The Penn Hills boys' basketball team is out to do something that has been done only once in WPIAL history.

Penn Hills is the defending WPIAL Class AAAA champion and is the favorite to become only the second team to win back-to-back Class AAAA titles since the classification was formed in the 1983-84 season. Penn Hills is the Post-Gazette's preseason No. 1 team.

The only other team to win two consecutive AAAA championships is New Castle, which won three in a row from 1997-99.

		The PG Rankings Boys' Class AAAA: Teams and talent to watch

Besides having the No. 1 team, Penn Hills also has Akida McLain, who many believe is the No. 1 player in the WPIAL. McLain, a 6-foot-7 senior, already has signed a letter of intent with Boston College. He had scholarship offers from a number of other Division I schools. He averaged 12 points a game last season.

But McLain isn't the only reason things are looking up for Penn Hills. Devon Knight, a 5-8 senior point guard, and 6-2 senior guard-forward Mark Ionadi also are back. Ionadi averaged 14 points a game last season.

Here is a look at the rest of WPIAL Class AAAA:

Section 1

Defending section champion Hempfield has only one returning starter, but he is one of the best guards in Class AAAA. Torrey Sochacki, a 5-11 senior, averaged 14.8 points, 4 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

"We lost 2,000 points to graduation," Hempfield coach Bill Swan said. "We just want to get better every day while mixing some younger guys into the rotation."

Norwin finished second behind Hempfield last season and the Knights will be led by 5-9 senior guard Josh Mazzoni, who averaged 10 points and eight assists a year ago.

Latrobe was only 8-15 last season, but is a team to watch because of two junior guards. Eric Mueseler averaged 18 points and Jeff Garcia nine last season.

Section 2

Connellsville was unbeaten in the section last year and is the team to beat again because of one reason -- James Hairston. A 6-3 senior guard, Hairston was a member of the Post-Gazette Fabulous Five a year ago. He does a little of everything for the Falcons, averaging 25.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.6 blocks as a junior. He has 1,457 career points and some Division I colleges are interested in him.

After Connellsville, a number of teams seem capable of grabbing the other two playoff spots. One of them is Canon-McMillan. Mike Lipinski, a 5-11 senior guard, Eric Taylor, a 6-2 senior swingman, and Sean Brown, a 6-4 senior forward, are returning starters.

"We're guardedly optimistic," Canon-McMillan coach Rick Bell said.

Peters Township is a definite playoff contender. Ringgold's Troy Yonkers, a 6-8 senior center, and Laurel Highlands' Corey Nesser, a 5-8 senior guard, were all-section selections last year.

Section 3

This section was a little down last year as all three playoff teams -- New Castle, Pine-Richland and North Hills -- lost in the first round of the playoffs. But the section looks to be stronger this year.

New Castle is ranked No. 2 in Class AAAA. The Hurricanes have either won or tied for the section title eight of the past nine years and are the team to beat this year. Coach John Sarandrea has a big squad, led by 6-5 senior center Devin Taylor, who averages 10 points and 12 rebounds a game.

North Allegheny returns some key players, including 6-3 senior sharpshooter E.J. Kusnyer, who averaged 15.3 points a game. Sophomore Ryan Tiesi started at point guard as a freshman.

Pine-Richland tied New Castle for the section title last season and should challenge for the section again.

The Rams might start slowly, though, because all-section performer Neil Walker is still playing with Pine-Richland's football team that won a WPIAL title Saturday night.

Walker, a 6-3 forward, averaged 16.7 points a game last season. Kyle Opitz, a 5-9 senior, is one of the best point guards in the section. He averaged 16.5 points.

Shaler is a team to watch. Nick Sefscik, a junior guard, averaged 18.3 points a game as a sophomore.

Joe Falletta is the new coach at North Hills after a number of successful years at Hopewell.

Falletta was 102-39 his final five seasons at Hopewell and guided the Vikings to the WPIAL Class AAA title game last year. But he inherits a North Hills team that has only two returning part-time starters.

Section 4

Central Catholic looks to be Penn Hills' top challenger in this section. Ross Watson, a 6-1 senior guard-forward, averaged 12 points a game last season. Ryan Kennedy, a 6-foot senior, also was a starting guard. Daniel Waajid, a 6-4 senior, and Kyle Goldcamp, a 6-7 senior, give the Vikings size. "Experience and depth will be our strength, but our consistency and leadership must improve," Central Catholic coach Chuck Crummie said.

Fox Chapel features 6-2 senior guard Pat Brannigan, who averaged 14 points a game.

Section 5

Two of the top five teams in the rankings are in this section. No. 3 Mt. Lebanon has a strong guard tandem in 5-10 senior Bill Babe and 6-2 junior Geoff Kestler. Babe averaged 18.4 points last season and Kestler 10.

No. 4-ranked Chartiers Valley has three returning starters from a team that made it to the PIAA quarterfinals. Brian Hindt, a 6-3 senior guard-forward, was the team's second-leading scorer last season.

Junior guard-forward Stephen Profeta and senior point guard Travis MacKenzie also return.

"I think the key will be how well we rebound the ball because we're not very big," Chartiers Valley coach Tim McConnell said.

Upper St. Clair made it to the WPIAL championship last season, but 6-3 junior point guard Sean Lee is the only returning starter. Lee, who averaged 11 points a game, will have to deal with a broken thumb from football season.