There's a new look to the Kokomo High School girls track and field team this season.

After four years of winning multiple events and earning berths in 12 events during her career at the IHSAA state meet, four-time Howard County MVP Lashonda Davis is gone and starring for Miami University.

Coaching the team this season will be longtime track aficionado and volunteer coach Dave Barnes in place of Jill DeVoe, who is on pregnancy leave.

But, don't bet on the Wildkats -- winners of 10 consecutive sectional championships -- dropping off much.

State meet qualifiers like Maggie Scheiman (100-meter hurdles, 400 relay), Sade Cox (400 relay) and Lisa Barrett (high jump) won't allow it -- and neither will Barnes.

"I'm having a great time. Jill is one of the greatest athletes I ever coached and one of the finest coaches I've been around. I'm just looking to keep the program going until she gets back," he said. "You never replace a Lashonda Davis. How often do you go any place and automatically have someone who can score 30 points at the regional?

"This is a fun group. We have a nice group of senior veterans with Maggie, Lisa, Sade, Sara Chalk and Katie Abney. They're what I call outstanding people and lead by example. Plus, I'm impressed with the young talent. This is an outstanding freshman class."

The numbers are good throughout the Kats' roster with 10 seniors, 10 juniors, 15 sophomores and 17 freshmen.

Scheiman is a wild card in the Kats' lineup. She's run the 100, 200 and 400 dashes, the 100 and 300 hurdles and 400 relay as well as high jumped. Last year, she broke the all-time area best in the 100 hurdles and finished 11th at state in her first season competing in them and nearly broke the area best in the 300s.

"That makes it fun and tough sometimes. I'm not sure what Maggie is going to do," Barnes said. "We just have to see what she wants to do. For sure, she'll run the 100 hurdles and be part of the 400 relay. Right now, she's probably the fastest person we have in the 200.

"We'll see if she wants to mess with the 300 hurdles -- that depends on the young talent. And she's not bad in the 1,600 relay."

Cox is back to lead off the 400 relay once more and will run the 100 and likely the 200.

"I think one of the best things for Sade is coming out of the shadow of Lashonda, but being friends with Lashonda," Barnes said. "She's turning out to be a fine leader for the sprint group."

Barnes notes that Barrett's technique in the high jump is continuing to improve and she could possibly run the 400 or 800.

Who will move into the long jump is one question the Kats still have. It's one area that Barnes is looking at for Scheiman, Cox and Barrett as well as freshmen Jasmine Bronson and Courtney Smith-Powell. He also could go with Tunisia Douglas, whom he said has a "great vertical jump and talent."

Returning to join Cox in the sprints is sophomore Keisha Smith-Powell, who will run the 100 and 200. She or her sister Courtney, along with some of the other freshmen, could run a leg of the 400 relay.

"We have some talented freshmen posting nice time trials in a lot of events," Barnes said. "The hurdles, we have three or four freshmen I think -- potentially -- could be outstanding and want to give it a shot."

Senior Tashona Pullins and freshman Stephanie Kerner figure heavily into the 400 dash. Kerner and Adrienne Shepherd, another freshman, will also run the 800 and could be joined by classmates Courtney Cardwell and Kelly Janowski.

Juniors Sarah Lee and Tatum Hemmeger will lead the distance group.

In the throws, the Kats will look for Chalk and Abney to provide points and they should get help from juniors Nikki Patterson, Kristen Pratt and Whitney Russell.

Here's a look at the rest of Howard County's girls track teams.

Second-year coach Dawn Harvey has only 20 girls out for her team, but a number of veterans makes the prospect of a good season possible.

"I feel very confident in our abilities as a team, not just as individuals," she said. "We've got our powerhouses like others, but I think we have the strength to carry us through the meets. I'd like to break our relay records in the 1,600 and 3,200."

The hurdles look strong with senior Ann Bedwell and junior Toni Aleman back. Bedwell would like to break her 100-hurdle record again and take sole possession of the 300 mark.

In the sprints, Harvey will turn to sophomore Holly Graber to run the 100, 200 and 400 dashes. The coach especially likes Graber's ability in the 400 dash. Sophomores Amanda Courter and Jade Cavazos are also back and showing improvement. Freshman Jamie Fansler figures into the shorter sprints while Jeanie Sozansky, another freshman, is working the 400.

Another strong performer for Eastern will be senior Laura Boltz in the distance events. Boltz will likely compete in the 1,600 run and 3,200 relay while junior Crystal Barker and sophomore Lindsay Perrin will concentrate on the 3,200 run. Sophomore Katie Branham will run the 800 and 1,600. Joining Boltz on the 3,200 relay will be Branham, junior Kim Schrack and Barker.

Junior Kassia Heidebrecht returns in the long jump and Bedwell is back in the long jump. Among those who could help out there are Graber, Courter and Branham.

In the throws, the coach noted the continuing improvement of seniors Rachel Voorhis and Sandi Edwards, sophomore Kasey Kemp and freshman Mandi Hartley.

"I'm excited about them this season. Dave Durkes [the Comets' throws coach] is constantly giving me positive reviews," Harvey said.

Tigers coach Pete Schroer puts it very succinctly when looking at his 2004 team -- "We're green."

"We have a good group of freshmen out, but what's hurting us is that we only have three seniors," he said. "I think we have some really great girls as far as leaders and hard workers who set the tone. They'll have a strong influence on the freshmen with positive attitudes toward workouts."

Of the three seniors, two are veteran distance runners Katie McCool and Sarah Bauson. That area is the team's obvious strength.

"That's certainly the area with the most experience and numbers," Schroer said.

McCool will concentrate on the 800 and 1,600 while Bauson will run the 800. Also back in that group are juniors Laura Bauson and Mary Cox and sophomores Lauren Sewell and Carmen Malin.

The freshmen will be important with Schroer pointing to Jackie Combs as the group's best athlete.

"She can throw, she can run with the middle distance and distance girls and she has good speed," he said. "In terms of versatility and athleticism, she's the best in that group."

Audrey Gaither, Stephanie Williams and Lauren Giesecke are other freshmen who will be counted on heavily.

The other senior returning is hurdler Brooke Johnson.

Leading the way in the sprints is sophomore Melissa Hagmaier, the top returnee from 2003, who will be joined by several freshmen. Hagmaier will compete in the long jump once more along with Gaither and Williams. The high jump has sophomore Megan Federspiel back while classmate Christine Denman will join Combs in the throws.

Titan coach Alan Tunmer looks at his team and sees something he hasn't had in quite a while.

"We've got depth and that's something new," he said. "I think we'll get better as the season goes on."

The Titans return quite a few young, strong athletes who have a year of experience under their belts and add more to the mix.

The sprints look good with sophomores Jamie Dunlap and Lindsey Boyd returning. Dunlap will run the 100, 200 and 400 as well as the 1,600 relay while Boyd is penciled into the 100 and 200 and 400 relay. Freshman Jessica Wininger will also run the short sprints and 400 relay while junior Ashli Oliver returns in the 400 dash and 1,600 relay. Freshman Bridget Mendenhall will run on the 1,600 relay.

Experience returns in the hurdles as well with seniors Lindsay Maple and Siera Thomas running the 100 hurdles and junior Jasmine Thomas competing in the 300s. Joining that group are Karlee Miller and Lindsey Corbitt.

Jasmine Thomas figures into the relays, leading off the 400 and running on the 1,600, and Corbitt will compete on the 400.

Sophomore Danielle Glick is back for her second season of distance running and she'll be joined by classmates Amy Truong and Malary Flanigan. In the 800, Tunmer will turn to freshmen Erica Jones and Brittni Oliver. Much of that group, along with Cyndee Swain, will form the 3,200 relay.

Out for track for the first time, junior Dara Minglin figures heavily into the Titans' plans for the field events. Tunmer calls her a "jumping specialist." She's slated for the high jump and long jump -- having already cleared 5-2 and leapt 15-5.5 -- and will also pole vault.

With her added into the mix, the high jump looks strong as Jasmine Thomas and junior Shavon Smith are also back. Sophomore Tiffany Fogleman will also high jump.

Brittni Oliver, Wininger and Fogleman are also looking to score points in the long jump.

In the throws, junior Samantha Glassburn is the lone returnee and she'll be joined by newcomers Savannah Sunday, a senior, junior Ashley Fulton, sophomore Montana Sunday and freshman Samantha Hickey.

A strong core of athletes returns for the Panthers this season. Nine freshmen join the mix for the 29-girls strong team.

"The girls who have experience are good about sharing that experience with the others girls. There is good support within the team," Panthers coach Peggy Obermeyer said. "We have a lot of talent and we're working on the depth part."

Much of the returning experience comes in the sprints and distance events.

Junior Tiffany Reida and sophomore Hannah Thieke lead the sprint group and will compete in the 100 and 200 while forming half of the 400 relay. The rest of that team will come from a trio that includes two girls named Rachel Smith -- one a sophomore and the other a freshman -- and freshman Nicole Jackson.

Sophomore Annina Gruber tops the distance runners. Gruber will compete in the 800 and 1,600 runs and run a leg of the 3,200 relay. Juniors Becky Elliott, Megan Clearwaters and Jessica Hunt will also figure into the 800 while the 1,600 and 3,200 competitors will include senior Brittany Stellhorn, sophomore Cassie Myer and freshmen Anna Hurlock, Vanessa Lorenz and Korena Newlin.

Back to run the 100 hurdles is senior Ashlee Granson while others looking to score points there include senior Layle Bannon and freshmen Vanessa Aders, Liz Hoppes and Laura Keyton.

In the 400, the Panthers are looking at junior returnee Mary Koors, junior Ali Toney, sophomore Ali Hoover and Hoppes.

In the field events, Reida returns in the long jump as does senior Ali Felix in the high jump. Aders will compete in both jumps and sophomore Rachel Smith is slated for the long jump. Senior Kristi Irwin and Jackson are set for the pole vault.

In the throws, the Panthers will look to senior Jenna Rogers, sophomore Michelle Spencer and freshman Chrystal Campbell in both shot and discus while freshman Genna Rodgers is concentrating on the discus.