EAST BLADEN
• Head coach: Wilson Bolden.
• Last year: Third in Three Rivers Conference.
• Top returners: Junior A.J. Smith, fourth-place in Three Rivers Conference championship race, all-conference, 43rd in Mid-East Regional; senior Efren Vargas, 16th in Three Rivers championship; junior Damondta Smith, 21st in Three Rivers championship.
• Bolden: “Our top returner this season is Aaron (A.J) Smith, who finished with a 19:54.69 in the regional meet.”
• League: Whiteville won the Three Rivers Conference last year.
• Dates: Season begins after Labor Day, and may include an opening date in Bladen County. Three Rivers championship meet is in Whiteville on Oct. 23.
WEST BLADEN
• Head coach: Brian McCleney (first year).
• Last year: First-year program.
• Top returners: First-year program.
• McCleney: “We will be trying to get some of the distance runners out from last spring’s track teams.”
• League: McCleney says, “We will do well if we complete hard. My goal with year’s team is to see our times get better each meet.”
• Dates: Season begins after Labor Day, and may include an opening date in Bladen County. Three Rivers championship meet is in Whiteville on Oct. 23.