OUTLOOK: Probably the most competitive district in the county, but coaches think East Lake is the front runner due to experience and pitching. Mike Billek may be the best pitcher in the district and Scott McMullian gives the Eagles a great 1-2 punch. There's another great 1-2 punch at the plate in brothers Tyler and Nate Huegel, as well as Mike Guidi and Jeff Germano. Clearwater returns three starters and a pitcher from last year's final four team, but is moving up from 4A to 5A and lost some key components. Countryside will rely on FSU-signee Matt Diblasi (LHP) while it's young pitching staff comes along, and Palm Harbor is expected to be strong again. Pinellas Park lost 10 games by two runs or less and coach Bill Ruttencutter is hoping his eight seniors can turn that around.

CLASS 5A, DISTRICT 10

WHO: Boca Ciega (13-14), Dixie Hollins (15-11), Gibbs (7-19), Northeast (14-15), St. Petersburg (17-12), Seminole (21-10).

OUTLOOK: So how do you follow up an undefeated (on the field), national championship season? By rebuilding, which is what Scott Miller will be doing this year. There's still some talented seniors around (pitchers Mike Abrahamson and Paul Buhrow, infielder Carlos Nunez and Osceola transfer Jimmy Kubek) but the Warhawks will be much greener this season. Miller, however, still expects his team to contend for the district title. Boca Ciega returns first-team all-PCAC player Ben Pincus and has a strong group of seniors. Former St. Petersburg Junior College pitcher Frank Burke will head up the Dixie Hollins program, and defending district champ Northeast returns all but two starters from last year's team, including All-County second-team catcher Rich Tribou.

CLASS 4A, DISTRICT 8

WHO: Gulf, Hudson, Land O'Lakes, Mitchell, Ridgewood, River Ridge, Tarpon Springs.

OUTLOOK: This district from the Pasco perspective has been hit hard by graduation as Ridgewood, River Ridge, Land O'Lakes and Gulf all took major hits. The Rams still have a strong core of young players, and Hudson has one of the districts best pitchers, but this is a grouping of teams that Tarpon should compete with.

CLASS 4A, DISTRICT 11

WHO: Bradenton Bayshore, Sarasota Booker, Dunedin (25-3), Lakewood (14-12), Palmetto, Bradenton Southeast.

OUTLOOK: Dunedin is loaded, so upending them doesn't appear likely. While Booker and Bayshore have solid programs, none had achieved the type of success the Falcons have and they lack their firepower. Palmetto won a state title in 1994 and also has a good program. But the Falcons boast four guys with serious power in Brian Dopirak , Jeremy Bellotti, Ryan Harvey and Cody O'Connell, and are extremely deep offensively. The only question mark, says coach Tim Hilbert, is the pitching, but it's not a big question mark by any means. Lakewood lost a lot but returns shortstop Tez Diaz, pitcher Billy Medernach, pitcher Anthony Walker and outfielder Marcus Anderson, but the key to their success will be pitching depth.

CLASS 3A, DISTRICT 9

WHO: Jesuit, Osceola (15-13), Robinson, Tampa Catholic.

OUTLOOK: Don't expect Osceola to be sending the FHSAA any gift baskets in the future. The Warriors have been lumped in with Tampa Catholic (defending 3A state champions and eight state titles overall) and Jesuit (three state championships). Osceola also lost its best player when Jimmy Kubek transferred to Seminole. So the Warriors will try to regroup in this brutal district behind seniors Clint Smith (.405 BA, 20 steals), Mike Sloan (.325 BA) and Chris Gerbers, a catcher.

CLASS 2A, DISTRICT 12

WHO: Sarasota Cardinal Mooney, Clearwater Central Catholic (20-7), Fort Myers Dunbar, St. Petersburg Catholic (17-13).

OUTLOOK: Coach Todd Vaughan has had good pitchers before, but seven of them? A loaded staff is led by seniors Shawn Williams and Justin O'Keefe. The team also picked up Cody Rainer, who had a huge summer in Little League ball, from East Lake and Chris Heil from Jesuit. Vaughan said all his pitchers did well in preseason games over the weekend, and the team also has solid offense with Logan James, Brandon Diaz and Jamie McKean, all seniors. St. Petersburg Catholic hopes to challenge the Marauders with pitcher Michael Tavernier, Jimmy Walterick and catcher Peter Guastella. Dunbar is a first-year school, and Cardinal Mooney has 13 seniors.

CLASS A, DISTRICT 10

WHO: Tampa Bayshore Christian, Calvary Christian, Indian Rocks Christian, Tampa Riverhills Christian, Tampa Seminole Presbyterian, Temple Heights Christian.

OUTLOOK: The Eagles made a dramatic turnaround last year, winning once in 2000 and then capturing a district title in 2001. But last season ended with a shocking 4-1 loss in the first round of the regional playoffs to a Temple Heights team that was 3-14. IRC returns enough good players to make sure that doesn't happen again: Kevin Wright (the team's leading hitter) and Warren Garrison (the team's home run leader), who were 3rd team all-state selections and Matt Sitton, who was chosen an honorable mention. The bad news is state final four team Seminole Presbyterian returns just about everyone, including stud pitcher Justin Craig.

CLASS A, DISTRICT 11

WHO: Admiral Farragut (8-18), Bradenton Christian, Canterbury (16-5), Keswick Christian, Manatee H.E.A.T., Northside Christian, Sarasota Out-of-Door, Bradenton St. Stephen's Episcopal, Sarasota Christian, Shorecrest (21-10).

OUTLOOK: The cream of this district crop is clearly Northside Christian. Despite losing outfielder Steve Doetsch via transfer, the Mustangs are still loaded beginning with Lastings Milledge, one of the best juniors in the country. Senior Andy Park (3B/P) and junior Todd Redmond (P) were both second-team all-state last season (and combined to go 13-3 last year), and pitcher Jeremy Hunt (transfer from Jesuit) has already signed with Maryland. Brian Le Clerc batted .403 after coming back from injury. Shorecrest should contend with Princeton-signee Zach Wendkos amongst four returning starts, and Admiral Farragut honorable mention all-stater Marshall Hampton leads the Blue Jackets. Marc Sawyer, who led Pinellas County in average with a .566 mark, and Nick Sango (second at .487) are back for Canterbury.

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