(County Center picks at bottom)

THE FAVORITE: Haldane — Here’s an interesting question for you high school sports fans: Can a team actually return MORE than it had the year before??? Impossible, right? Not if that team is Haldane, the 14-time Section 1 and defending Class C champ. Not only do the Blue Devils return all five starters, including mega-star Brittany Shields, but they also add Liz Skrelja, a 5-foot-10 senior forward who missed all of last season with a knee injury. Skrelja may be an impact addition to an already strong team.

In addition to Shields, 3-point ace Brittney Fleming and the tough and versatile Kylie McConville (right) have a great deal of experience, but so does every other player on the team. Think I’m kidding? They all played varsity last season. ‘Nuff said.

Even Skrelja played in the past. She also spent much of last sesaon on the bench. Ironically, the only true new face for Haldane is first-year coach Rich Desiderio, who led Kennedy to a surprise County Center appearance last season. Desiderio takes over for Andy Cameron, who won titles in 2005 and 2006 but has since been named a principal in the Brewster School District. Desiderio’s post is one of the most high-pressure in Section 1, but he also has the type of team capable of making a run to Troy.

THE CONTENDERS: Dobbs Ferry, Blind Brook.

Dobbs Ferry — Sure, my assessment of Haldane is nothing if not glowing. So the Eagles must be a distant second, right? No, not by any means. Dobbs won a double-overtime thriller to beat Blind Brook in the semis, then lost 46-43 in the championship to Haldane. During a recent phone conversation, coach Ed Feller made it clear his team has no interest in playing second fiddle. He has plenty of reason to think it, too.

Dobbs returns two of the best players in Class C beyond Shields in Lauren Emerson and Carey Hickey. Unfortunately for the Eagles, Emerson, an athletic 5-foot-9 forward who nearly lifted her team over Haldane, suffered an injury for the fourth straight basketball season, tearing the meniscus in her knee during the first week of practice. Feller said Emerson had surgery this week and may return by late December. As long as Dobbs can stay afloat until then, and Hickey (smiling on the left, in one of my all-time favorite cover photos) should be more than able to lead the way, it has a great chance to give Haldane a run.

The Eagles don’t have much size, but can run and should have better depth to do so as the season moves along. They graduated a glue player in Amy Larsen, so Susie DiLauria and a bunch of newcomers must make up for the loss in the paint.

Blind Brook — The Trojans return Karlyn Adler, one of the top scorers in Class C, after she missed their terrific Class C semi vs. Dobbs. The team will also have its third-leading scorer in Sabrina Stockel, who will combine with Adler to make Blind Brook dangerous on the perimeter. At 5-foot-8 and 5-9, respectively, Stockel and Adler are representative of just how much size the Trojans have. Size may be the team’s strong suit.

It’s funny, but Blind Brook is in a similar spot to Dobbs. The Eagles barely lost to the champ, but the Trojans barely lost to the team that barely lost to the champ. Make sense??? If Blind Brook stays healthy and gets even more from its frontcourt, it may fall much higher than third on the Class C list.

OTHERS TO WATCH: Hamilton, Leake & Watts.

Hamilton — The Red Raiders made excellent strides last season, advancing to the County Center. Their 5-foot-9 sophomore guard Shereen Lightbourne may be one of the best underclassmen in Section 1 regardless of class. She was their leading scorer and playmaker. First-year coach Ennio Escoto must continue to develop Hamilton’s supporting cast.

Leake & Watts — Like Hamilton, the defending Class D champ rely on the multiple talents of Makeba Reece, who led the area in scoring last season. Reece actually may be an even better rebounder and shot blocker than scorer, but she is asked to do a lot of everything for the Lions. Luckily for Reece, key role players Rosemary Miranda and Beatrice Lloyd both return.

THE REST OF THE PACK: Solomon Schechter nearly pulled off an upset over Leake & Watts in the Class D final. Schechter, which will be led by junior guard Charlotte Fabiani, and Hawthorne Cedar Knolls are the only teams in Class D after Leake & Watts moved to C.

COUNTY CENTER BOUND: Class C — Haldane, Dobbs Ferry, Blind Brook, Hamilton; Class D — Solomon Schechter, Hawthorne Cedar Knolls.