It’s an even-numbered year, so it must be time for Mountain Valley to reclaim its place atop the Class B football mountain, right?

Recent history says so. The Falcons swept Campbell Conference regular-season, regional and state titles in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010.

Not that they were flying south at the odd-numbered checkpoints, either. Mountain Valley played in all four of those conference championship games, winning in 2007 and bringing their grand total of Western B title-game appearances to 17 in the school’s first 23 years of existence.

But the number Jim Aylward has in mind is 13, and not for superstitious reasons. That baker’s dozen is the number of players the Mountain Valley coach estimates are ready for prime-time out of the 54 on his roster.

“We only have five juniors,” Aylward said. “Usually the way we try to build our team, the seniors carry us and the juniors support them. We just don’t have that the way we used to.”

What the Falcons do have, however, almost any other team in the league would take, and run with … quite literally.

Fullback Matt Hosie was one of two 1,000-yard rushers for the Falcons in 2011. He cleared that hurdle despite a serious ankle injury that hobbled him at the end of the regular season and throughout the playoffs.

Hosie has the power and speed to play both positions in the backfield. FB Colin Merrill and HB Jake Theriault also are important pieces of the puzzle.

“Jake played end for us last year, but we’ve had him in the backfield,” Aylward said. “We sort of have to create our own depth.”

The addition by transfer of Telstar’s starting quarterback, Dominic Haines, certainly strengthens that chart. Haines is expected to line up as a utility player, for now, with veteran Ryan Nicols taking over at QB.

Scott Nicols, Ryan Stickney and Santos Rodriguez, all upperclassmen, anchor the offensive line.

“The good news is that we do have 10 seniors who played a lot for us last year,” Aylward said.

Theriault and Ryan Nicols started in the secondary a year ago, and Haines’ arrival could make that group the best in the league. Middle linebacker Merrill and lineman Rodriguez emerged as two of the top tacklers in the league as juniors.

Westbrook and Marshwood joined the conference in 2011 after dropping from Class A and gained momentum as the season progressed, adding power to a league loaded with young programs.

Defending state champion Wells graduated 17 seniors but is rated one of the co-favorites with York, which lost only three.

“I don’t see any great drop-off from Wells. I know York will be up,” Aylward said. “I don’t see anyone who is head-and-shoulders above the others. We’re all pretty much in the same boat.”

Also new to the league a year ago was Spruce Mountain, formed from the merger of ancient Class C rivals Jay and Livermore Falls.

New remains the buzzword in the Phoenix camp. Walter Polky takes over his first varsity head coaching position. He has installed a triple-option offense similar to the one he learned as an assistant at Bates.

“It’s a work in progress. None of the kids had ever really played it before,” Polky said. “We’ve gotten to the point where we can run it with or without a huddle.”

This might be an ideal year for all the fresh wrinkles, as the Phoenix are in the midst of a distinct youth movement. As many as nine sophomores were on the field at any point during Spruce’s opening scrimmage against Mt. Blue.

Many starting spots remain undecided. Polky has encouraged an environment where every rung on the depth chart is up for grabs.

“I want that competition,” Polky said. “It keeps them coming to practice every day knowing that if they continue to work hard, they can be rewarded by playing on Friday night.”

Seniors Kyle Souther and Josh Wilcox bookend the offensive line, and classmate Brent Buote has emerged as the I-back.

At least three other significant roles may be filled by first-time starters. Sophomore Peter Theriault has been in a battle with senior Nate Hamblin at QB.

The one who emerges will be throwing to another sophomore, Matt Vigue, and pitching to junior Alwayne Uter. Both have exceptional speed.

Brandon Hodges, Uter and Souther comprise a rugged corps at linebacker.

Spruce will be baptized by fire, to say the least. After battling Eastern B powers Mt. Blue and Leavitt in the preseason, the Phoenix kick off the regular schedule with Greely, Falmouth, Mountain Valley and Wells.

“We played Mt. Blue after nine practices and Leavitt after 15,” Polky said. “In a way it’s good. The younger kids get to see how fast the game is played at this level, and then they’ll adjust because they have to.”

Another first-year coach breaking down the instruction practice-by-practice, play-by-play, is Jim Hersom at Gray-New Gloucester.

Hersom is no stranger to success, of course. The 53-year-old Auburn native guided Livermore Falls and Edward Little to state finals. More recently, as an assistant at Leavitt, Hersom went to three straight Class B title games.

Getting to that level will require a long-term commitment in Gray, where the Patriots broke a 16-game losing streak by beating Lake Region in the final game of the 2011 regular season.

“The kids have stayed right with us. The commitment level is high,” Hersom said. “They’re a little bit behind in their understanding. We’re trying to give that to them, trying to go real slow. Every practice it’s getting better.”

G-NG will build around a small delegation of seniors, including RB/DB Josh Greenleaf, two-way linemen Cam Quintal and Pat Dumas and TE/LB Aaron Chapman.

“We need to keep those guys healthy,” Hersom said. “What’s happened is that they have lost seniors and had to replace them with freshmen who may not be physically or mentally ready. They take a pounding and then they don’t come back.”

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Western Class B Football Predicted Order of Finish

1. Mountain Valley

2. York

3. Wells

4. Westbrook

5. Marshwood

6. Cape Elizabeth

7. Greely

8. Falmouth

9. Spruce Mountain

10. Fryeburg

11. Gray-New Gloucester

12. Lake Region