Return the five runners that placed in the top 35 at state and youre bound to be the preseason favorite for a conference title run. Bring the pedigree 2010 boys state champion Nyssa and youre a virtual lock.

Union finds itself in a similar situation on the girls side with six of its top seven runners returning from a team that was fourth at state last year.

Both teams also have a contender for the individual state crown.

Nyssa senior Ryan Maag was second at state last year while Union sophomore Katriel OReilly also took silver in 2010. For Maag, hell need to overcome Chemewa senior Lucien Corriveau, but OReilly enters the season as the top-ranked girls runner.

Union also will be the top contender to overtake Nyssa in the boys team race with four returning runners that broke the 19-minute mark at districts last year.

Umatilla Vikings

Coach: Josh Ego, first year

Key Players: Cole Reiner, Sr.; Jose Cobian, Jr.; Israel Gastelom, Jr.; Ryan Rodriguez, Sr.; Dana Cardenas, Sr.; Muranda Schafer-Cranston, Jr.; Kelsie Arsenault, Sr.

Returning Starters:?Boys, 4; Girls, 5

The Vikings will be led by rookie head coach Josh Ego     and last years assistant coach said he hopes for a strong turnout, although it looks like several of his boy runners may not return for various reasons.

The Vikings have a top-10 district placer coming back to lead what will definitely be a veteran girls team in senior Dana Cardenas. She was seventh last season.

Ego was excited about the girls teams prospects but said it was too early to make predictions in such an unpredictable sport.

Stanfield Tigers

Coach:?Blaine Braithwaite, first year

Key Players:?Hector Hernandez, Sr.; Eddy Ramos, Sr.; Marcos Madrigal, Sr.; Yesica Pena, Jr.

Returning Starters: Boys, 5; Girls, 1

The Tigers are another Special District 5 team breaking in a new head coach this year but Blaine Braithwaite is no stranger to the program going into his sixth year teaching at the middle school.

Braithwaite said the emphasis is on having fun because that is what will lead to program growth.

Im focusing on getting kids out to participate, he said. Im not worried about being competitive.

Stanfield does stand a chance to be competitive, though, after losing none of its top nine boys to graduation.

Senior Hector Hernandez finished ninth at districts last season and the team was fourth.

Braithwaite said he got 23 kids to sign up for the team and he hopes to field a full girls team for the first time.

Condon-Wheeler Knights

Coach: Dallas Harsin

Key Players:?Pete Maley, Sr.; Riley Greenfield, So.; Marlon Willecke, Jr.; Hannah Fatland, Jr.

Returning Starters: Boys, 3; Girls, 1.

The Knights return every runner from their varsity last season and hope to pick up a few more to be able to start factoring into the team scores.

Senior Pete Maley paced the team with a 28th-place at districts last season while Hannah Fatland was the only girl on the team.

Weston-McEwen TigerScots

Key Players: Sutter Ball, Fr.; Justin Gridley, Fr.; Tristyn Gilmore, Fr.

The TigerScots graduated all five of its runners in 2010, three on the boys side and two on the girls.

Furthermore, the team entered the season without a head coach and an uncertain status.

Three boys ran in the 8th-grade last season but no girls. Sutter Ball was the boys top 8th grader last year.