Coach: Bill County (12th year)

Last year’s record: 8-3, lost in Eastern Class A championship

Returning players: Seniors — Jeff Turcotte (HB/LB/DE), Joe McKinnon (FB/CB), Matt Therrien (HB/CB), Chris Madden (QB), Caleb Johnson (WR/FS), Rudy Pandora (T/DT), David Demers (T), Leo Gaghan (G/DT), Mike Nazaroff (G/LB), Nick Ross (NG); Juniors — Steven Patrie (TE/LB/DE), Zach Phelan (LB).

Key losses: Jeff Keene (TB/DB), Ben Wigant (G/MLB), Cody Dussault (FB/LB), Elliot Chicoine (T/DT).

Promising newcomers: Senior — Matt Bowen (C/LB), Steven Hinkley (WR/DB), Kevin St. Pierre (LB); Juniors — Brian Wigant (C/LB); Sophomores — Matt Hutchins (DB), Gabe Johnson (WR/DB).

Outlook: The Blue Devils got within a chain link of the Class A championship game. Their chances of taking that elusive final step get a huge boost from eight returning starters on both sides of the ball. Lewiston’s Wing-T backfield is loaded with the steady Madden, the grinding McKinnon, the shifty Therrien and the explosive Turcotte. Pandora might be the league’s best two-way tackle. The secondary of Therrien, McKinnon and Caleb Johnson returns intact. If there’s a counterpoint to all that optimism, it’s that Lewiston’s toughest games — Bangor, Lawrence, Brunswick and EL — are on the road.

Coach’s comment: “The advantage of having so many kids back from the previous year is that the learning curve is a lot straighter.” — Coach Bill County