Maybe people are starting to get the hint.

Mountain Valley football is just a model program. And that league of alleged expansion teams it often dominates, the Western Class B division of the Campbell Conference, isn’t so bad, either.

“I don’t think a lot of people realized last year we were just that good or that our league was that good,” said Mountain Valley coach Jim Aylward. “Falmouth played us tougher than Morse did (in the state championship game). Wells played us tougher than they did. And we expect every team to be a little better this year.”

Therein lies the challenge for the Falcons. The reigning state champions were so good that it’s easy for people to speak about their numbers, their accomplishments, their backfield-for-all-time in hushed, reverential tones.

This year’s edition doesn’t need to be transcendent. With all due respect, it probably won’t. But the Falcons return more than enough ammunition to be rated a co-favorite with York and Cape Elizabeth and take aim at their fourth Gold Ball of the decade.

“It’s been fun, exciting and interesting,” Aylward said of summer workouts with a relatively new, but still battle-tested group.

Three-fifths of the offensive line that created caverns for churning cousins Justin Staires and Matt Laubauskas returns intact.
Laubauskas’ brother, Ryan, is a senior guard and three-year starter checking in at nearly 300 pounds. Cole Clark and Nick Taylor join him as tri-captains.

“That’s where our experience is,” Aylward said.

There, and quarterback, where Cam Kaubris returns after a stellar sophomore season. Tight end Christian Durland is the lone set of hands with any significant varsity experience.

“Cam takes on a bigger role this year. We just need to find some guys who can catch the ball,” Aylward said. “We go about 3-for-10 in practice against air, never mind when guys are actually there trying to knock it down.”

Replacing Fitzpatrick Trophy finalist Justin Staires and the elder Laubauskas is a thankless job, but halfbacks Matt Duka and Tyler Mason and fullback Brady Fergola give Mountain Valley a backfield that every team in the conference gladly would take. Duka and Fergola are seniors who have waited their turn.

“I feel we had the best backfield of anyone in the state last year,” Aylward said .”But Mason’s going to be a good back. Duka’s just tough.”

Though the Falcons’ roster is 61 players strong, two-way starters still are the rule. Durland, Fergola and Laubauskas will be joined by Steve Jeselskis and Ryan Glover on the defensive line. Clark, Duka and Taylor roam at linebacker with sophomore Izaak Mills. Kaubris and Chris Day are showcased in the secondary.

Self-anointed rival Cape Elizabeth, longtime playoff nemesis York and upstart Falmouth lead the pack of teams challenging the Falcons’ supremacy. York returns the most experience.

“I’m sure they all have us circled on the schedule,” said Aylward.

Gray-New Gloucester must adjust to its third coach in four years, but it’s somebody who knows the routine of building a system virtually from scratch. Shawn Austin is in charge of the Patriots after averaging five wins per season in a four-year stint at nearby Greely.

“I’ve had my eye on this program for a long time. I almost applied for the job last time, and when it opened up this time I jumped at the opportunity,” Austin said. “They have great facilities and a lot of enthusiasm about football.”

Seniors and freshmen comprise most of the G-NG roster, fostering hope for now and later. The Patriots have the look of a potent backfield with junior Heath Martell at QB and seniors Taylor Valente and Trevor McCutcheon.

Valente moved from quarterback to fullback and becomes the point man in Austin’s preferred Wing-T.

“They’ve run the double-wing. They’ve run the spread. They’ve run just about everything in the past,” Austin said. “They’re picking it up pretty well.”

G-NG could roll out an all-senior offensive line with James Stilphen, Tyler Snow, Koukou Noulilo, Zeth Horr and Nate Parker. Horr moves to guard from tight end.

Fifteen freshmen give Austin the impression that he made the right move.

“These guys have been playing since fourth grade,” he said. “It’s exciting.”

Poland continues the same fight for respectability as a relative newcomer to the league.

The Knights are beginning to see the benefits of the lumps they took in recent autumns. Ian Hodgkiss, Conrad Labbe and Cam Woodford all are third-year starters, and the FB/LB tandem of Labbe and Woodford are only juniors.

“Those guys kind of shared time as starters as freshmen and sophomores, and now we have them for two more years,” said Poland coach Mark Soehren.

Josh Cooper takes over as a senior QB after seeing significant time there the last two seasons.

“We moved him mostly to receiver last year. He’s a good athlete. We needed him on the field,” Soehren said.

Seniors Mike Whalen (tailback) and Matt York (receiver) are in camp after not being on the team as juniors. York is a track-and-field standout.

Soehren also is high on the potential of junior linemen David Whittier, Mike Adams, Lucas Salas and Frank Benedict.

“They all go about 6-foot to 6-4 and 230 to 260 pounds,” said the coach.

Poland expects to compete with neighbors G-NG, Lake Region and Fryeburg for victories in the middle of the pack.

“We start out with Cape, Greely, York and Mountain Valley,” Soehren said. “You know those guys will be at the top of the heap.”

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Western Class B
Predicted order of finish
1. Mountain Valley
2. York
3. Cape Elizabeth
4. Falmouth
5. Wells
6. Gray-New Gloucester
7. Greely
8. Fryeburg
9. Poland
10. Lake Region

Local players to watch
Cole Clark, OL/ILB, Mountain Valley
Josh Cooper, QB, Poland
Matt Duka, HB/OLB, Mountain Valley
Christian Durland, TE/DE, Mountain Valley
Ian Hodgkiss, OL/DL, Poland
Cam Kaubris, QB/DB, Mountain Valley
Ryan Laubauskas, G/DT, Mountain Valley
Tyler Mason, RB, Mountain Valley
Trevor McCutcheon, RB, Gray-NG
James Stilphen, C/NT, Gray-NG
Taylor Valente, FB/LB, Gray-NG