So your most formidable foe in the Campbell Conference lost just one senior starter off its regional championship squad and brings back four all-conference players. How do you compete when everyone else is ready to hand them the league title?

For Jim Aylward and the Mountain Valley Falcons, the answer is simple – take care of your own business.

“If we stay healthy and smart, we’ll be fine,” said Aylward.

The longtime Falcons coach acknowledges that Gorham is stacked. With all-conference QB Rob Tole, all-conference running back Andy Oldenberg, all-conference running back in waiting Tyson Nason and all-conference lineman John McKenzie back to run coach Dave Kilborn’s double-wing offense, the Rams are going to be tough to knock off of their pedestal.

But Mountain Valley isn’t exactly bringing back chopped liver from a team that finished 6-3 last year and gave the Rams a hard time in a 15-6 loss in the regional semifinals.

Certainly losing seven or eight times as many seniors as Gorham has affected the Falcons’ depth, but the first wave of kids they’ll put out on the field stacks up pretty well with the rest of the conference.

“We have to stay healthy,” Aylward said. “We can play 11 at a time right now and not have a weak link.”

Particularly defensively, where Aylward thinks his team will excel with all-conference selection Travis Fergola at linebacker and senior Jeremy Sterling manning the secondary.

The offense, which was bogged down by too many turnovers and three-and-outs last year, should be more potent with quick-footed 5-5 tailback Aaron Arsenault and second-year QB Zach Fergola returning to the backfield with a year of experience under their belts.

“Things go a little slower the second year. You can look and see things unfold a little easier,” Aylward said of his senior signal-caller.

“He’s a great athlete and I think he’s going to have a great year.”

Wells rebounded last year following a rare two-year absence from the playoffs.

They’ll probably take a step back from last year’s 9-1 campaign but should still be a solid playoff contender.

Another perennial power looking to climb its way back into playoff contention is York, which may have the best all-around QB in the conference in southpaw Erik Rostard.

Lake Region and Greely figure to make noise in the playoff hunt, too.

Falmouth, Poland and Fryeburg will fight for scraps. Poland boasts some strong numbers (35 kids) and is coming off a respectable 6-2 JV season as it joins the Class B varsity this year. Fryeburg is encouraged by the return of nine seniors, including all-conference defensive back/running back Nate Broyer. But the Raiders could be relying heavily on some of the 20 freshmen on their roster, particularly if their upperclassmen are visited by the injury bug.

“If one of my starters goes down, it’s like a house of cards,” said coach Jim “Fuzzy” Thurston, whose team was winless last year. “This is a good group of kids an they’re going to battle. It’s tough for the kids not winning games, but winning some battles will do a lot for you.”