For some area football programs, eight weeks have dwindled to four quarters more quickly than you can say “basketball season.”

The Class B division of the Pine Tree Conference concludes its regular season this weekend, eliminating four schools from the chase and making Oak Hill and Maranacook the first local teams to turn in their helmets and shoulder pads after Friday and Saturday’s slate. Leavitt hopes to extend its campaign at least a week or two. The first step would be a win at Oak Hill’s expense this evening.

There’s an extra week to be played on both the Class A side of the PTC and the Campbell Conference. The catch there is that each post-season field is only four deep, so tonight’s games in Brunswick, Winthrop and Old Orchard Beach won’t lack for drama and possible heartbreak.

Here’s a closer look at what lies ahead in Week 8:

Lewiston (4-2) at Brunswick (4-2) Today, 7 p.m.

The winner greatly enhances its Crabtree point index in what now appears to be a six-team battle for Eastern Class A semifinal berths. Brunswick limited Edward Little to 72 rushing yards last week, but only Lawrence has kept Lewiston’s Jared Turcotte under a buck-fifty all season long.

Turcotte is now over 1,100 yards with 19 all-purpose touchdowns, and if his Fitzpatrick Trophy candidacy needed any padding at all, he is also a menace roaming the middle of the Blue Devils’ secondary. Lewiston’s offense has scored 35 or more points in each of its wins, however, so the focus isn’t limited to No. 21. The Dragons must also be wary of QB Mason Giroux’s ability to throw the ball downfield as well as RB Wesley Myers’ explosiveness.

Brunswick doesn’t have a home run threat of Turcotte’s stature, but the Dragons are fully capable of grinding out 15-play drives with Camden Miller and Demetri Rosette to keep the Devils’ offense idle.

Boothbay (5-2) at Winthrop (4-3) Today, 7 p.m.

Five or six years ago, any game between these two Western C rivals was a can’t-miss classic. Five or six weeks ago, if you heard somebody say this could be the most significant Campbell Conference clash of the season, you might have questioned that person’s sanity. But here we are, with the Ramblers riding a three-game winning streak and the Seahawks winning ugly and struggling to shake the injury bug.

While back-to-back shutouts of John Bapst and Madison have moved Winthrop into playoff contention, the Ramblers must win this game to harbor any realistic hopes. And the Seahawks, despite injuries to RB Max Alley and TE Pat Norton, represent a major step up in competition. Boothbay still wields senior QB Roy Arsenault and multi-purpose back Tim Stover.

Sophomore RB Jake Steele is closing in on 1,000 yards for the Ramblers. Winthrop may generate a little more lightning in its backfield if senior Russ Schmelzer is able to return from a season-long knee injury. Defensively, Steele and inside LB Josh Dubois have fueled the Ramblers’ resurgence.

Oak Hill (2-5) at Leavitt (3-4) Today, 7 p.m.

The records don’t give this one a Game of the Week flavor, but it’s certainly the biggest game of the year for the Hornets. Win, and Leavitt is safely slotted into the Eastern B playoffs, perhaps even achieving itself a favorable first-round match-up.

QB Evan Barker and RB Tyler Green have emerged as a dangerous tandem. Turnovers have cost the Hornets against top-notch opponents, however, and they can ill afford to leave the ball on the ground against the young, hungry Raiders.

Undone by injuries, Oak Hill snapped a five-game losing streak with a 28-20 victory at Maranacook last Saturday. Nick Brown led a new-look offense with 121 rushing yards and 3 TDs, while the defense stalled a potential game-tying drive in the final minute of regulation.

Lisbon (7-0) at OOB (4-3) Today, 7 p.m.

A win locks up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs for the defending Class C champion Greyhounds, who seek their 17th consecutive victory. Defense is the calling card. Lisbon has conceded only 19 points in seven games, with LBs Dan Willis, Jesse Moan and Ryan Giusto providing the heavy hitting.

Willis continues to emerge as a workhorse at running back. He carried a career-high 33 times and topped 150 yards in last week’s 22-6 victory over Jay. Kyle Murphy is his counterpart for the Seagulls, who could be eliminated with a fourth straight loss.

Today’s other games (all at 7 p.m.)

• Bangor (5-1) at Mt. Blue (3-3). After a rare season out of the playoff picture last year, Rams try to sew up the No. 2 seed in Eastern A at the expense of the ailing defending champions. Stranger things have happened in this rivalry over the years, however, and the Cougars rolled 42-0 last October.

• Mountain Valley (7-0) at Lake Region (0-7). Opposite ends of the Western B spectrum meet. QB Andy Shorey, RBs Justin Staires and Devin Roberts and the Falcons have a showdown looming with Cape Elizabeth next Friday.

• Madison (0-7) at Jay (4-3). Hard-hitting Tigers are one week away from crucial contest (what else is new?) with Livermore Falls.

• Dirigo (2-5) at Stearns (0-7). Cougars are probably looking forward to this trip after giving every opponent in Western C a hard time, with little to show for it in the win column.

Saturday’s games

• Oxford Hills (0-6) at Mt. Ararat (2-4), 3 p.m. Bangor is next, so the Vikings probably need a win here to avoid an oh-fer in 2006. Eagles have struggled after early OT loss to Messalonskee and wins over Mt. Blue and Cony.

• Livermore Falls (5-2) at Traip (2-5), 1:30 p.m. Rangers stopped the nation’s longest losing streak at 51 with wins over Madison and Dexter. Stopping RB Mark O’Shea and the Andies’ offensive line is another story.

• Cape Elizabeth (7-0) at Poland (1-6), 1:30 p.m. Capers look to extend school record for single-season victories against the Knights, who ganged up on Lake Region for a big win last Saturday.

• Gray-New Gloucester (2-5) at Fryeburg (1-6), 1:30 p.m. Could be a high-scoring game between two young teams with an eye on the future. But the most exciting news of the day will come at halftime, when Fryeburg announces a surprise development in its quest to raise $14 million and rebuild Gibson Gymnasium, which was leveled by fire one year ago.