In the wake of a second-place finish at the Class 5A state swimming championships last season, Summit head coach Amy Halligan says the Storm is back and hungry to win.

While other Central Oregon coaches are struggling to piece together slim rosters, and working to develop younger swimmers, Halligan has her eyes set on two district titles and says she’s hopeful her boys team will win state gold.

“I think 10 of our 12 boys could qualify for state this year,” Halligan says of a team led by sophomores Nic Morrell, Paul Hartmeier and Mason Allen, who all placed in the top three at the state meet last season. Juniors Nathan Losch and Anthony Corso also return this year.

Halligan also has high hopes for the Summit girls team, which won the IMC district title two seasons ago.

“They won’t have any trouble winning districts,” she says. “And I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up finishing second or third at state.”

Sophomores Christy Rodgers and Jenna Moore and junior Caitlyn Belva, each a 2006-07 IMC district champion, are all expected to compete in the state meet this year, says Halligan.

Across town at Bend High, second-year coach Elizabeth Meskill has her hands full with a team that boasts more than 40 swimmers.

“Our strength is definitely our depth,” Meskill said, adding that everyone from freshmen to foreign exchange students have helped boost team numbers.

Meskill predicts promising results from senior Jacob Gallucci, who was an IMC champion in two events his sophomore year but did not compete last season.

Sophomore Zach Green and freshman Ben Daley are also expected to have strong seasons for the Lava Bears.

On the girls side, Meskill says she expects Lindsay Miller and Jamaica Pinnick, both 2006-07 IMC district placers, to lead a young team, which she says is “still getting a feel for the water.”

“This is a year for us to develop our program,” Meskill said. “But I’m really excited about our numbers and how many kids we have out this year.”

Mountain View coach Alex Bick says with just 21 members, his team is small, something that won’t help the Cougars be competitive at the district meet.

“We just don’t have the numbers,” he said.

But Bick says he does expect big things from junior Kristyn Deckard, who took third in the 200-meter individual medley and second in the 100 backstroke at the state meet last season. He’s also excited to have Deckard’s freshman sister, Kaitlyn, in the pool, a young talent he says “is a very strong swimmer.”

On the boys’ side, Robert Turner, who won the district title in the 50 freestyle last year, is expected to be a standout for the Cougars.

In Sisters, coach Isolde Hedemark has big expectations for her girls team, which finished third at the 2006-07 4A state championship and lost only one senior to graduation.

Hedemark says her team will rely on Felicia Pledger, Brittany Baldessari and Courteney Satko — a trio that placed in state competition last year. Newcomers Tia Berg, Zoey Wazerin and Chelsea Flanders will round out a girls squad that Hedemark says she hopes will send multiple swimmers to the state meet.

Senior Brian Greaney, who earned points for the Outlaws at last year’s state meet, is expected to lead a boys team that according to Hedemark, will battle with Sweet Home and Marist for the league title.

At Redmond, coach Lee Howard says with 12 new swimmers on a roster of 30, this year will be a building season for the Panthers.

The Redmond boys team won the district title last season, but Howard says they’ll be pressed to hold onto it. He expects Josh White, Jeff Sloss, Joe DeLeone, Billy Fisher and Ben Smith to score points for a team with a strong senior core.

On the girls side, Liz Bedell, Brittany Park and Bailey Standowick are expected to place well at districts, says Howard.

But he says only time will tell how the season pans out.

“When you get to districts, it gets to be a numbers game,” Howard says. “I think this year, it’s really going to go down to the wire.”