CENTURY LEAGUE

* Canyon: 19-12, 6-3 in 1998. Coach: Lance Eddy (16th year, 261-148-4). Prospects: The Comanches hope freshman pitcher Lindsey Klabacha develops as expected. Behind her are 10 returning lettermen and six starters, including three seniors: second baseman Chrystal Hewitt (.359, 17 stolen bases), shortstop Rebekah Anderson (.345, 17 RBIs, 18 stolen bases) and designated hitter/outfielder Meghan Goldstein (.310, 14 RBIs). Returning junior starters are outfielder Lisa Hatter (.349), catcher Amber Boeg (.287, 16 RBIs) and utility player Wendy Takehara (.276, 16 runs). The Comanches’ offense and defense should at least match last season’s, and their pitching should be better.

* El Modena: 22-6-1, 7-1 in 1998. Coach: Rhonda Weyer (fifth year, 63-43-1). Prospects: The Vanguards reached the section quarterfinals, where they lost to section champion Pacifica, 2-0. Pitcher Erin Norton (20-6), the league’s most valuable player, returns. Norton also batted .411 with 21 RBIs. This year’s team won’t have nearly as much experience. In addition to Norton, sophomore outfielder Morgan Scott and senior catcher Dustin Vulcan return to the starting lineup. Senior third baseman Courtney Krueger and junior outfielder Melissa Flemming are the only other returning lettermen. El Modena is looking at a lot of freshmen and sophomores to fill the holes in its lineup.

* Foothill: 23-5, 7-1 in 1998. Coach: Joe Gonzalez (10th year, 117-53-1). Prospects: The Knights, seeded second in Division I but beaten in the quarterfinals last season, return seven starters. Sophomore Courtney Fossatti (9-2, 0.07), a first-team all-county utility selection, leads the way, with former all-county shortstop Jaime Clark (.259), a Junior Olympic team member who has signed with Washington. Second baseman Eryn Manahan (.345, 19 RBIs) and pitcher Lauren Schwendimann (10-2, 0.48) have signed with California and Northwestern, respectively. Two sophomores, power-hitting first baseman Kristen Mann (.372, 10 RBIs) and speedy outfielder Erin Mobley (.333) helped Foothill win its eighth consecutive league title. Two freshmen, outfielder Autumn Champion and third baseman Tiffany Haas, will help the Knights field their fastest team ever.

* Orange: 9-14, 1-8 in 1998. Coach: Lacee Collins (first year). Prospects: The Panthers have seven starters back, including two second-team all-league players, Kimi Boyce and Wendy Kralich, who alternate between second base and pitcher. Sophomore third baseman Crystal Zboril is among those Collins believes makes her team a good-hitting one.

* Santa Ana Valley: 6-20, 0-8 in 1998. Coach: Terry Orabona (seventh year, 32-134). Prospects: The Falcons are primed for their most successful season in years because of Sharmaine Kendrick, a first-team all-league catcher whose four years’ experience should be a benefit offensively and defensively on a team that doesn’t have much senior experience outside shortstop Ana Velazquez (.540 on-base average) and pitcher B.B. De La Riva. Two juniors, left fielder Beth Goble and center fielder Alex Alvarado, also return.

* Villa Park: 13-12, 4-4 in 1998. Coach: Laura Kinnersley (second year, 13-12). Prospects: Three of the four returning starters received all-league honors, first-team senior shortstop Kristina McCarty (.444), who signed at Long Beach State, and second-team choices Jennifer Sturgeon (.227), a senior third baseman, and Jill Sandoval (.227), a sophomore catcher. Senior Brittany Cuddy (7-3, 1.49), junior Allyson Hannigan (5-5, 2.11) and freshman Rachel Cintron will share pitching duties. Freshman first baseman Veronica Rogers should make an impact, and seniors Laura Dawson and Kendra Davis are expected to fill holes at second base and outfield.