East-West Conference

Buckfield is hoping its athletes learned the ropes last year and use its experience to produce a winning season. But most teams in the EWC will be on the lookout for Forest Hills and its band leader — Evan Worster. Jackman and Greenville also figure in the mix and could give other teams fits throughout the season.

Mountain Valley Conference

The team with the big bull’s-eye on its back obviously will be the St. Dom’s Saints, who collected the state Class C title last season. The Saints lost a handful of key veterans, but the school’s feeder program and its winning tradition means that another state crown is not out of the question.

Dirigo has three returning starters and a crew of promising newcomers who have natural talent. For Spruce Mountain, there is no place to go but up after an 0-9 season. The Phoenix have five returning athletes who took their lumps last year.

Wiscasset and Winthrop also are being touted as competitive teams that could make life difficult for other teams in the MVC. The Ramblers, who did well in the MVC last season, are returning their No. 2, 3 and 4 golfers.

Mountain Valley will try to improve on last year’s 3-7 finish with four seniors and a junior back in the fold. Telstar is hoping a handful of promising newcomers will show improvement during the season. The Rebels have only one returning veteran after finishing 4-6 last season.

Oak Hill is facing the unknown after the Raiders were shuffled over to the Mountain Valley Conference. The Raiders turned in a 3-3-2 record in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference. Oak Hill is in pretty good shape with five athletes returning for another season.

Wiscasset and Madison could be spoilers this season. But with a new format, it could be an interesting year for all teams.

Western Maine Conference

With four seniors and two junior returning, the Poland Knights want to do more than break even as they did last year in the WMC. The usual teams to beat include York, Yarmouth and Cape Elizabeth.

Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference

Last season, the Oxford Hills Vikings qualified for the states, and there is no reason why they shouldn’t do that again — especially with a battery of returning veterans.

But the Vikings are always on the look out teams like Brunswick, Morse and Lewiston. The Blue Devils gave everybody a run for their money after finishing 9-3 last season. Sure, the Devils had a couple of key losses, but Lewiston’s depth is impressive.

EL also features a bunch of up-and-coming standouts. The Red Eddies have a one-two punch that might surprise the league. The Leavitt Hornets have lost a handful of veterans, but the team would like to equal last year’s impressive 7-3 finish.

The Mt. Blue Cougars are in a different neighborhood this year and will be competing against new teams that they have never seen before such as Cony and Gardiner.

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