All eight teams from last year's field return in 2003. Round one match-ups on Dec. 2 have Willow Glen facing Saratoga at 5:30 p.m. and Westmont taking on Los Gatos at 7 p.m. Round one continues on Dec. 5 with Fremont up against Prospect at 5:30 p.m. and Piedmont Hills squaring off with Leland at 7 p.m. The Pirates are returning to the tourney as defending champions.

"Piedmont Hills is probably the best team in the tournament," said Westmont coach and tournament director Bill Gerth. "They should be the favorite to take the championship again."

The Pirates are coming off a 27-1 season where their only loss was in the Central Coast Section Division I championship game. They are led by returning seniors who were an integral part of their success in 2002-03. Ryan Cooper, Andre Hayes and Aaron Buckner provide plenty of firepower and experienced leadership for Piedmont Hills. All three were all-tournament selections at Westmont in 2002 and Cooper also was an all-tourney pick in 2001 as a sophomore when the Pirates took second place.

"He (Cooper) is probably the best player in the tournament," added Gerth.

Four of the teams are definitely familiar with each other. Westmont, Leland, Willow Glen and Prospect are all members of the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League. They know each others' weaknesses and strengths, which should make for some good competitive contests.

Both Los Gatos and Fremont compete in the tough Santa Clara Valley Athletic League in the De Anza Division and have a tradition of putting together talented and highly competitive programs each year. The De Anza Division is considered an "A" level division just like the Mt. Hamilton Division of the BVAL, which is where Piedmont Hills competes.

Rounding out the field is Saratoga, a member of the El Camino Division of the SCVAL. That division is comparable to the Santa Teresa Division of the BVAL.

"Even though Piedmont Hills is favored to win," said Gerth, "any of the other seven teams are capable of taking the championship."

In Gerth's analysis, Westmont is probably the "second best team but that is yet to be determined." The Warriors will be led by Joel Lopez as they seek to win their own tournament after being denied by the Pirates last year in the title game.

Tops on the list of most championships is Monta Vista, with eight. Willow Glen is close behind with six titles and Piedmont Hills has finished first five times.

Gerth has a lot of history with the tournament. He first was part of it when he played for Westmont in the early 1970s. He has been the varsity coach for the Warriors for the past seven years.