (13-11). The Majors return four starters but lack depth.
• Yorktown (Kim Cordell), Falls Church (Nadine Hetman) and Washington-Lee (Michelle Miller) have new coaches.
• Wakefield lost four of its top five scorers.
• Both wins for Stuart last season were over Washington-Lee. Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • All-Met Ruffin-Pratt, a national recruit, averaged 22.7 points, 11 rebounds, 4 steals and 4 assists for T.C. Williams and already has topped 1,000 points for her career.
• The top three returning players for Lee averaged more than 43 ppg. The Lancers are trying to reach the state tournament for the first time since 1991.
• West Springfield is the last Northern Region team to win a state title (1999), which ended a string of 15 crowns in 20 years for the region.
• Jacqueline Williams, a two-year starting guard at South County, would have been the Stallions' leading returning scorer but transferred to Lee.
• Senior forward Jenna McRae averaged 13.8 points and made 34 three-pointers for Annandale.
• West Potomac (Pete Stephan) and Lake Braddock (Carl Harris) have new coaches.
Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • With four players who signed Division I scholarships last month, Notre Dame is widely regarded as one the nation's top five teams, and the Dragons play a schedule that might leave no doubt they are the best.
• Holy Cross, coming off its first City Title, graduated its top three scorers but brings back senior guard Shontice Simmons.
• If Bishop McNamara is going to win its first WCAC title since 2003, senior guard Tiana Myers (George Washington) will play a big role.
• Riverdale Baptist has a terrific young frontline with junior Tianna Hawkins, her younger sister, sophomore Tierra, and sophomore Ataira Franklin.
• Top players at small schools have signed with big-time college programs, including Broomfield (North Carolina) and Mashore (Stanford).