By Kalle Oakes,Staff Writer

Simply by not lining up in the I-formation and trying to run over opponents for the last decade, Mt. Blue has been arguably the most exciting football team to watch in the Pine Tree Conference.

Like many of the USFL and NFL forerunners whose high-octane antics of the late 1980s and early 1990s convinced the Cougars’ coaching staff to adopt a localized variation of the run-and-shoot, however, Mt. Blue hasn’t been able to close the deal in November and batten down a berth in its state’s version of the Super Bowl.

That could change this autumn, with the Cougars combining a wealth of talent and their creative schemes on offense (and defense) in a run at their first Eastern Class A championship in 18 years.

“I think we’re in there (with Bangor and Skowhegan). Of course only four of us will make the playoffs this year,” said Mt. Blue coach Gary Parlin. “Bangor went 7-1 and would have missed out last year under this format.”

Actually, Parlin has been forced to keep a tighter leash on the Cougars’ free-wheeling reputation the last two or three seasons, as a more traditional, straight-ahead style proved a better fit for his personnel. But Mt. Blue is back in the shotgun formation this year, as veteran quarterback Mason Barker is surrounded by a supremely talented group of runners, inner receivers and flankers.

Barker, one of the few quarterbacks to start before his senior season in Parlin’s 13-year run, made sensational strides over the second half of his junior campaign and emerged as an all-conference quarterback.

“We feel we have a lot of weapons, and Mason is outstanding,” Parlin said. “It was only the middle of last year when he was kind of battling for his job and fighting for playing time.”

Three of Barker’s primary receivers are juniors. Hal Robbins and Justin Lowe line up at the inner spots, while Art Trask and senior John Moloney are the deep threats.

Senior Hazen Pingree has proven his mettle as a breakaway back the last two years.

One reason Mt. Blue employed its current offense was that it put less emphasis on the front five’s beef. That won’t be a shortcoming this season thanks to tackles Eric Gilbert (270 pounds) and Tom Robinson (260).

“We’re bigger up front than we’ve been in a long time,” said Parlin, who will start seniors Matt Burnham and Byron Staples at guard and Jared Richards at center.

Robinson and Gilbert anchor the defense at the tackle spots. Pingree and Robbins are players to watch at linebacker and free safety, respectively.

With its annual roster dressed out at more than 80 players and seniors traditionally ruling the top rung of the depth chart, the defending PTC champions from Bangor are jokingly acknowledged by some observers as “The University of Bangor.”

The Rams absorbed a hit when senior RB Nick Payson elected to attend prep school to focus on hockey.

“I suspect,” said Parlin, “that there might be one or two kids lining up to replace him.”

Skowhegan routed Bangor during the regular season last year. Then it made a surprising run to the regional final before falling to the Rams. The Indians might rate a preseason favorite on the shoulders of QB Mike LaCasse and RBs Aron Chambers and Tom Jenness. Replacements will need to step in along the O-line, but senior Brad Beauregard provides an anchor.

Optimism runs high at Lewiston with a full complement of seniors on both sides of the ball, but the Blue Devils know they’ll have to survive an opening stretch of Bangor, Mt. Blue and Skowhegan and hope to make a late run into the four-team playoff field.

Chris Ford is a three-year starter at QB, and junior Jared Turcotte could emerge as the most explosive runner in the PTC.

The Blue Devils’ success may hinge upon the offensive line, where experience and waistlines are thin.

“They’re all kids we’ve moved from fullback or tight end,” said coach Bill County. “We’re about 200, 210 across the board. We might pick up a little speed, and I think intellectually it’s a pretty good group.”

Jared Phillipon and Nick Hall are the tackles, with Luke Collette and Patrick McLellan at guard and Brandon Dubois at center. McLellan will be an important defensive presence at middle linebacker. Garrett Preston brings quicker-than-usual feet to nose tackle.

First-year Oxford Hills head coach and long-time offensive coordinator Bob Austin welcomes back two of the premier offensive players in the PTC. Ben Ryerson led the league in passing yardage last fall, while Jim Bower hopes to fulfill his promise at tailback after an injury-plagued junior campaign.

“His ankle is healed, and we’re all hoping to see the Jimmy Bower of two years ago,” Austin said.

Helping Ryerson and Bower’s cause are fellow senior captains Jake Cash at guard and Alex Waite at fullback. Chris Jennings (“of baseball fame,” Austin said of the winning pitcher in last spring’s Class A championship game) brings his all-purpose athleticism to flanker and free safety. Cash, Waite, Justin Desrosier and Ron Packard also strengthen the defense.

Edward Little saw wave after wave of Bangor depth in its first preseason scrimmage and walked away relatively optimistic about its defense.

“On paper, we should be pretty strong,” said EL coach Jim Hersom. “We have seven kids returning. Again, we’re not going to be big, so we’re going to have to make up for it with our quickness.”

Nate Chantrill (200 pouunds), Levi Montoya (190), Adam Redman (190) and Matt Anctil (190) will start on both lines. Montoya moves to tight end from tackle and guard last season.

Junior QB Troy Barnies has a variety of options behind him, with Jon Demers, Garner Lavalley and Chris Ringer each capable of carrying the ball for tough yards. Chris Ash is the primary receiver, while quarterback-of-the-future Kyle Bussiere offers Hersom some unique options as a sophomore utility player.

Elsewhere in the league, traditional powers Gardiner and Waterville have departed, and Windham bailed to Western A, leaving the PTC with an eight-game schedule, a dreaded bye week and a pared-down playoff field. Cony, Messalonskee, Mt. Ararat, Brunswick and Lawrence share playoff aspirations.

“This is the first time in I think 36 years that we haven’t played Lawrence,” Parlin said. “But if there’s a good thing about our bye, it comes in Week 5, when we might be able to get some guys healthy and when we can look and see what we have to do down the stretch in order to make the playoffs.”