It is debatable whether Feb. 2013 was the end of one era or the beginning of another in Western Class C, or both. We’ll have an answer in Feb. 2014.

There is no debating that Dirigo’s run of four consecutive Western C championships ended last year. It’s at least a fair assumption that the Cougars’ successor, Boothbay, can make a strong case that it was starting its own streak.

The Seahawks will be formidable foes in the Mountain Valley conference once again, while the Western Maine Conference, which hasn’t produced a regional champion in C since Falmouth in 1999, may send its strongest contingent to Augusta yet with Waynflete, Traip Academy and Old Orchard Beach.

But the ingredients are there for Dirigo to reclaim its spot atop the region after stepping aside for a year. The Cougars boast one of the top players in the conference in sophomore Riley Robinson and veteran big-game performers in senior Dylan Kidder and juniors Tyler Frost and Kaine Hutchins.

“We’re going to have to work for everything we get this year,” coach Travis Magnusson said. “We have the potential to be a tough team. Numbers are low and 8-16 is still a toss-up.”

The most likely Cougars to provide depth are the ones who can contribute on the defensive end, where Magnusson demands all-out effort for the entire 32 minutes.

Winthrop is another team that made its bones on the defensive end. The Ramblers were rewarded with one of the most improved records in the conference. But what kept them from making the jump into true contender status, and ultimately kept them from getting out of the preliminary round, was their lack of offensive consistency.

“Our defense I think is our biggest strength. We play 84 feet in your face,” Ramblers coach Todd MacArthur said. “We’ve got to be able to score the ball. I think one of the elephants in the room for us is scoring in our halfcourt sets.”

MacArthur has complete confidence in his team’s ability to score in transition. With guards Taylor Morang, Zach Steele and Matt Sekerak and forwards Dakota Carter and Ben Allen, he has plenty of high-energy players to maintain that pace. But things often get bogged down in the physical MVC, and that’s where 6-foot-4 sophomore center Anthony Owens may hold the key to Winthrop’s season.

Rival Monmouth brought Winthrop’s season to a shocking halt in the preliminary round and gained some valuable tournament experience with hopes of returning to Augusta in 2014.

“We have many members of last year’s team returning, so we’re hoping to improve upon our (7-13) record,” coach Lucas Tanner said.

That roster includes Brandon Goff, one of the top guards in the MVC, and a big, experienced frontcourt led by 6-foot-4 bookends Marcques Huston and Kasey Smith.

St. Dom’s will be one of the teams that can match-up with the Mustangs’ size, and perhaps even trump it. Six-foot-two senior Eric Ulin is a skilled inside player and one of three returning starters along with fellow seniors Madison Jalbert and Mike Bryant. Six-foot-four senior Matt Dyer and 6-foot-7 junior Becket Wagner will be an outside-inside combination that can help the Saints control the glass.

“We want to play a fast-paced game with an emphasis on pressure defense,” Saints coach Todd Flaherty said. “In order to reach our potential, the returning players need to commit to playing defense and rebounding and the newcomers are going to be called upon to provide valuable minutes.”

With no regular contributors standing taller than 6-foot-1, Mt. Abram won’t be able to intimidate anyone in the paint. But that’s never stopped coach Trevis Knapp’s Roadrunners from being one of the more physical and hard-nosed teams in the conference.

“Our goal is to outwork our opponent for 32 minutes every game,” Knapp said. “We have a group of driven young men that want to improve on last year’s record. These guys have bought into the system and play great team basketball on both ends.”

The Roadrunners’ senior trio consists of guard Amos Withee and forwards Sol Fast and Arthur Ryan.

Declining enrollment relegated Mountain Valley to Class C, and the basketball team certainly feels the loss of numbers after graduating 10 seniors, including MVC Player of the Year Jacob Theriault.

Since he has no seniors, coach Tom Danylik can focus on the future. He has some building blocks to fit what he hopes will be a physical, aggressive style, including junior center Caleb Gauvin.

“The preseason has been about defense and rebounding, because we know every possession is going to be crucial for us,” Danylik said. “We’re looking to be a physically tough team that tries to wear people out underneath and work the ball inside-out.”

Lisbon is taking a similar approach to its rebuilding effort after a respectable 5-13 season.

“We must rely on rebounding and solid defense as well as limiting turnovers to put us in a position to be successful,” Greyhounds coach Jake Gentle said.

The Greyhounds have one of the top guards in the conference in Tucker Brannon and some size in seniors Jake Bremmer and Jake Johnston, but will need some newcomers to step up to challenge the conference’s best.

Telstar coach Mark Thurlow is hoping to challenge the MVC’s best, too, but he’s already happy that this year’s team appears to have a better attitude than last year’s group that finished 1-17.

“I would hope that we can compete for a playoff berth. We didn’t compete, period, sometimes last year. That’s what bothered my most,” Thurlow said.

The Rebels don’t have much size, although the return of 6-foot-3 senior Bronson Dean after a two-year hiatus will help in that department. They do have a veteran backcourt, led by seniors Tyler Cherikis, Nick Conrad and Austin Ryerson.

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