Three area UIL state golf championship teams should have realistic shots at defending titles next year.

In Class 5A, the Southlake Carroll girls will return three of five starters – Brynn Donovan, Taylor Slagle and Alexa Park. Depth abounds at Carroll, so filling out the rest of the lineup shouldn't be too difficult. Its "B" team was deep enough to advance to the Region I tournament.

Class 4A boys champion Highland Park returns two excellent building blocks, individual champion Cody Gribble and sophomore Richard Kalteyek.

Three starters – Steffi Scholer, Claire Straty and Kendall Anigian – return for Highland Park's state champion girls team. Four-year veteran Lila Barton, though, is off to Stanford.

Class 5A boys champion Plano West must rebuild after losing all five starters to graduation, but area state qualifiers Jesuit and Southlake Carroll have youth on their side.

Carroll's entire state lineup will be back next year.

Jesuit can build around talented freshman Jordan Spieth.

McKinney Boyd's boys, third-place finishers in 4A, return four starters next year.

In 4A girls, state qualifier Frisco's top player, Patricia Holt, is a freshman.

Frisco Wakeland's girls, led by sophomore Taylor Newlin, gained experience with its state appearance in Class 3A.

Edgewood's boys were just three strokes away from a possible third straight state championship in Class 2A, finishing runner-up to Salado, 619-621.

Area individuals with a chance to return to state in 2009 include Chantry McMahan of Kaufman (3A), Carly Dear of Red Oak (4A), Victoria Vela of Mansfield Timberview (5A) and Brad Mason of Lake Highlands (5A).

Randy Jennings