BANGOR – The Bangor High School football team’s quest to make the 2006 Pine Tree Conference Class A playoffs actually began with the final game of the 2005 season.

The Rams trekked to South Paris to face Oxford Hills in a season finale rendered meaningless to Bangor’s playoff hopes by the quirks of the Crabtree point ratings.

But even though there was no postseason berth on the horizon, the Rams went out and played perhaps their best game of the year in upending the playoff-bound Vikings 21-14 to cap off a 5-3 season.

“Our goal is to win the last game,” said Bangor coach Mark Hackett. “We didn’t make the playoffs so we didn’t win the state championship, but those seniors last year who led us to Oxford Hills after we were already out of the playoffs and played a good football team and beat them on a beautiful day, that was as big a win for us since I’ve been a coach since winning the state championship that first year.”

“All the way home on the bus the kids couldn’t wait until next year.”

Next year is now this year, and the growing pains of a 2005 season in which underclassmen were thrust into leading roles have been replaced by the confidence of experience.

“I think we’re a very confident group because we have a lot of players coming back,” said senior wide receiver and cornerback Tom Crews. “We’ve come back at a faster pace because we didn’t have to learn as much this year. We already know it, we just have to remind ourselves and then go from there.”

Bangor returns eight starters on offense and eight on defense, a veteran contingent with its eyes not only on making the playoffs, but advancing deep into postseason play – and winning its last game.

“We’ve got a lot of experience coming back, and they seem to be of the right mind-set to have a great season,” said Hackett. “It’s as well prepared, as talented, as big – I’m not going to say as quick yet – but it’s as fine a team to start out with as I’ve had in a long time. It’s really comfortable.”

Some of that positive mind-set stems from the fact that many of Bangor’s key players were part of a Class A state championship baseball team last spring.

“It definitely carries over,” said senior tailback and defensive end Alex Gallant, an outfielder on Bangor’s baseball team. “We lost in the states in football two years ago, and now we’ve won in baseball, so we know what it’s like to win and what it’s like to lose. We all agree that winning’s a lot better, so for the guys who haven’t been on those teams we can let them know what it feels like.”

Leading the offense for the second straight year is talented junior quarterback Ian Edwards, who shares his teammates’ optimism.

“Last year I was just gaining my confidence and getting used to the offense,” Edwards said. “It’s a lot more advanced than freshman, and now that I’ve got a grasp of the offense we can move at a faster pace and get more in.

“It’s just easier working with a bunch of guys who now have that year of experience along with me. I think things will roll a lot more smoothly this year.”

Gallant is back for his second season at tailback after leading the Rams in rushing a year ago. The 6-foot-4 senior likely will see additional duty at receiver, as Bangor boasts considerable rushing depth in senior fullback Jimmy Batchelder, juniors Kyle Vanidestine, Shane Walton and Tyler McDade, and promising sophomore Adam Billings. Crews and Ryan Weston, a 6-foot-6, 235-pound junior tight end, will be Edwards’ top passing targets.

Those ballhandlers will work behind a big, veteran offensive line that came to camp in much better physical condition than a year ago. Senior guards Ben Bambrick (6-2, 230) and Mark Sturgeon (6-0, 225) lead the way, teaming with 6-8, 310-pound senior Robert Seccareccia and 6-4, 290-pound Adam Kearns at tackle and 6-3, 230-pound Jon Thompson at center.

Gallant and senior Sean Flynn will flank Bambrick, Sturgeon, Seccareccia and Kearns along Bangor’s defensive front, while Batchelder and McDade will anchor the linebacking corps. Crews, Vanidestine, Walton, senior Jimmy Clukey and perhaps Edwards will patrol the Rams’ secondary.

Hackett sees opening-week opponent Lewiston and Fitzpatrick Trophy candidate Jared Turcotte as one chief challenger within the PTC Class A ranks, along with defending champion Mt. Blue of Farmington. But he also appreciates the balance within the conference, particularly when compared to Western Maine Class A.

“Our league has more parity, anyone can beat anyone,” said Hackett. “In the southern part of the state, if you look at the wins and losses in the state game, their best team has been better than our best team, but our parity is better. Our worst team can beat our best team. Down there, their worst team never beats their best team, and it’s been that way since I can remember.

“It’s a lunch pail league up here, and the parity is pretty good.”

BANGOR RAMS

2005 results: 5-3, 6th in final PTC Class A Crabtree points

Head coach: Mark Hackett, sixth year

Key players: Ian Edwards, QB-DB, Jr.; Alex Gallant, TB-DE, Sr.; Kyle Vanidestine, FB-DB, Jr.; Shane Walton, TB-DB, Jr.; Tyler McDade, FB-LB, Jr.; Jon Thompson, C, Sr.; Ben Bambrick, OG-DT, Sr.; Mark Sturgeon, OG-NG, Sr.; Robert Seccareccia, OT-DT, Sr.; Adam Kearns, OT-DT, Sr.; Tom Crews, WR-CB, Sr.

Outlook: After a rare season without a postseason appearance, Bangor will be one of the frontrunners for the Eastern Maine Class A championship in 2006. The Rams are big up front and deep at the skill positions, with senior tailback-defensive end Alex Gallant and junior quarterback Ian Edwards among the state’s best all-around athletes.