The smallest number of competitors any of the teams has is approximately 30 at Taylor and that numbers is the highest in recent memory for the Titans.

Experience-wise around the county, seven boys return this season who competed in the IHSAA state meet. Western leads the way with distance runners Kyle Walsh and Jim Jackson, vaulter Blayne Burkholder and sprinter Tommy Jenkins. Walsh was the eighth-place finisher in the 1,600-meter run.

Kokomo's Brad Imbierowicz gave the county two state performers in the vault while teammate Tristan Rogers and Northwestern's Jay Young did the same in the high jump. And while he didn't make it last season, Taylor's Christopher Sinnett is also a state meet veteran in the 3,200 run.

The athletes and fans can only hope for the end of the season to be as exciting as 2003. Last season, the Wildkats and Panthers tied for the Kokomo Sectional team title and they tied a week later in the regional for second.

Here's a look at each of the five county teams.

After worrying about how to fill several spots over the winter, those concerns melted away for Comet coach Paul Nicholson.

"I've been thrilled with the new guys out and the seniors who came out to help us. We've got about 10 or 12 guys in each class," Nicholson said. "All have people who have stepped up and met the challenge.

"I was wondering how they would respond in our first meet but they really stepped up [Thursday]."

The Comets lost Mark Massengill, a 22-foot long jumper, but to replace him they have senior Jared Hill -- who is out for the first time -- sophomore Brady Richie and freshman Austin Roark. All three have already hit 19 feet.

Junior Tyler Kuhlman will lead the sprinters, running the 100 and 200 dashes and 400 relay, with senior Ryan Kenworthy covering the 200 and 400 dashes while anchoring the 4-by-400 team. Hill and sophomore Aaron Wyant figure into the sprint team plans as does foreign exchange student Pierre Guttwein.

Sophomores Jason O'Haver and Jarron Walling will compete in both hurdle races. O'Haver will join Richie and Hill in the high jump while Walling and sophomore Ora Etchison look to be the Comets' pole vaulters.

The distance group is led by senior Matt Maher and junior Johnathon Fansler with help from sophomore Trevor Young. Although a date for his return from an injury isn't available, senior Derek Woods figures into the 3,200 run. Junior Tony Martin will handle duties in the 800.

Senior Mike Murphy returns to lead the discus contingent while senior Nate Roberts and junior Zach McDowell will be counted on in the shot put. Michael Boerner, a sophomore, will throw in both events.

Familiar faces are common place at Walter Cross Field where the 55-athlete strong Wildkats return nearly all of their major scorers from 2003.

Coach Tom Byrnes believes the senior class will carry the Kats through to their goals for 2004.

"They know what it takes to be successful. This senior group has outright won or shared the sectional title every year of high school," he said. "Put the pressure on them that we know we'll be challenged and I still feel we have to be one of the favorites. I'm not sure we have a dominating performer like we had in Dalon [Liggon], but we'll probably be more balanced."

The coach looks at his team and sees obvious strength in the high jump and pole vault, but he also likes his corps of sprinters and the ability of distance runner Bryan Phillips.

Joining Rogers in the high jump will be junior Justin Pugh.

"Tristan has worked hard since basketball got over. He's shown a little more commitment [to track] after seeing how much it helped him improve as a basketball player," Byrnes said.

Imbierowicz cleared 13 feet during the indoor season and he should get some help from sophomores Kollin Nottingham, Zeb Bartolome and Alex Holofchak. Seniors Bruce McDonald and J.C. Barnett and sophomore George Foreman return in the long jump.

If there is a question in the field events, it's in the throws. Senior Chad Story returns, but he's trying to recover from a knee injury. Byrnes noted freshman Clint Akers is showing potential.

Barnett, McDonald and classmate Major Ramsey as well as Bartolome, Pugh and Collin Ramsey figure into the team's plans in the sprints.

"Those kids have worked hard and give us some flexibility because they can run the 400 on down," Byrnes said.

Pugh and Imbierowicz will also work in the hurdles, competing in both the highs and intermediates, while Rogers will focus on the highs.

A senior as well, Phillips will be the leader of the distance group with senior Brett Sanders backing him up in the 1,600. Also back is junior Joe Howard, who ran the 800 last season, while freshmen Ryan Perry and Tony Robinette figure into the mix.

The Tigers don't have to look far for leadership -- 14 of the 34 guys out for the team are seniors -- and once again the number of throwers is high.

With Young back, the high jump is solid and Schroer believes the experience the senior gained by going to state is rubbing off on other members of the team.

"That experience is an attractive thing for some of the others. They can look and say 'I'm on a team with someone who has enough talent to go to state.' Sometimes that's a goal they see someone from another school having," the coach said. "But, to have one on the team who's been, they realize the possibilities."

Some of those 10 throwers also figure into some other areas for Coach Pete Schroer's team.

"Four of them will work into the sprints. We could have three throwers on our 4-by-100 team by the time we're done," Schroer said. "I was worrying about the sprints heading into the season, but we certainly have a whole lot more depth than we've had in several years. I feel good about that and the throws. Other than the pole vault, I feel good about the field events in general."

Seniors Joe Underwood and Seth Walker return as the top throwers in the shot while seniors Aaron Smith and Nathan Farmer are back in the same position in the discus.

"Those guys are pushing themselves to throw farther and farther. They're working hard in the weight room and the speed is starting to show," Schroer said.

Underwood has proven to be one of the team's top sprinters while junior Jon Gonzales is probably the fastest sprinter returning. Seniors David Guggina and Curtis Stout will also work the sprints and Young could work in on relays. Gonzales and Young will also carry the load in the long jump.

Seniors Jeff Schieffer and John Bahler return in the hurdles and junior Matt Gasaway is a possibility in the 300 hurdles.

The distance group is led by Chris Wilson and will be joined by sophomore Rolando Claudio and freshmen Jesse Bauson and Matt Ulmer.

With nearly 30 boys out, it's the biggest group the Titans have had in the 20 years Jim Grossman has been coaching the sport at the school.

"Last year, there were four or five events we didn't have anyone in. This year, we have two or three people in each event and that's a big plus," the coach noted. "All of these young freshmen and sophomores are helping us and scoring points for us. It will be exciting the next couple of years.

"One thing that I'm really enjoying is that we have three pole vaulters out in freshmen Andrew Aaron, Ryan Rodriguez and junior Nick Garrett."

Sinnett, a junior, will concentrate solely on the 1,600 and 3,200 this season.

"The main thing is Christopher went to state in the 3,200 as a freshman and missed out last year," Grossman said. "Our goal obviously is to get him back there again."

Another area of experience for Taylor is the throws with seniors Matt Sommerfeld and Jake Smith and sophomore Josh Smith.

In the sprints, Grossman will turn to sophomore Jason Thompson and Cody Doucette and freshmen Alex Waltman and Ishan Gohil for the 100 and 200. Senior Cody Williams, out for the first time, will concentrate on the 400.

Sophomore Phillip Sinnett returns in the high hurdles and could also run either the 300s or the 800. Freshman Brady Jester will run both hurdle races.

Sophomore Randy Gibson is penciled in for the high jump while Williams, Thompson and Waltman will work the long jump.

The Panthers match the Wildkats once more -- this time in numbers.

Western coach Dana Neer likes his team's balance.

"I feel we're strong across the board. We had a couple question marks when we started back in January, but those are disappearing," he said. "We're going to be strong in the sprints, distance, throws and pole vault. I feel like we're very strong in 13 of the 16 events and pretty good in the other three.

"This team has very high goals and we've had high goals for a year. Many of our seniors and juniors have been to the state meet so anything less than returning will be unsatisfactory."

Walsh and Jackson give him a strong start in the distances. Walsh will concentrate on the 800 and 1,600 while Jackson will run the 1,600 and 3,200 runs. Those two will be joined by on the 3,200 relay by junior Michael Marley and freshman Luke Minor. Other possibilities in the 800 are seniors David Aldrich and Andy Snow and sophomore Ryan Orr.

Marley will join Jackson in the 3,200 and Minor, Snow, Shawn Parkins and Moshe Rison give the Panthers depth in the 1,600.

Jenkins, a junior, leads the Panthers' sprinters and will get help from seniors Perry Ramseyer, Tim Torkelson and Mike Piekarski. That group will form the 400 relay while senior Noah Hoover is the top runner back in the 400. Sophomore Jayson Frazier and Brad Speck and freshman Tom Henning also will compete in that event.

"Tommy is a known commodity now. He likes having a little pressure on him when he runs," Neer said.

The hurdles were an are of inexperience in 2003 but Neer says the technique of sophomores Kyle Irwin, Sean Holsapple and Brandon Youngdale is night and day different this season. Freshman Kirk Irwin also figures into the hurdle plans.

Youngdale will be joined by Speck, Frazier and sophomore Will Thomas in the high jump while Piekarski, Henning and freshman Trevor Manning are slated for the long jump.

Burkholder, who will run the 400 dash instead of hurdling this season, cleared 14-0 in the season's opening meet. He's joined in the event by sophomore Blair Stellhorn, freshmen Aaron Tropf and Kyle Gann.

"Pole vault is becoming a more popular sport here. For Blayne to go 14 feet in the first meet, obviously we're very pleased," Neer said. "And I think he's surprised. He's had a little back difficulty that he's working out and we didn't know what he would be capable because of it."

Jonathon Brittain opened some eyes with his put of 50-8 in the shot in the opener. Junior Jason McDorman will also throw the shot. Torkelson, Brittain and Gann will carry the load in the discus.