It did not take too long for Shaler Area hockey coach Curt Hetz to realize that this season would not be the same for the Titans.

Last season, Shaler was just another good team in PIHL Class AAA; this season, the Titans are the defending Penguins Cup champions.

So, every game they play, the opponent is going to be ready and poised to give its best shot.

The front of the Shaler jersey is highlighted by the familiar Titan logo, but it might as well be adorned with a big red target.

"That's something that will be riding on our shoulders all season," Hetz said. "The kids need to learn how to play because those are the conditions we are playing under. I don't think they're quite there yet."

Shaler again figures to be one of Class AAA's top teams for the PIHL season, which begins Monday at rinks across Western Pennsylvania. It is the 11th season for the organization, which includes 67 teams over four classifications (including the 17 teams in the developmental Open Class). The league mostly covers what is the WPIAL's territory -- but there also are teams in West Virginia, Erie and State College.

Shaler, Latrobe (Class AA) and Mars (Class A) are defending Penguins Cup champions, and they return enough talent to have a shot to defend their crown.

Hetz and Shaler already have gotten a taste of how difficult it will be. The Titans lost in the semifinals of the St. Margaret Foundation Fall Face-off, considered one of the area's top preseason high school tournaments.

Seneca Valley, which lost to Shaler in the Penguins Cup final last season, beat the Titans, 7-2, Oct. 8.

"They came to win," Hetz said. "We beat them in the championship game last year, and I could tell they wanted to beat us. But that's OK, it's a good learning experience for our kids. We try to tell them that this 2009-10 team is not the one that won the Penguins Cup. It's a new team, and we can't rest on the laurels of last season."

Seneca Valley and Shaler are the top two teams in the Post-Gazette's preseason rankings, which were compiled in conjunction with pahockey.net's coaches poll. Both teams are trying to get back to Mellon Arena for the Penguins Cup finals March 27.

The semifinals also will take place at Mellon Arena March 22-23.

The winners in Class A, Class AA and Class AAA will play the Flyers Cup winners in their respective classes in the Pennsylvania Cup state high school hockey championship April 1.

Shaler returns most of the important pieces from last season, having graduated only four players. Senior forwards Zac Lynch and Patrick Schafer combined for 44 goals and 31 assists in the regular season.

Seneca Valley also returns most of its team intact, including Logan Pfeffer, Samuel Jarrett, Tyler Messica and Brandon Platt.

Although Shaler and Seneca Valley have strong goalies in Oscar Prom and Ryan Shutte, respectively, Upper St. Clair and North Allegheny can compete with the Titans and Raiders for Class AAA supremacy because they also have elite goalies.

Upper St. Clair's Matt Wregget is the son of former Penguins goalie Ken Wregget, and North Allegheny's Lindsay Holdcroft happens to be a girl.

Pine-Richland might not be as strong as some of the school's recent Penguins Cup and state champion teams, but opposing coaches expect the Rams to be in contention again this season.

Latrobe went undefeated last season and emerged as the only Penguins Cup winner to beat their Flyers Cup counterparts.

Two Post-Gazette Stellar 6 selections (Nick Loyacona and Jeffjoe Regula) graduated but the Wildcats have nine players returning, have reloaded, and are the No. 1-ranked team again to start this season.

"I look for another great year," Latrobe coach Daniel Ridder said. "To be undefeated? I'm not predicting that. But the expectations are still real high."

Jayson Angus, Zach LaDuke and Matt Batis combined for 125 points last season, so the offense should be fine, and the defense has four experienced seniors.

The Wildcats beat Montour in the title game last season, and, although the Spartans lost goalie Matt Skoff, Michael Zagari (27 goals, 25 assists last season) returns.

Peters Township won a section title last season and should be buoyed by the addition of Matt Lison, who was Bishop Canevin's leading goal-scorer last season. The Crusaders still have talent, however, including forward Vince Nicolella.

Meadville has been impressive during the preseason and has a dynamic talent in Bill Espy.

Mars won its first Penguins Cup last season and, although the Planets also must replace plenty of talented players who graduated, they and Serra figure to be the favorites to reach the final.

Because they just fell short by losing in the semifinals last season, the Eagles figure to have more of a built-in hunger than the Planets.

"When we first started back, it was kind of a challenge to get guys focused again," Mars coach Steve Meyers said. "The first couple practices were a little rough, but once we got close to the St. Margaret's tournament, the guys really came together and got serious about winning again."

The Planets' top players are forward Mike Mazzotta, goalie Tyler Stepke and defenseman Tyler Whiteford.

Serra will be led by reigning Class A scoring champion Erik Manetta, who had 40 goals and 37 assists in 21 regular-season games in 2008-09.

Perennial power Bishop McCort of Johnstwon lost in the final last season and should be strong again. Kittanning drops down from Class AA and features the Koster brothers -- Heinz ("Willie"), Jurgen and Deiter and scorer Troy Schall.

Hampton is a team to watch because of standout goalie Sam Wilson and forward Alex Mueller, who had 48 points in 20 games last season.

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