GIRLS’ TOP 10 : This Year, Teams Are the Stars : Preview: Point Loma, Poway seem best before season when strength will be in numbers.

Teams are vogue, individuals passe. Gone are Vista’s Chris Enger, Point Loma’s Monica Filer, San Marcos’ Susie O’Brien and Mission Bay’s Cristia Willis.

Coaches around the county are instead talking, now more than ever, in terms of a unit of bodies, not just one.

“We’re developing our whole concept around the team,” said San Dieguito Coach John Brennan.

And the teams to watch are in the Palomar, City Eastern and Grossmont 2-A leagues. Their talents are recognized enough by coaches to put nine of them into The Times’ preseason Top 10. Only one league outsider, Lincoln of City Central, is represented.

Point Loma and Poway are the overwhelming first and second picks, but the margin differentiating the rest is slim.

“There’s not a big difference between No. 3 and 10,” said Santana Coach Wade Vickery.

1. POINT LOMA

1988-89 Record: 32-2

League: City Eastern

Coach: Lee Trepanier

No matter who Trepanier loses, he never misses a beat preparing the Pointers for their next run of victories. Not one to mince words, Trepanier said that with five returning players off the team that made it to the finals of the Southern California regionals, “we’ll be tough, probably No. 1 again.” Starting returners include Times’ All-County senior center Tyeast Brown (6-0, 15.6-point average) and senior forward Erica Crittenden (5-8, 8.5). Chris Drumm, a force at forward last year as a sophomore, moved to Wichita, Kan.

2 POWAY

1988-89 Record: 19-10

League: Palomar

Coach: Jay Trousdale

Life doesn’t get much better than this: two 6-foot-1 transfers, seven returning letterman (four starters) and Vista’s heavy graduation losses. Seniors Christy Fortney (5-6, guard), Dawn Gigstad (5-7, guard/forward), Jennifer Guerena, (5-4, guard) and Laura Nugent, (6-0, center) are impact players.

3 SANTANA

1988-89 Record: 23-3

League: Grossmont 2-A

Coach: Wade Vickery

The Sultans, winners of their league six out of the past eight years and the past three in a row, should make it four. Times All-County senior guard Rebecca Aase (5-8, 16.9-point average, 76% free throws) could help her team, Division I semifinalists, get further in the playoffs. Junior center Stephanie Thompson (5-10), junior guard Desiree Weimann (5-3) and senior forward Heather Ashcraft (5-8) should contribute. “We pretty much have an up-tempo style,” Vickery said. “We’ll try to pressure defense and get down court quickly offensively.”

4 TORREY PINES

1988-89 Record: 16-9

League: Palomar

Coach: Ken Baumann

The Falcons finished in a three-way tie for third in its league last year but had a strong summer season (12-6). Five returners, including starters Karyn Armstrong, a junior center (6-2), and senior forward Heidi Brownson (5-10). “We’ll play mostly man-to-man defense,” Baumann said. “We have good quickness but we can slow down when we have to. We want to get our buckets in transition.”

5 MIRA MESA

1988-89 Record: 21-8

League: City Eastern

Coach: Gary Blevins

The Marauders had the pleasure of playing Point Loma three times and lost them all, including the Division I final in the Sports Arena last year. But it was the first playoff appearance for a team that had won four games in three years before Blevins arrived in 1985. He stresses a low key approach but aggressiveness on the court. Returning starters are Stacy Kasamatis (6-0, senior, forward), Danielle Samson (5-9, senior, guard) and Lanie Elgado (5-9, junior, guard).

6 MT. CARMEL

1988-89 Record: 14-13

League: Palomar

Coach: Peggy Brose

Mt. Carmel, one of the three teams that tied for third last year in the Palomar League, lost by eight to Santana in the Division I quarterfinals but should challenge in a league with parity. Junior forward Vicki DeJesus (17.0 average) returns to lead a crop of skilled players who present a well-balanced attack.

7 SERRA

1988-89 Record: 5-20

League: City Eastern

Coach: Larry Watson

As long as starting returners Pam Ross and Lynn Thoms are accounted for at the start of the regular season, Serra will be a contender. Senior guard/forward Ross (5-9 1/2) is recovering from an appendectomy and on schedule to return after Christmas break, and senior center Thoms (6-1) has been in Guatamala, Mexico, doing church work but is due back Monday. Senior point guard Kerri Sevenbergen and senior forward/center Loni Clark also return.

8 LINCOLN

1988-89 Record: 18-6

League: City Central

Coach: Dorothy Robinson

Center DaShelia Dixon, the only sophomore to make The Times’ All-County team last year returns with a fine supporting cast. Dixon (6-3 1/2, 26.0), a junior, was the third-leading scorer in county and had 50 points against Christian. “We’ll be strong with addition of other players,” Robinson said. “We’ll be in the hunt.”

9EL CAJON

1988-89 Record: 11-12

League: Grossmont 2-A

Coach: Robert Holm

Holm, in his second year here, left Grossmont College to coach the Braves, and two of his daughters--junior center Heidi (6-0) and sophomore forward/guard Heather (5-10)--are among four returning starters. Senior forward/center Debbie Duhaney (5-7) and junior guard Sara Mease (5-5) are the others.

10 SAN DIEGUITO

1988-89 Record: 8-15

League: Palomar

Coach: John Brennan

Brennan has seven seniors and five juniors returning. “We’re developing different squads, playing a lot of girls.” Brennan said there is a sense of purpose in this team. “I haven’t seen this kind of desire or hard work in my seven years here.”