Eastern A

Hampden and Mt. Blue are considered co-favorites — and probably slim favorites, at that — in the deepest KVAC pack in recent memory.

Seniors Christian McCue, Fred Knight and Logan Poirier are back from the Hampden team that lost a 70-65 shootout to Edward Little in last year’s semifinals. Mt. Blue also advanced to the second round in Augusta and is dominated by seniors, including the veteran backcourt of Eric Berry and Blake Hart and big men Cam Sennick and Nick Hilton.

Don’t discount last year’s finalists, either. Even though Bangor and Edward Little bid farewell to most of the players responsible for their playoff run, neither cupboard is bare. The Rams hope to feed foes a steady diet of 6-foot-6 center Patrick Stewart. EL again will build around a Leary — this time it’s Bo’s junior brother Quin — in the quest for a fifth consecutive trip to the regional title game.

Lewiston hasn’t basked in such preseason respect in many years. The Devils welcome back almost everybody who had a hand in their first tournament berth in five years. Point guard Shawn Ricker and low-post threats Corbin Hyde, Steven Patrie and Jake Dumas give the Devils a variety of enticing offensive options.

Lawrence is hailed as a playoff contender in the KVAC North, with Brunswick and Cony expected to challenge Lewiston and EL in the South.

Hoping to inject itself into that southern conversation is Oxford Hills, a team that was in playoff contention until the final week of the 2010-11 campaign. Josh MacDonald and Brian Lynch lead the Vikings.

Western B

Not breaking ground here, but York, Greely and Falmouth are rated as favorites in the Class B division of the Western Maine Conference.

It actually is a relatively new designation for the Wildcats, who more than doubled their win total in a two-year span and reached the regional semifinals with only one senior on the roster a year ago. Guards Liam Langaas and Kyle Robinson and 6-7 center Aaron Todd anchor York’s hopes.

Falmouth endured an extremely rare non-playoff season but looks to rebound on the shoulders of senior Jack Cooleen. Greely, ranked No. 1 during the regular season in 2010-11, has sophomore center Michael McDevitt primed for a breakout year.

Of the two local entries in the WMC, Poland is poised for possibly its first trip to the Portland Expo. The Knights return the league’s assist leader in Logan Nichols and a second-team all-league performer in Jacob Littlefield. Poland enjoyed a breakthrough win or two at midseason a year ago and seeks to keep that momentum rolling.

Gray-New Gloucester reached the regional quarterfinals under Maine coaching legend Tony DiBiase but must find five new starters.

There’s a class shakeup in the MVC. Lisbon drops to Class C, while Jay and Livermore Falls combine as Spruce Mountain, where they will join Mountain Valley as a tournament threat.

Jake Bessey, Zach Bonnevie, Nate Shink and James Barker all started for Jay as juniors and should lead the Phoenix to a playoff berth in their first post-merger season. Graduation and defection slimmed the ranks in Rumford, but the Falcons still have five veteran players in camp and won’t fall far.

Leavitt won a school record 14 games, and now the boys would like to follow the girls’ lead and put a KVAC championship trophy or a Gold Ball in the trophy case. Jordan Hersom, Tim Dow and Tyler Walton are four-year varsity players for the Hornets, who have size and athleticism all over the court.

Western C

Four different coaches, four regional championships? That’s the unthinkable possibility at Dirigo. The Cougars are a heavy favorite to win the MVC and probably rule the region for the fourth consecutive season.

Former Livermore Falls coach Travis Magnusson won’t have to reinvent the wheel this season. Cody St. Germain, Josh Turbide and Ben Holmes emerged as three of the top players in the league as juniors.

Perennial challenger Boothbay has the athleticism to give Dirigo and everyone else fits. Point guard Anthony DiMauro and forwards Chad Carroll and Ben Dickinson — all juniors — give the Seahawks their own Big Three.

Waynflete reached the 2011 semifinals before falling to Dirigo and is rated as the top threat from the WMC once again.

Other MVC teams to watch include St. Dom’s, with guard Joe Bryant and center Tom Applegate; Hall-Dale, with almost its entire team back in the fold; and Wiscasset, armed with no fewer than eight seniors.

Western D

For the first time since 2006, Richmond isn’t anointed the preseason favorite, or even among the top three.

That distinction belongs to Vinalhaven, Valley and Forest Hills, the consensus co-favorites in an East-West Conference that appears more balanced than ever.

Brian Stanley and Steven Osgood lead the Vikings, who made a surprising run to the regional final in 2011. Valley has its highest hopes since that incredible champion run in the first half of the double-zero decade with 11 of its 13 players back in the mix. And the Tigers were the No. 1 seed a year ago even with half their roster highlighted by eighth and ninth-graders.

Buckfield is a good bet to return to the playoffs after a one-year hiatus. Austin Dooley, Alan Hedrick and Trevor Averill are multi-year starters for the Bucks.

Ben Carver is the top returnee for Richmond, which hasn’t lost a regional playoff game since 2007.

Rangeley looks to rally around lone returning starter Alex Morton and make a push for its second straight tourney appearance.