The journey to any sports pinnacle is often described as a laborious and difficult task. But as tough as that excursion is, ask any coach or player and defending that crown might be an even more arduous chore.

This year's 2007-2008 high school season had 14 schools or individuals successfully defend their North Coast Section titles on everything from the hardwood to gridiron and from the soccer fields, volleyball and water polo nets to the wrestling mats and cross country trails.

And as the school year ends we'll honor those athletes and others in their field with our Times 2008 High School Athletes of the Year awards banquet on June 5 at the Hilton Concord. Today we announce 90 of the area's most accomplished athletes, with 10 more named on June 1.

Las Lomas' Jason Welch is accustomed to holding hardware high in the air. The 5-foot-10 Welch returned season after season to win four NCS titles and finished his career as a three-time state champion, including back-to-back crowns in the 160-pound division.

De La Salle's Tito Pica was the only other grappler who defended his title, winning the NCS title at 171 pounds.

Pica did the same on the football field. He was part of a De La Salle program that has sustained the same excellence year in and year out. The Spartans won their 16th straight NCS title in the fall and returned to the top of the California scene with their first state crown won on the field.

On the hardwood, De La Salle halted Monte Vista's

journey to return as NCS Division I champs with a 47-32 victory in the semifinals. The Spartans went on to win their third NCS crown in five seasons.

Across Winton Drive, Carondelet's Nicole Hood helped the Cougars defend its NCS Division II team title and in the process won her first individual crown.

Hood stopped Casa Grande-Petaluma's Jacque Taylor from winning her second individual title with a three-second victory. Taylor beat Hood by 30 seconds the previous season.

Campolindo's Laurie Finnegan was seeking her second Division III individual title, but finished eighth. Instead, Finnegan helped Campolindo to its second consecutive team crown.

St. Mary's Matt Duffy did both in the boys Division IV race as he won the back-to-back individual and team titles for the Panthers.

Led by Will and Chris Brew the St. Mary's boys basketball team won its second straight NCS banner, but fell short in its quest for the state championship, losing to Campbell Hall-North Hollywood, who won its second straight Division IV state crown.

It was a banner year for the Panthers' program, which also saw Tarah Murrey led the girls volleyball team to its second consecutive NCS Division IV title.

In girls basketball, Berkeley and Miramonte as repeat champions with the Yellow Jackets and first-year coach Cheryl Draper as the top team in the Division I bracket. Katie Batlin and Ashlee Burns helped the Matadors to the Division III crown.

Carondelet held the NCS Division II title for three straight season before lending it out last season. Carondelet returned as NCS champions with a staring lineup that feature three sophomores, a freshman and a post player who moved to point guard.

Back in boys hoops, Las Lomas needed more than a year to return to the top.

Knights center Blake Turner was in the right place at the right time to put back a missed shot with three seconds left to help Las Lomas hoist another NCS crown after a 20-year drought.

Amador Valley girls volleyball coach Rich Cortez and player of the year Sophia Dunworth ended the Dons' nine-year dry spell with their first NCS title since 1998.

In the pool, freshman Maggie Steffens scored 93 goals to help Monte Vista's girls water polo team to its second straight NCS girls crown. Stephen Siri led the Miramonte boys to its third consecutive water polo title.

Grace Leer scored four straight goals in quarterfinals and semifinals to help the San Ramon Valley girls soccer team to a pair of 2-1 victories and eventually its third NCS banner in three seasons.

With the spring sports scene nearing its close, several more teams and athletes should also return to championship glory.

As that happens, the only question to ask is who will return next year?

Contact Robert Jordan at rjordan@bayareanewsgroup.com.