When play opens today for this year's Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association girls basketball tournament, there will be no shortage of compelling story lines for local teams, with unbeaten teams potentially facing off, while schools and coaches who have come close to state titles in recent seasons get another chance to get to UMBC.

In the Class 1A bracket, New Town and coach Pam Wright have advanced to the state semifinals the last three seasons, but haven't been able to break through. If the Titans, the top seed in the North region, can get past second-seeded Digital Harbor, the fourth time could be the charm. Digital beat New Town by three in the season opener. Joppatowne and South Carroll received top seeds in the South.

No. 4 Mount Hebron and No. 8 Winters Mill each enter the 2A tournament unbeaten, and with home court advantage throughout their regional, the stage is set for the teams to meet in the state semifinals in Catonsville. Getting there could be the hardest part. Winters Mill will have to wind its way through a West region that has tough teams at the top of the bracket, namely North Hagerstown, Middletown and Century. Mount Hebron, meanwhile, might have the toughest draw in the state, with county opponents No. 15 Oakland Mills and River Hill in the region, plus Southern of Anne Arundel, last year's 2A runner-up, and Gwynn Park in Prince George's County. The competition in the 2A North region should be fascinating with No. 7 City, Poly and dark horse Randallstown all in the mix.

Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated rematch of the tournament is waiting in the 3A North region between No. 5 Catonsville, the Baltimore County champions, and sixth-ranked Western, which won the Baltimore City title. The Comets beat the Doves 61-51 at the Basketball Academy mixer last month and the two teams have eyed each other warily since, as Western tries to reach the state finals for a third straight year. In the East region, No. 12 Atholton, last year's 2A champions, will have their hands full with Fallston in the East region.

In the 4A East region, the signs are pointed toward a rematch of the Anne Arundel county championship between No. 3 Arundel and No. 11 Old Mill, which got to the state semifinals last year. Dulaney appears to be the favorite in the North region, though C. Milton Wright, the second seed in the region, could provide a solid challenge. The winner in the East or North region would be a clear underdog to three-time defending champion Eleanor Roosevelt from the South region.