Two epic meetings between Leavitt and Mt. Blue marked the 2011 Pine Tree Conference Class B football season. Leavitt won both and extended its conference unbeaten streak to 33 games and picked up its third consecutive conference title in the process.

Although the gap between the powerhouse pair and the rest of the PTC appears to have closed a bit, the Hornets and Cougars could be headed for more highly-anticipated, high stakes clashes this year.

Both teams suffered heavy graduation losses (Leavitt 16, Mt. Blue 19). The Cougars are getting the preseason nod in some corners because they have more skill position players returning, most notably a Fitzpatrick Trophy candidate at QB (as opposed to the Hornets, who lost a Fitzpatrick winner). But Mt. Blue coach Gary Parlin won’t hear any of it.

“Leavitt’s the team to beat until someone does it,” Parlin said.

The Hornets’ overflowing cupboard is now completely stocked with players who have never lost a PTC contest.

Junior Tyler Chicoine steps into the void left by two-year starting quarterback Jordan Hersom. Comparisons to the decorated signal-caller are inevitable, but Leavitt coach Mike Hathaway said Chicoine is more reminiscent of a couple of other quarterbacks in the decade-long chain of impressive athletes who have directed his high-octane offense.

“He’s probably more similar to (Tyler) Angell and (Evan) Barker than Hersom and (Eric) Theiss,” Hathaway said. “He’s a smaller kid, about 5-foot-10, but a good runner, very good at reading the option and making his reads in the pass game. He’s got kind of a sneaky-strong arm and pretty accurate.”

Hathaway wants Chicoine to be a distributor in the Hornets’ spread option and, as usual, the Leavitt quarterback will have a lot of places to distribute the ball.

More often than not, the first option will be senior Brian Bedard, listed as a slot receiver, has the kind of big-play ability Hathaway always finds multiple ways to exploit.

Speedy junior Josh Faunce takes over the tailback position manned so proficiently by Jake Ouellette the last two years. With Nate Coombs at slot and Sam Green at split end, and Nate Rousseau, Kevin Russell and Adam Poulin providing depth, the Hornets have the weapons to eclipse the 500-point mark again.

The offensive line is enormous, with three starters returning — 300-pound bookend tackles Matt Powell and Tom Langelier and guard Devin McMahan (245). Guard Matt Child (285) and center Levi Morin (220) round out the group.

Morin, McMahan, Bedard and Coombs were defensive starters in last year’s state championship game. Josh Bunker and Brandon Collins also figured prominently last year before suffereing season-ending knee injuries. Both are healthy now and lead a fast, swarming defense.

“We feel pretty good about our linebackers and ends,” Hathaway said. “Our secondary, with Brian and Nate back there, will have experience.”

Mt. Blue experienced a crushing defeat in the the PTC title game when Leavitt converted a two-point conversion in overtime. For the most part, the Cougars have put that disappointment behind them.

“One thing I’ve found out over the years,” said Parlin, now entering his 20th year at the helm, “the kids get over it a heck of a lot easier than the coaches do.”

“It is (a motivating factor), but it’s a completely different team,” Parlin added. “The only time it gets mentioned is when they talk about going to the next two steps. They want to go to the state game and they want to win the state game.”

If they get there, senior quarterback Jordan Whitney will be a big reason. The three-year starter threw for 1,905 yards and 25 touchdowns last year, but the key to the Cougars’ success this season may be his legs and not his powerful arm.

“The great thing is we’re starting out this year with him 100 percent healthy,” Parlin said. “He was coming off ACL surgery a year ago, so he didn’t become a part of the running game probably until about week six. Even towards the end he wasn’t a big part of the running game. But he definitely is a part of our running game this year. We think it really adds to it.”

What he adds to will be a more physical running game with Bradley Jackson and Chad Luker lowering their shoulder pads between the tackles for extra yards. Brian Durrell provides the outside balance.

Last year, Whitney enjoyed utilizing a pair of 6-foot-4-plus outside receivers in Cam Sennick and Nick Hilton. This year, he’ll be looking inside for the big targets. Luker and all-conference tight end Zak Kendall are both 6-foot-2 targets with good hands who are tough to bring down with the ball in their hands. When Whitney looks to go over the top, Cam Abbott and Nick Hyde will usually be on the other end.

“We lost a lot in the receiving corps, but I think people will be surprised,” he said. “We really feel strongly that we can be as strong in receiver corps as we were last year.”

The offensive line saw similar turnover. Eli Luker cracked a senior-dominated unit last year and returns to tackle this year.

The Cougars figure to be more physical on defense, too. Chad Luker is moving from defensive end to linebacker, where he’ll play alongside fellow 2011 all-PTC selection Jackson, forming what Parlin thinks could be a devastating duo.

“I think with him and Bradley, if we don’t have the best pair of linebackers in our conference, I’d like to see who else,” Parlin said. “They’re going to be hell on wheels.”

The question is whether the rest of the PTC is going to view the Cougars and Hornets in the same vein. Parlin, for one, believes more parity is possible in 2012.

“I think maybe the league is going to be bunched a little closer than it was. It definitely was two different leagues last year,” he said.

Hampden Academy seems to be the most likely candidate to break up last year’s double bill. Logan Steward takes over for Alonzo Connor as the league’s most feared runner. Replacing Connor isn’t the only concern for Gardiner. The Tigers have other holes to fill as well. But with senior quarterback Dennis Meehan at the controls, they figure to be more balanced.

The next tier of teams may not have the inside track to hosting a playoff game, but the top teams would just as soon avoid them.

“MDI and Waterville, those are two teams you like to get early, at the end of the year, they’re usually pretty tough clubs,” Hathaway said.

New coach Scott Franzose takes over for Matt Friedman at Madison, which could make a playoff appearance in its second season since moving up from Class C.

Coaching changes were the norm for the teams that didn’t make the playoffs. Woody Moore resigned at Oceanside just days before the start of preseason due to budget cuts. Archie Stalcup is the interim replacement. Old Town has had three coaches in 2012. Incumbent Steve Calande resigned in the spring. Bangor assistant Nat Clark was announced as his replacement in June, then had second thoughts and decided not to take the job. Nick Arthers, son of former Belfast coach Butch Arthers, is now the head coach. Steve Wadsworth has taken over the fledgling program at Camden Hills.

Eastern B Predicted Order of Finish

1. Leavitt

2. Mt. Blue

3. Hampden

4. Gardiner

5. Waterville

6. MDI

7. Morse

8. Brewer

9. Madison

10. Belfast

11. Nokomis

12. Oceanside

13. Camden Hills

14. Old Town