But this year is different.

Graduations haven't just opened the door, they left it unhinged.

The Hart girls team appears ready for another run.

But a host of losses sustained by the boys program, combined with an explosive growth of valleywide parity, make this season's boys title race the toughest to call since 1996, according longtime Hart head coach Steve Neale.

"It could be a four-way fight," Neale said. "Valencia is the odds-on favorite. Of course, we are not going to give up the ghost. West Ranch is hungry for it and under new coaching management. And don't underestimate the Canyon Cowboys. Saugus could be the real spoiler in this whole thing, especially because they have some really solid people that will make finals, and they will be the ones who knock down some of the (top) threes."

At the forefront are the Vikings, who return talented junior Bob Hwang, the reigning Foothill League champion in the 100-yard butterfly and 200 individual medley.

Combined with returners such as Blake Owens, Stephen Haw, Bryan Kitchener and Jaryd Borja, as well as up-and-comers Dakota Miller, Andrew Tiemann and Jake Ruiz, Valencia appears poised to field another tough series of relay teams, as well as strength in the individual strokes.

Moreover, Vikings head coach Mike Bechtholdt is also hoping that last season's trip to the CIF-Southern Section Division I finals will leave a last impression on his team.

Many swimmers who didn't qualify went along to watch and experience event.

"We've seen what it is like, and I think we know what it takes to actually be there," Bechtholdt said. "I think it was a very good learning situation."

Additionally, Valencia only lost to the Indians by 28 points last season.

"When we looked at the meet on paper, the league finals last year, (my) boys were supposed to lose by 78 points," Bechtholdt said. "You can look at something on paper, but you have to do the races to find out who really is the best."

Gone are standouts such as Billy Kutylo and Eric Johnson, while the girls side lost Megan Machinya, Kaitlyn Salovich and Emily Elam.

However, the Valencia's girls team also has its share of returning talent.

Among them are senior Hannah Stanley, Micaela Velasquez, Allison Harada, Naomi Asplund and Jamie Bloom.

They will be joined by top newcomer Rebekah Haw.

"She can swim pretty much anything," Bechtholdt said. "Whenever I think there is a weak point in a team, I can put her in there."

But when it comes to the boys, Bechtholdt said it was West Ranch that was the favorite.

With the return of Foothill League 500 and 50 freestyle champ Riley Mita, who took Swimmer of the Meet honors last year at league finals, Kyle Burke, who finished third behind Hart graduates Chris Weber and Nick Korth last season in the 100 breaststroke, and freestyler Andrew Cselenyak, the Wildcats have the potential to take points in a hurry.

"Our boys team is phenomenal," said Wildcats head coach Aaron Worby. "All the talent there, there is a lot of depth."

Mita, Burke and Cselenyak figured prominently in the 200-medley relay and 400-freestyle relay last year and plan to do the same this season.

According to Worby, newcomer Phillip Wong is also a swimmer to watch out for this season, while Taylor Poliseno holds the same role for the girls.

Back are Alvina Wong, Emily Snoke, Ashley Peterson and Gabrielle Morici, which make up three-fourths of West Ranch's 200-medley and 400-freestyle relays.

The fourth was Kate Kessler, who came on strong late last season to qualify for the CIF-SS Division I finals in the 100 backstroke, and has since graduated.

But when it comes to graduation losses, the Indians were unrivaled.

For the girls, Jordan Danny is now at USC, Chelsea Griffiths is swimming for Louisiana State and Rachael Stoffel swims at Cal Baptist.

Hart has reloaded with the likes of Asia Antoniuk, Megan Schultz, Melanie Onnen and Nina Morrison, who Neale called a "blue-chipper."

Most importantly, Hart's laundry list of returners includes last year' s 200 freestyle champion Maggie Hanson, Nicole Antoniuk, Hayley Good, Sam Asencio and Nicolette Barreiro.

"They'll make their presence known at CIF," Neale said. "I could see top 5 for them. .... They are locked, loaded and ready."

The guys' team, however, lost a trio of key swimmers in Weber, Korth and Andrew Skvarna, not to mention others that provided essential depth such as Luke Goorsky and Travis Van Leeuwen.

However, Konrad Antoniuk, who battled Mita last season in the 200 and 500 freestyles, is back along with Alex Ngan to lead the list of returners.

But the lack of new club swimmers has Neale concerned.
"I've had to cannibalize the JV ranks and take some kids that could benefited from a year of experience, but we need them now," Neale said. "We've always had something in the pipe. I don't remember the last time we were this thin. Maybe it was back in the mid (19) 90s. On the other hand, we have some kids with a lot of potential that can come up and help us out."

That includes Wilson Bellows and Justin Farr.

Also looking to make a run this season is Canyon, which is enjoying an influx of talent.

"I have almost 95 kids," said Cowboys head coach Steve Himes. "It is the biggest team that I've ever had. They are happy and they are having a good time. I'm really excited about what they can do these next couple meets."
The boys team is led by senior Nui Harris, the 2009 league champion in the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke.

"He can get these kids fired up, and suddenly you have kids dropping seconds," Himes said. "He's definitely a huge part to what is happening."

Joining Harris is junior Timothy Peak, A.J. Simpson, Matt Howard, Garrett Kelly and Alex Kim, as well as top newcomer Kian Taylor.

For the girls, Kearsten Livingstone returns as one of the league's top swimmers.

Last year, she won the Foothill League 100 butterfly title and finished second in the event at the CIF-SS Division II finals.

Also back are Adria and Allison Morales, Shayla Austin and Theresa Neuman, while top newcomers Karina Rodgers and Autumn and Amber Wyatt will help fill the void left by the graduations of Sarah Pino, Kirsten Justice and Milena Lopez.

They will be pushed by Saugus, which has a solid core of returners. Katy Sonksen, Esther Vogler and Kristin Threw will all look to do some damage in head coach Vicky Donnelly's second year at the helm.

"In comparison to last season when I had no CIF qualifiers, I've already got (freshman Caitlin Baker), she has already got CIF consideration in two events and the medley relay. We're heading in the right direction."

Baker's consideration times came in the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM.

Tara Olson also look to figure prominently as a top newcomer for Donnelly, who is looking to replace Shelby Green and Leanna Walter, who graduated.

Jimmy Karren and Justin McCance are perhaps the most notable graduations for the Centurions.

"This year, we definitely have some new kids that are balancing out, but we are definitely hurting in some areas and there is a huge gap that was left by them. It's a cycle," Donnelly says.

Luke Rowley is back, as are Justin Peris and Kendal Hogan.

They will team with newcomers such as Jordan Clark and Jonathan Morsch.

Golden Valley could also steal points late in the year, as it's still experiencing dramatic development, according to Grizzlies head coach Jenn Marsden.

"We have more than twice as many people on the team than we had last year," Marsden said. "Many of them are freshman. I'm very happy with our growth this year."

One reason for that has been the success of senior Michelle Duraj, who won the 50 freestyle and took second in 100 freestyle last year at the league finals last season en route to Swimmer of the Meet honors. She was the team's lone qualifier for the CIF-SS Division I meet.

Miranda Haramia and Katrina Beltran will help her provide leadership for newcomers Suji Yeon, Stephanie Kutcher and Ashlee Jaco.

On the guys' side, Trevor Terpening and Shawn Rogers are back to team with club swimmer Chris Hamilton and Josh and Tim Lee.

Every point they grab at the league meet could mean be the difference this year in a wide-open race.

"I think Valencia has a giant opening here," Neale said. "But you know how swimming things are, sometimes things don't come out the way you think."
Valencia's take?

"I actually think that West Ranch is the team to beat this year," Bechtholdt said.

We'll find out, starting Tuesday when the Vikings take on Canyon at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center.