While Northridge has been wiped perfectly clean of the starting lineup that strung together that perfectly perfect boys high school basketball record last season, the residue of the wondrous work remains as the Raiders embark on 2009-10.

"I think one of the strengths of last year's team, and one of the benefits for this year's team," says Northridge coach Jason Ridge, "is we had a lot of guys that fed off each other, played their roles and stepped up to take on leadership roles, and even though guys like Craig Thomas and Jeff Yoder and AJ Miller and Skyler Mitchell didn't play much, they were around for it. They saw it work. They bought in. Now they get a chance to make the plays."

So do feisty guard Luke Davis and post presence Justin Yoder, the two key cogs off the bench a year ago and also back this year.

In All-Area first-teamer Elliot Smith and All-Area second-team or honorable mention selections Jordan Hoffman, Lucas Carpenter, Luke Hofsommer and Landon Miller, the Raiders did indeed graduate each of the regulars off the first Elkhart County team in 19 years to complete an undefeated regular season.

Thanks to their departures, Northridge also graduated 88 percent of its scoring.

Which may leave some not-so-high expectations for the Raiders from outsiders ... similar to a year ago, when Northridge had graduated its two superstar players, Brent Eaton and Derrick Troyer, off a 14-7 club.

"I'm excited about this year," Ridge says. "I'm refreshed as a coach and I think the players are refreshed. We don't have a lot of experience, but this is a team that really has a chance to improve and be really good by the end of the season."

The Raiders open Wednesday against Central at Elkhart's North Side Gym.