The following are previews of county boys track teams for the upcoming spring season:

Coach:Rick Schontz, third yearLast season:11-2 overall, 7-0 in the section for first place (sixth consecutive section title); third in the WPIAL Class AAA finals)Returning letterwinners:Ryan Edmiston, Jon Galante, Kevin Kustarz, Calvin Littlejohn, David Morgan, Pat Rodack, Luke Renwick, Bobby Ridley, Tyrell Sales, Jordan Shuber, John Strutt, Adam Tilko, Zach Vavro, Andrew Voll, Marcus WesnerOthers to watch:Adam Bell, Sean Colonna, Erik Bohin, Harold Dunn, Matt Feder, Joe Harmon, Chris Henry, Doug Herritt, Ben Landin, Brian McCandless, Ray Melder, Adam Monday, Doug Moran, Fred Pinto, Stewart Rapone, James Rogerson, Steve Rodgers, Joe Spohn, Andy Strutt, David Uram, Brian WileyKey losses:Josh DeGeorge, James Giallambardo, Ryan Goldner, Jordan Gray, Tony Lewis, Evan Long, Dale Mangan, David Morgan, Dom Pinto, Chris Throne, Brice WelchStrengths:Throws, jumps, middle and long distance, sprints, relays, numbersWeaknesses:HurdlesCoach's comment:"The slogan on our blackboard is "The WPIAL team title stops in Butler." That's our goal. We'll take one meet at a time and we take no one for granted. It's going to be a rough section. It used to be before, about five or six years ago, it was just North Allegheny, but the talent is everywhere in the section."

Coach:Wayne Roccia, 28th yearLast season:7-2 overall, 5-2 in the section for third placeReturning letterwinners:Seniors Sean Anger (pole vault), Josh Baret (middle distance), Gabe Delerme (jumps, sprints), Adam Daubenspeck (sprints), Tom Dickey (hurdles, relays), Matt Gaudet (distance), Nick Hanna (javelin), Ryan Hoover (sprints), Cody Mellott (hurdles), Mark Rudolph (sprints), Jason Spudic (pole vault), Justin Thomas (throws); juniors Justin Nock (jumps), Sean Russell (jumps), Brad Spudic (pole vault); sophomores Ian Carrow (middle distance), Lee Layton (hurdles), Dan Stanley (middle distance)Key losses:Nate Falvo, Chris Geddis, Brad McGill, Zach Paris, Mike Rinaman, Justin Shepherd, Chris Spudic, Andrew WoodsonStrengths:Hurdles, pole vault, plenty of returning letterwinners, depthWeaknesses:Lack of experience in the throwing and distance eventsCoach's comment:"We've been having some nice practices and getting things established. We have a nice group, some nice seniors that are going to be a big help. We have some senior football players that came out and will try and help us in the throwing events. We're hoping the younger kids develop. It's still a team concept."

Coach:Wess Brahler, first yearLast season:5-5 overallKey returners:Seniors Zach Ferraro (hurdles), Aaron Huselton (pole vault, sprints), Jeff Kiley (middle distance), Tyler Park (middle distance), Bob Rummel (hurdles), Eric Yoest (throws); juniors Kory Bottles (sprints, jumps), Matt Friday (sprints), Frankie Moxie (distance), Scott Wetzel (distance); sophomores Artie Black (distance), Kyle Reeping (distance)Key losses:Kit Durrett, Chad Hutchison, David Muwanga, Nick NovotnyStrengths:Distance/middle distanceWeaknesses:Jumps, pole vaultCoach's comment:"We have 70 boys out for the team, so our numbers are up. We have 23 freshmen, so that's pretty promising … We have a good balanced schedule. We have some teams we should be able to compete with."

Coach:Joe Cioc, 13th yearLast season:5-3 overallKey returners:Seniors Matt Brown (throws), Sean Gold (jumps), Brandon Heckman (hurdles)Newcomers:Seniors Tim King (throws), Sean Roche (throws); freshmen Steve Jackson (sprints), Matt Kennedy (sprints), Cody Kier (distance)Key losses:Chris Gallagher, Brad MuellerStrengths:Hurdles, jumps, relays, distanceWeaknesses:Throws, depth in some events; need freshman class to contributeCoach's comment:"We have probably the best freshman classes since I've been here. We have 14 freshmen coming out, and many of them will be point scorers."

Coach:Bill Dillen, 11th yearLast season:14-0 overall, 8-0 in the section for first place; WPIAL Class AA championsKey returners:Seniors Chuck Chelecki (jumps), Brent Ferko (jumps), Adam Isenberg (jumps), Nick Haynes (throws), Jon Nicholson (throws), Jake Scott (sprints), Aaron Staricek (sprints), Eric Yagoda (middle distance); juniors Ian Kaminski (middle distance), Brendan Reilly (middle distance), Shane Sarver (middle distance)Key losses:Talan Conjack, Josh Helgert, Mike Huth, Scott Kallner, Andy Laux, Tim WaltersStrengths:Throws, jumps, sprints, middle distanceWeaknesses:Replacing hurdler Scott Kallner, a WPIAL champion and state placewinner last seasonCoach's comment:"We've got a number of kids coming back, but we lost some good seniors. We have a nice mix of veterans and young kids. It's always our goal to win the section and get into the playoffs."

Coach:Brandon Savochka, fifth yearLast season:6-3 overallKey returners:NoneNewcomers:Senior Calvin Love (jumps); juniors Russell Barnes (sprints), Dan Lenze (middle distance); sophomores Torriano Alexander (hurdles), Colleal Cottom (sprints, jumps), Courtland Colter (sprints), Eric Malcolm (middle distance); freshmen DeShawn Leonard (middle distance), Kaseem Street (sprints, jumps)Key losses:Damian Johnson, Nazier Williams, Darnell LeeStrengths:Jumps, relaysWeaknesses:Experienced depth, distance, throwsCoach's comment:"We've got a good group of kids, good athletes. We have no one back from last year, so it's just a matter of getting the guys out there and seeing what they can do. Our main focus is the 1,600-meter relay … We want to try and make everyone a decent 400 runner."

Coach:Mike Kish, 25th yearLast season:0-9 overallKey returners:Senior Andrew Culp (sprints, middle distance), Travis Sarver (hurdles), Dan Sommers (throws); juniors Ryan Beilstein (distance), Nate Capello (throws), Kevin Kaufman (distance), Clint Orloski (distance), Sean Schiebel (sprints), Seth Sykora-Bodie (pole vault), Robert Whitt (distance); sophomores Chris Barron (throws), Dustin Houpt (hurdles, sprints), Levi McClelland (distance), Tyler Truman (throws), Seth Wimer (jumps, sprints)Newcomers:Junior Cody Smith (sprints); sophomore Dave Bauer (sprints); freshmen Randy Bartlett (throws), Chase Conti (distance), Dan Dillman (throws), Trevor King (sprints, jumps, pole vault), Paul McConnell (distance), Doug Orloski (throws)Key losses:Tim Bauler, Kyle Johnston, Josh NovakStrengths:Middle distance, distance; seniors listed are 3-year letterwinnersWeaknesses:Depth in most events; only three seniorsCoach's comment:"The kids have worked extremely hard. We're still positive. We suffer in depth and when we get to the individual meet season, it's hard to win."

Coach:Mickey Hardenburg, first yearLast season:N/AKey returners:Senior Darren Holmes (hurdles, sprints); juniors Zach Fox (jumps), Tim Gruber (throws), Jim Jaskowak (throws), Nick Konchar (middle distance), Tom Lilly (distance), Matt McCarl (jumps), Bill McCormick (jumps), Derek McGraff (middle distance), Matt Turek (throws), Ian Turner (shot put), Kent Uber (shot). Senior Seth Mercer returns after not competing last seasonKey losses:Paul Mastarone, Chris Dumbroski, Jacob McKinney, Logan Uber, Mike WegrzynekStrengths:Field events; large, experienced junior classWeaknesses:Leadership; loss of top distance runnersCoach's comment:"Losing (Mastarone and Dumbroski) is going to hurt. We don't have a lot of distance coming back. We'll be respectable but we won't dominate like we used to in the district. There will be a lot of trial and error."

Coach:Don Black, 17th yearLast season:9-0, KSAC championship (second consecutive year)Key returners:Seniors Scott Christie (throws), Mike Croyle (throws), Travis Fiscus (distance), Dan Gaiser (distance); Nick Graham (hurdles), Dustin LiBecco (jumps), Pat Miller (jumps), Dylan Parker (distance), Chris Pickett (jumps), Jake Smith (throws), Mike Stimac (throws), Jake Sweeney (pole vault), Kevin Trimbur (sprints); juniors David Black (sprints), Tyler Callihan (jumps), Josh Fiscus (sprints), Nathan Knox (jumps), Dan Rieder (distance); sophomores Stephen Black (pole vault), Jeremy Bowser (throws), Evan Crawford (distance), Mark Ferguson (hurdles), Dale Grim (distance), Andrew Harmon (distance), Travis Hendell (distance), Kory Kusick (throws), Chad Zabicky (distance)Key losses:Jordan Collins, John Evankovich, Jon Fox, Tyler Henry, Tom Haggard, Bryan Harmon, Ben Mourer, Ryan Parker, Noll Steiner, Brett Stivason, Travis Trimbur, Jeff WagnerStrengths:Distance and middle distance, field eventsWeaknesses:SprintsCoach's comment:"We have lots of guys back from last year's team. We did lose a lot of jumpers, but we picked up guys who can help out there."

Coach:Mark Kosick, 21st yearLast season:6-2 in the KSACKey returners:Seniors Cody Campbell (distance), Nick Dolak (distance), Rob Flick (throws); juniors Doug Gebhart (distance), Eric Hilliard (jumps), Chris Mai (distance); sophomores Vance Farren (hurdles), David Rumbaugh (high jump)Key losses:Ben Elliott, Chris Greenert, Justin Hartshorne, Pat Rumbaugh, Luke SnyderStrengths:DistanceWeaknesses:Sprints, small group of returning letterwinners, depth in most eventsCoach's comment:"We have a few seniors, a couple of juniors and a lot of ninth and 10th graders. They might help some, but it's a different ballgame when you're running against junior high kids versus the high school kids."

Coach:Denny Stewart, 30th yearLast season:6-3 overallKey returners:Seniors Brandon Allen (sprints), Tom Barger (hurdles), Ryan Freilino (middle distance), Korey Hawk (hurdles), Fred Lawrence (sprints), Tyler Pezzuti (throws), Dustin Sams (pole vault); juniors Derek Carmichael (sprints), Nate Carmichael (thrower), Todd Culbertson (hurdles), Josh Custer (distance), Nick Forsythe (throws), Adam Milanovich (sprints), Mike Peters (distance), Damien Pezzuti (throws); sophomores Chris Beichner (distance), Toby Best (sprints), Mike Brothers (distance), Colton Davis (throws), Kyle Hilliard (distance)Key losses:Garrett Conaway, Devon Kriebel, Darren Laughlin, John McKinney,Strengths:Huge contingent of returning athletes; depth in every eventWeaknesses:Lost top jumpers; leadership from seniorsCoach's comment:"This year we should be competitive like we usually are. That's the way we are here. We have 68 guys, which is good for a school our size. Track at our school is competitive. It's like in basketball. Teams that are winning keep winning. It's very positive for the kids."

Coach:Luke LaVan, first yearLast season:N/AKey returners:Senior Jesse Morrison (throws); junior Nathan Bowser (hurdles). Senior Ben Blauser (throws) and junior Seth Elder (javelin, pole vault) return after not competing last yearKey loss:Zach ShekellStrengths:Turnout this season has doubled to mid-20s, including solid freshman classWeaknesses:Inexperience in most events, very little depthCoach's comment:"We're real young but have some nice freshmen that are a year away. Hopefully, it's a good thing for the future. We just have to try and get them in the right places. Youth is a good thing, but it also can be a weakness. You're going up against teams like Karns City that have 20 kids per class. - Dave Sherman Jr., former boys coach