For the first time since 1989, Livermore Falls is the top seed in the Western Class C boys’ basketball tournament, and Andies coach Travis Magnusson wants his players to take pride in that achievement.

Then he wants them to act for two weeks as if it never happened.

“It was a huge accomplishment for us, and we’re really excited about it,” Magnusson said. “But we’re only going to enjoy it one night and tomorrow at practice, we’re going to get back to work and everybody’s 0-and-0.”

This is the first tournament since the Maine Principals’ Association voted to install the new 50 percent rule last year. That means fewer teams and fewer preliminary  games. Class A and Western Class D won’t have any prelims. Western B will have just one prelim and Western C two. 

That gives the Andies the rare luxury of scouting their next opponent, the winner of Tuesday’s prelim between No. 8 St. Dom’s and No. 9 Georges Valley. Livermore Falls beat both teams during the regular season, but Magnusson doesn’t think the Andies (15-3) will have an advantage in the quarterfinals.

“It doesn’t matter who we play because everybody is a tough matchup,” he said. “You look at St. Dom’s, and for them to be an eighth seed, it’s kind of crazy. They’re very, very good. I think once you get to Augusta, every game is 50-50.”

The rest of the Class C bracket includes defending regional champion Dirigo, the No. 2 seed, followed by the only Western Maine Conference representative, Old Orchard Beach, at No. 3, and MVC South winner Hall-Dale at No. 4. Wiscasset, Boothbay and Monmouth, which last made the tournament in 2001 when it was in Class D, round out the field.

Defending Eastern A champion Edward Little (16-2) enters its regional as the No. 2 seed behind Brewer. That means the Red Eddies will face No. 7 Mt. Blue (11-7) in the quarterfinals, pitting EL coach Mike Adams against Jim Bessey of Mt. Blue, who coached Adams to the Mr. Basketball award in 1990.

But it isn’t the mixed emotions Adams will feel when facing his mentor for the first time in a post-season game that have him concerned. It’s how the Cougars’ frontcourt matches up with the Eddies’ dominating duo of James Philbrook and Bo Leary.

“They match up with us,” said Adams, who has faced Bessey in the regular season before, but not this year. “They’re a year younger. It’s the same type of team. They have two good bigs with (Ryan) Backus and (Cam) Sennick. (Eric) Berry is a good guard who matches up with Yusuf Iman. That’s not an ideal 2-7 matchup.”

Whoever survives that matchup will encounter a bracket loaded with other landmines. Top-seeded Brewer beat Mt. Blue twice,  as did No. 3 Bangor and No. 4 Hampden Academy. Edward Little’s only losses of the season were against Hampden and No. 5 Brunswick. 

In Class B, Mountain Valley (18-0) will be the only unbeaten team to descend upon the refurbished Portland Expo, but because of their Class C-loaded schedule, the Falcons will enter the historic hall as the No. 3 seed. 

The Expo’s new NBA-length court could be a factor, and Falcons’ coach Rick White thinks it can favor his team’s run-and-gun offense, which averages 74.4 points per game.

“A team that likes to trap, it might be a little more difficult to do the things they want to do,” he said. “It’s not going to make any difference to what we’re going to do. It makes it easier (to run the offense) because there is more court for the defense to cover. If we can get out and run, it can help us, I think.”

With a five-in, five-out substitution pattern, the Falcons typically use everyone on their roster during the course of a game, so fatigue won’t be a factor. As the only MVC representative, their lack of familiarity with the rest of the field could, though. The KVAC’s Lincoln Academy (11-7) are an athletic quarterfinal opponent that may not mind running with the Falcons.

“I think we match up fairly well with them,” White said. “It’s two exact teams when you look at it.”

Two-time defending regional champion Cape Elizabeth vaulted over Falmouth for the top seed with a win in the teams’ regular-season finale.  The Capers will face the winner of the region’s only prelim between Lake Region and Yarmouth. Maranacook, Greely and York are the rest of the contenders.

Buckfield (8-10) edged out 11-5 Elan for the eighth and final spot in Western D tournament. The Bucks’ reward is a date in the quarterfinals with top-seeded Richmond (16-1), winners of three of the last four regional crowns. A.R. Gould of South Portland, which is located at the Long Creek Development Center youth correctional facility, received special dispensation from Gov. John Baldacci to travel to the Augusta Civic Center and compete as the No. 2 seed. Valley, Forest Hills, Hyde and Vinalhaven will be there, too.