Be careful for what you wish. You just might get it.
The leading voice imploring the Maine Principals’ Association to add a fourth classification for football was longtime Mt. Blue coach Gary Parlin, and the stumping started a decade ago.
Funny, because the end of the three-class system was better than kind to the Cougars. After dropping down a level due to declining enrollment, Mt. Blue made back-to-back Eastern Class B championship appearances, capped by an unbeaten season and a state title in 2012.
Mt. Blue remains in Eastern B, but as the second of four divisions instead of three, its atmosphere has changed dramatically.
Gone are Waterville, Belfast, Mount Desert Island, Morse, Oceanside and Camden Hills. Coming home, in a sense, to join Mt. Blue, Gardiner, Brewer and Hampden are Lawrence, Cony, Brunswick, Skowhegan and Messalonskee.
It is mostly a reunion of the charter members of the old Pine Tree Conference, and you will hear few arguments against the claim that it is the deepest of the eight new-look leagues across the state. Skowhegan — a program widely considered to be on the rise under the direction of second-year coach and Jay native Matt Friedman — is the only team that didn’t qualify for the playoffs a year ago in its previous league.
One thing you won’t hear from Parlin these days is a single word of objection.
“As soon as I stopped (complaining), it happened. Maybe if I stopped a few years ago, it would have happened a lot sooner,” Parlin joked of realignment. “It has really shaped our whole offseason. Our kids know what they’re up against. Our goal is back to what it used to be, which is to make the playoffs.”
Don’t let those words fool you. Mt. Blue surely has a legitimate chance to defend its title, but the journey will be dramatically tougher. The 40 and 50-point outbursts that became almost expected in the previous incarnation of Class B will be reserved for special occasions.
Mt. Blue is joined by the top three teams at the end of the 2012 Eastern Class A campaign.
Lawrence turned undefeated regular seasons into an art form in that division. Cony is led by the East’s consensus top candidate for the Fitzpatrick Trophy, quarterback Ben Lucas. And Brunswick’s ground-and-pound attack is built for winning games in November.
Expect the usual versatility and creativity from the Cougars on offense, to the extent that they may employ two quarterbacks. Andrew Pratt and Cam Abbott each waited in the wings behind three-year standout Jordan Whitney.
“They’re both seniors, they’re good friends and they both understand what we’re trying to do,” Parlin said. “The really good thing is that no matter how it turns out, both of them have a lot of experience playing wide receiver.”
Abbott, who missed much of the 2012 season after tearing his ACL, is likely to run the offense from the wildcat formation, with Pratt more of a threat to throw the deep ball out of the Cougars’ traditional shotgun.
Nate Backus takes Whitney’s place as the most dangerous player on the field. The speedy senior may line up as a wideout, a slot receiver or a back in addition to his kick and punt returning prowess.
“We’re excited, because with their injuries last year, this is the first time we’ve had Abbott and Backus on the field together,” Parlin said.
Kindle Bonsall and Alex Gilbert round out the Cougars’ running game, which should be ultra-productive with three all-conference players returning up front in tackle Colin Richards and guards Connor Farrington and Tyler Sennick.
Farrington and J.T. Williams shift to linebacker this fall in an attempt to fill the shoes of two of the best in schol history, Bradley Jackson and Chad Luker.
Dustin Richards, Brian Durrell and Richards strengthen the defensive line. Abbott and Backus will wreak havoc in the secondary.
“Counting everybody who started at least one game for us, we have eight guys back on defense,” Parlin said.
Mt. Blue won’t wait long before getting a taste of the strengthened schedule, hosting Hampden and Lawrence the first two weeks.
The Cougars last faced the Bulldogs in a preseason scrimmage two years ago.
“I don’t think you’ll see any more 50-0 games, and those aren’t good for anybody,” Parlin said. “The past couple years you could watch us getting ready for the first playoff game and see our kids thinking, ‘OK, who are we playing in the semifinals and in the finals?’ They’re still 16, 17, 18-year-old kids.”
koakes@sunjournal.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
