[Stardust]

District 36 (Ninth Region): Newport Central Catholic (26-10) is the defending regional champion and returns several key players, but it lost its top four pitchers to graduation. Newport (7-16) was the other district representative in the regional last season and the Wildcats lost just two senior starters to graduation, but one of them was standout pitcher/shortstop Travis Jones. Highlands (6-29) is still rebuilding and returns just three seniors, three returning starters and only two more players with varsity experience. Bellevue (11-16) returns numerous key players and is young, but its young players have some significant varsity experience. Dayton (6-16) has a new coach, Robert Hoover, and lost only one pitcher from last season and has eight seniors on the roster.