EMPIRE LEAGUE

* Century: 3-21, 0-15 in 1998. Coach: Nate Guerriero (third year, 8-40). Prospects: Guerriero and his program are due for a decent season after winning only eight games the past two years. Second-team all-league outfielder Omar Herrera (.310, 17 steals) is tops among the eight returning starters. Senior Brian Cortez (4.11 ERA) and sophomore Julio Ceja (3.12) are the lead pitchers. Guerriero hopes sophomore shortstop Oscar Ramirez and senior outfielder J.R. Arinaga, who batted .452 and .386 last year on junior varsity, are ready to move up.

* Cypress: 16-11, 9-6 in 1998. Coach: Mark Steinert (sixth year, 70-54-3). Prospects: Cypress has watched El Dorado win the league the past two years. Now, the Centurions believe they are ready to claim the title for themselves. Six of the seven returning starters are first- or second-team all-league picks, including senior utility man Jayson Rodriguez (.481, five home runs, 23 RBIs), senior catcher Matt Gay and senior first baseman Joe Rafelson. Cypress is also strong on the mound; back are junior Travis Ingle and senior Rob Crosta. If Steinert can find a dependable reliever and junior Ryan Justice works out at shortstop, it may indeed be Cypress’ turn at the top.

* El Dorado: 17-10, 11-4 in 1998. Coach: Steve Gullotti (19th year, 327-149). Prospects: Opponents might want to wear helmets as well as gloves when the Golden Hawks are at bat. This team has loaded lumber in league MVP and senior catcher Drew McMillan (.378, eight home runs, 24 RBIs), senior outfielder C.J. Rice (.412, six home runs, 25 RBIs), and senior first baseman Mitch Nord (.400, three home runs, 18 RBIs). They are three of El Dorado’s five returning all-league performers. Senior Justin Arjevini (5-1, 2.26) is the ace but Gullotti expects good things from Bryson Jones (2-1, 2.41, three saves).

* Katella: 18-12, 9-6 in 1998. Coach: Tim McMenamin (15th year, 222-151-1). Prospects: Katella managed a second-place tie with Cypress in league last year. But Cypress and El Dorado look stronger on paper, and Century is coming on. That doesn’t mean the Knights will be also-rans. Senior shortstop Mike Martinez (.378, four home runs, 33 RBIs) and senior outfielder Carlos Pasillas (.359, six home runs) are run producers. Senior infielder T.J. Jara (.402, 33 hits) is a pest at the plate. Senior Scott Fraser (8-5, 4.13, 72 strikeouts) gives McMenamin a dependable starter. If senior Steve Barr (2-5, 4.75) becomes dependable, the Knights are definitely in the hunt.

* Kennedy: 15-11, 8-7 in 1998. Coach: Chris Pascal (14th year, 198-152-3). Prospects: Pascal can expect two things this season: his 200th career victory, and the need to stay calm. This is a young Fighting Irish squad; senior catcher Evan Rankhorn is the only returning starter. He and Pascal have to nurture a pitching staff that doesn’t have a varsity decision. No one knows where the offense will come from, either. In previous seasons, Pascal and his staff could finesse 10 or 11 victories from a team like this. But the league looks too strong this season.

* Loara: 13-12, 8-7 in 1998. Coach: Dave Lappin (seventh year, 69-80). Prospects: The Saxons went through a maddening 1998 season, when they could never put a good winning streak together and finished a game out of the playoffs. Five returning starters will try to fix that. Senior shortstop Jake Kungl (.441, three home runs, 22 RBIs) and senior infielder Ryan Banes (.423, three home runs, 21 RBIs) are first-team all leaguers. Kungl’s brother Bryan (.402, three home runs, 18 RBIs), a sophomore, adds punch. Loara has to develop a pitching staff, however, to get off that win-one, lose-one treadmill.