From YouTube to the printed headline, the intense dogfight between Mountain Valley and Cape Elizabeth dominated the Campbell Conference last year.

Observers wisely concluded before the season even kicked off they were the cream of the crop, but it took all 11 weeks of the conference schedule and two head-to-head meetings between the teams to sort out who was the best of the west. For the second straight year and third time in four years, it was Mountain Valley.

The final 2007 regular-season standings showed a clear demarcation between the conference’s teams. From 0-win Poland up to 9-win Cape, each team finished with a different victory total and, unlike the jumbled Class C race, left little doubt who belonged in the postseason and who did not.

Things could fall just as neatly into place this year, and quickly.

“By Week 3, you’re going to know which teams are serious and, unfortunately, it can go both ways in this league,” Mountain Valley coach Jim Aylward said.

The Falcons are the preseason favorites to continue their reign. Cape Elizabeth is expected to take a step back this season after losing eight starters on offense to graduation, leaving York, which has 19 starters back after reaching last year’s semifinals, as potentially Mountain Valley’s biggest threat.

With four starters back on offense and five on defense, Mountain Valley has nearly as much turnover as Cape. But the Falcons have four key contributors returning on offense, led by senior halfback Justin Staires, who racked up 1,771 yards on the ground and 31 TDs last season.

The plan for the Falcons is simple – get him the ball.

“He’s been our utility back. We’ll use him different ways,” Aylward said. “He’s a kid you want to have 10 guys blocking in front of him.”

Staires will have plenty of help on defense with fellow halfback John Gorham and fullback Matt Laubauskas, who rushed for 883 yards last year, on hand to pound opponents between the tackles. Laubauskas’ younger brother, Ryan, anchors the offensive line at guard, and sophomore QB Cameron Kaubris could be one of the top rookies in the conference.

As much firepower as the Falcons have on offense, they may be more devastating defensively with linebackers Matt Laubauskas, Travis Ruff, Matt Duka and Cole Clark back in cobalt blue.

Speedy junior running back Tom Foden is the lone holdover in Cape’s backfield. Junior quarterback Ezra Wolfinger, who faced the Falcons as a wide-eyed freshman in the 2006 conference championship in place of an injured Jim Bump, replaces the now-graduated Bump under center.

Someone pressed fast forward on York’s rebuilding plan in 2007, as the Wildcats surprised everyone, including themselves, by making the playoffs. They won’t catch anyone off guard this year, but it probably won’t matter with the talent they have coming back with another year of experience under its belt. Senior QB Evan Wallace is the only three-year starter on the squad.

Fryeburg Academy hopes it started a trend after reaching the playoffs for the first time in it’s Campbell Conference history. Dave Turner takes over for long-time head coach Jim “Fuzzy” Thurston. Wells and Greely should challenge the Raiders for the fourth and final playoff spot.

Gray-New Gloucester has all but one starter back to continue the program building head coach Chris Nelson started last year. The Patriots get a stern test in Week 1 against the defending champions, but Nelson hopes that can be a spring board for the season.

“If we can survive the Mountain Valley game and get some little points of confidence off of that, it could be a big boost for us,” he said. “I think we can get in that mix with Greely and Falmouth.”

The Patriots’ Shaker Hill rivals, Poland, is also hoping mastering the little things will lead to greater strides. New head coach Mark Soehren is installing the triple option to take advantage of an athletic group of upperclassmen. That could include a three-man rotation at quarterback of senior Tyrus Steinman and juniors Trey Ouellette and Josh Cooper.

“We’ve got a lot of seniors and they’ve got a lot of experience,” Soehren said. “A three-quarterback rotation is tough. Two (quarterbacks) with the option is definitely a nice thing, but we’re hoping that we give it time and it works.”