Coach:Mike Onda, seventh year

Last year:Fourth in the Northwestern District (regular season champs)

Key losses:David Pugh

Top returnees:Cody Wright, Jr.; Jake Carpenter, Sr.; Cody Barr, Sr.; Blake Armstrong, Jr.; Nick Stasiak, Jr.; Jacob Sunderlin, Soph.; Danny Aldstadt, Soph.

Key newcomers:Nick Gibbs-Hill, Jr.; Joe Davet, Jr.

Outlook:With six returning from last year's top seven, James Wood enters the season with high hopes of improving on its fourth-place finish at the district meet.

Wright missed that meet, but if he's fit throughout the season, the Colonels should have a leader to rely upon.

"We've really got some high hopes," Onda said. "I think we'll be competitive in the district. I think we can give Skyline a run for their money. Handley always throws together a good team. [They have] Delaney returning, and they did well during the spring.

"I think we can compete with them. It should be a pretty good dogfight to see who comes out on top."

First meet:Saturday at Great Meadow Invitational, 9 a.m.