HIGH SCHOOL PREVIEW : AT A GLANCE / Boys’ Water Polo

* The Proven: Newport Harbor is a relatively young team with only three seniors returning to the starting lineup. But the defending Sea View League champion is still expected to improve on its quarterfinals finish in last year’s Southern Section Division I playoffs. El Toro, which finished third in the Sea View last season, had a successful summer and should dominate in its new league, the South Coast. With Trevor McMunn, Tim Kraycraft and Andy Terpstra, the Chargers have the players to challenge defending Division I champion Long Beach Wilson. As long as Jim Brumm is coaching at Foothill, the Knights can never be counted out. Foothill was the only county team to reach the Division I semifinals last year, and Brumm said this year’s squad is well-balanced and has no weak link.

* The Promising: Corona del Mar, which spent the last two seasons lurking near the bottom of the county top 10 rankings, is on its way back. With their move to the Pacific Coast League and Division II, the Sea Kings are immediate threats for league and division titles. Saddleback is the favorite in the Golden West League because defending champion Servite moved to the Serra League. The Roadrunners feature two 6-foot-4 players in Julian Gonzalez and Daniel Noon.

* Preseason Top 10: 1. Newport Harbor--Quick and tough defensively; 2. El Toro--Powerful offense and a physical team; 3. Foothill--Well-coached and balanced; 4. Corona del Mar--School’s best team in five years; 5. Villa Park--Winning tradition should continue with John Carcich, its new coach; 6. San Clemente--Undergoing a youth movement but should be tough; 7. Servite--Strong at the two-meter positions; 8. Los Alamitos--Griffins’ new coach, Dave Carlson, should keep the team afloat; 9. Laguna Beach--Small student body but perennially strong program; 10. Saddleback--On everybody’s list as the team to watch.

* Key Dates: Sept. 14, Foothill at El Toro, 5 p.m.; Sept. 15, Newport Harbor at Long Beach Wilson, 3 p.m.; Sept. 23-25, South Coast tournament, Newport Harbor HS; Oct. 8-9, Southern California tournament, Irvine Heritage Park Aquatic Complex; Oct. 26, Newport Harbor at El Toro, 3 p.m.; Nov. 12, Southern Section preliminaries; Nov. 23-24, Southern Section finals, Long Beach Belmont Plaza.

* League Favorites: Century--Foothill; Empire--Cypress; Freeway--Buena Park; Garden Grove--Pacifica; Golden West--Saddleback; Orange--Brea Olinda; Pacific Coast--Corona del Mar; Sea View--Newport Harbor; Serra--Servite; South Coast--El Toro; Sunset--Los Alamitos.

* Fast Fact: Randy Wright, a former UCLA standout, will be coaching Irvine’s newest high school, Northwood. However, it won’t be until next year, when the TimberWolves will be able to field a varsity team. For now, it will be a freshman/sophomore affair.