Much as Dick Leavitt enjoyed seeing Eastern Maine football take a stand after years of Lobster Bowl abuse, it would be okay by him if this year’s East squad didn’t duplicate last year’s 55-8 route.

“For the fans’ sake, I like to think that it’s going to be a high-scoring, exciting game,” said the Brunswick coach, who will lead the East into tonight’s 15th addition of the annual all-star game (7:30 p.m., Waterhouse Field in Biddeford). “It’d be nice to see it come down to the final minutes of the fourth quarter.”

Having lost 12 of the first 13 Lobster Bowls to the West, the East was able to take out a lot of its frustrations in last year’s game. But both Leavitt and his West counterpart, Deering coach Greg Stilphen, downplayed the possibility any lingering bad blood.

“To me, it’s apples and oranges,” Leavitt said. “None of the kids on our team played on that team. I’m sure there’s a pride factor for western Maine football just like there’s a pride factor for eastern Maine football. Every year that exists. But when the lights go on Friday night and the ball’s kicked, the kids are just going to be out there being kids and playing football, some kids for the last time and some kids before they hopefully go on to great college careers.”

“All I know is that I only get these guys for five days,” Stilphen said. “They made an immense sacrifice to be here. They’re here to play football and compete. We’re going to compete for 60 minutes.”

All net proceeds from the game go to the Shriners Hospitals of North America. The players have already visited the Shriners Hospital in Springfield, Mass. and raised $40,000 for the cause. Tonight, their focus will be on football, for the last time for some.

“Now it’s about them,” Stilphen said. “The game is a vehicle to help the Shrine raise money for their cause, but now, as coaches, we’re going to showcase the athletes, let them shine.”

Should that come to pass, football fans should be in for a treat.

“I’ve never played with talent this great, obviously,” said Edward Little’s Chris LeClair, a flanker for the East. “It’s the best of the best and it’s fun to play in.”

Indeed, the best of the best will be showcased in the classic football setting at Waterhouse. Leading the East will be quarterbacks Nick Arthers of Belfast and Josh Withee of Foxcroft Academy, who led their teams to state titles in Class B and Class C, respectively, last year.

It’s possible that neither talented signal-caller will have to throw too much given the East’s star-studded backfield, led by a pair of 2,000-plus yard rushers Phil Warren, a Fitzpatrick Trophy finalist from Brunswick, and Bangor’s Mike Prentiss.

“Who do you give the ball to?” Leavitt asked. “That’s a pretty nice looking backfield.”

Throw in Skowhegan’s Jared Walker and Rockland’s Trevor Davis and you’ve got a dream backfield, the envy of any football coach, except perhaps Stilphen, whose ball-carriers include 2003 Fitzy winner Joey Marsh of Deering, Decota Cotton of Noble, Portland’s Mike Grimaldi and Lisbon’s Tony Walker. Fitzpatrick finalist Phil Bourassa of Brunswick and Andrew Schober of Cheverus will direct the West offense at quarterback.

A number of local standouts could play prominent roles on both teams. The East squad includes Chad Schrepper of Leavitt, Nate Bolduc and Cal Miller of Mt. Blue, Oak Hill’s Adam Labbe, Levi Chouinard of Oxford Hills and Lewiston’s Steve Cobb and Nick Lajoie. Representing the West will be Lisbon’s John Tefft, Garrett Young of Livermore Falls, Winthrop’s Chris Levigne, Arik Nelson of Fryeburg and Jay’s Marc Kelvey.

Lobster Bowl notes: Despite the West’s dominance in the series, many of the games in Lobster Bowl history have been fairly close. Four of the West’s 12 wins have been by a touchdown or less and ten of the games have been decided by less than two touchdowns. The West has shut out the East five times, the last coming in 2002 (13-0)…Last year’s East win was the biggest blowout in the game’s history, topping a 40-0 West victory in 1991…The East’s only other win was in 1999, an 18-7 victory, when EL’s Calvin Hunter scored the game-winning touchdown on a three-yard run…Belfast’s Jeff Parentau (65 yards) and Ricky Vigue (49 yards) had the two longest touchdown runs in the game’s history in last year’s game…Mt. Blue’s Marcus Corey and Lewiston’s Rob Dion hooked up on the longest TD pass in Lobster Bowl history, 75 yards in 2001.