Olympic Conference

AMERICAN DIVISION

Defending champion: Cherry Hill West

Overview: Eastern starts the season as the team to beat in a tough and highly competitive division. This division is loaded with top-flight teams and Eastern will have to be at its best in every match.

The Vikings are solid in every phase of the game and has both experience and depth. The attack will center around four-year veteran Michael Bertucci, an All-South Jersey player last year, and 6-foot-7 Larry Chatman patrolling the middle.

Chief competition figures to come from defending champion Cherry Hill West. The Lions have two solid players in Matt Parisi, the Player of the Year last year, and middle hitter Liam Howley, a second team All-South Jersey selection last years. Whether that's enough to overtake Eastern remains to be seen.

Williamstown, last year's Patriot Division champion, moves into this division this year and the Braves will be team to keep an eye on. The team has some veteran players and the Braves always seem to play well in big games.

Cherry Hill East, which became the first South Jersey program to reach 200 wins last year, finished second to Cherry Hill West and you can always count on the Cougars to be very competitive. Junior Ben Chung is expected to carry the brunt of the load for the Cougars.

Barbara McBrearty takes over the program at Washington Township. She inherits only one lettermen in senior hitter Drew Fagundas. But the Minutemen have some promising players coming up from last year's junior varsity team.

Pennsauken should improve over a 6-15 season in 2004 but the Indians just don't have the experience to be a serious threat in this tough division.

PATRIOT DIVISION

Defending champion: Williamstown

Overview: With Williamstown moving to the American Division this should clear the way for Moorestown to take over the top spot. Last year, the Quakers went 13-12 on the season, losing in the second round of the state playoffs.

The combined record of the other teams in this division last year was 12-57. So the Quakers seem to have a secure lock on the title this year. That may have been the case a couple of weeks ago but the Quakers suffered a severe blow early in March when their top player Tony Velott suffered a dislocated ankle in a tournament and realistically may not be ready until May 1.

With Velott on the shelf some hope rises for the other teams, especially Clearview. The Pioneers went 7-12 in their first full season in 2004 and have several players returning, headed by senior hitter Nick Morina.

For Camden County Tech, Camden and Woodrow Wilson, which went a combined 5-42 last year, the growing pains may just continue. Wilson is coming back from suspending the program during the season and Darin Harris takes over the Camden program that won its only two games in 2004 by forfeit over Woodrow Wilson.

NATIONAL DIVISION

Defending champion: Collingswood

Overview: Collingswood rates the early favorite role in this division but don't count out Pennsauken Tech and Sterling.

Collingswood went unbeaten in the division last year but things could be a little tougher this year for the Panthers. The team returns five varsity performers from last year's 16-4 team, including Kevin Miller, one of the top defenders in the entire conference.

Pennsauken Tech will try and make it four winning seasons in a row. The Tornados have two solid veteran seniors in setter Lein Thach and outside and middle hitter Rannan Horm. Junior Luis Canda should also provide some significant offense for the team.

Sterling is coming off an 8-8 season and could be a factor in the title chase. The Silver Knights have excellent quickness and they are a good passing team. The main obstacle facing the Silver Knights is size along the net and overall team experience.

St. Augustine showed some signs of improvement last year, so the Hermits could also be a factor in the race. Kendric Shollenberger and Lou D'Augustino give the team two very experienced players.

Cinnaminson and Gloucester County Institute of Technology (GCIT) will debut in the division. For the Pirates it is their first season playing, while GCIT comes into the division after playing an independent schedule last year.