Players to watch: Yarmouth — Adam LaBrie (6-1 Sr. G) Cody Cook (6-0 Jr. G), Jordan Brown (6-1 Sr. F); Cape Elizabeth — Justin Guerette (6-3 Jr. F), Jack O’Rourke (6-0 Jr. G), Quinn Hewitt (6-3 Soph. F); Morse — Ethan Winglass (Sr. F), Keegan McDonough (Jr. G), Juwan Moore (Jr. C); Lake Region — Nate Smith (6-2 Jr. G/F), Jack Lesure (6-2 Jr. G/F), Marcus DeVoe (6-2 Jr. G); Spruce Mountain — Deonte Ring (6-2 Sr. G/F), Anthony York (6-4 Sr. F), Peter Theriault (5-11 Sr. G/F); Lincoln — Sawyer Pinkham (5-9 Sr. G), Cody Tozier (6-4 Soph. C); Devin Scherer (6-4 Sr. F/C); Greely — Matt McDevitt (6-7 Soph. F), Gabe Axelsen (5-9 Sr. G), Jordan Bagshaw (6-0 Soph. G); Gray-New Gloucester — Tyler St. Pierre (5-10 Sr. G), Andreas Kariotis (6-1 Sr. G/F), Zack Haskell (6-3 Jr. F).

Favorites: Yarmouth, Cape Elizabeth.

The Clippers hit a midseason speed bump, losing three of four games, and have been untouchable since. They blew out fellow tournament teams Lake Region and Gray-New Gloucester by more than 30 points in the final week of the regular season. LaBrie led Yarmouth to a state title in soccer and has approached hoops with the same sense of urgency.

Cape is rangy, athletic and talented enough to make a run at the title. The Capers proved their worth with a convincing victory at Yarmouth, earning revenge for the Clippers’ one-sided win earlier. It’s a safe bet that the third round would be a much closer affair, if the rivals reach that game.

Dark horses: Morse, Spruce Mountain.

Both teams were the victim of the Poland express a year ago. Each comes out of the KVAC, which perhaps doesn’t garner the respect in Greater Portland that it should.

Hard to imagine the Shipbuilders sneaking up on anybody, though, with the one-two punch of Winglass and McDonough leading the way. Winglass scored his 1,000th career point late in the regular season.

And don’t sleep on the Phoenix, who enter the playoffs with a less sparkling record than in recent years after their move from the MVC. Spruce has senior leadership and a chip on its shoulder, which may count for a bundle in what is a closely matched bracket.

Facts and figures: Yarmouth and Cape Elizabeth are the only teams in the field to have won a Class B West title since 1998 … Spruce Mountain makes its fourth appearance in its four years of existence. That is the longest current streak of quarterfinal appearances by any Class B West team. The only previous win for the Phoenix was against Wells in 2012 … Lincoln’s most recent quarterfinal win came in 2002. Lake Region’s, in 2009 … Cape ranks seventh among schools with the most postseason wins (59), in all classes, since 1960.

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