Class C almost always ranks among the most competitive divisions in Eastern Maine schoolboy basketball.

No team has repeated as regional championship since Hodgdon won back-to-back state titles in 1995 and 1996. Only two programs – Penquis Valley of Milo and Calais – have won more than one EM crown during the past decade.

Calais joined Penquis as a two-time winner last year, and went on to give Eastern Maine its third Class C state championship in the last four years, following George Stevens of Blue Hill in 2003 and Houlton in 2004.

Calais returns this winter as the early favorite, but past laurels don’t count in this season’s Heal Point ratings, according to Calais coach Ed Leeman.

“You don’t carry a belt into the next year in basketball, so we’re like any other team,” he said. “We just need to make sure we work hard enough.”

Calais returns a talented corps of veterans, led by third-team Bangor Daily News All-Maine choice Brandon Tomah, described by Leeman as “the most unselfish player I’ve ever had.” The 6-foot-1 senior is listed as a guard, but one of his strengths rests in a versatility that allowed him last year to lead the Blue Devils in most significant statistical categories, including scoring and rebounding.

Chris Taylor, another 6-1 senior, is another strong offensive threat as well as a top defender for Calais, while a third returning senior, 5-8 guard Robbie Rogers, joins Tomah in the backcourt.

Other key contributors include sophomores Cal Shorey, the starting center, and 5-9 sophomore Jordan Leeman, who handles most of the point guard duties. Depth comes primarily from senior forward Chris Stewart, 5-10 junior guard Nathan O’Neill and senior forward Rod Tirrell, back with the program after sitting out the last two years.

Those hoping to wrest the title of Eastern Maine champion from the Blue Devils include Piscataquis Community High of Guilford, Washington Academy of East Machias and Houlton.

PCHS has 11 seniors on its 13-player roster, many of whom are at least third-year varsity performers in basketball as well as members of an Eastern Maine Class C-championship soccer team this fall.

Seeking their first regional title since 2001, the Pirates are led by senior guard Mike Wharff and senior center Roy Burdin, but also rely on going deep into their bench.

PCHS will have to survive an early season schedule heavy on road contests, but the Pirates are geared toward making a trip to Bangor come February vacation.

“I think they’re realistic,” said veteran coach Jamie Russell. “They understand they’re not going to put a lot of points on the board, and that’s going to keep other teams in the game, and that they’re going to have to put teams away defensively.”

Washington Academy came as close as anyone to defeating Downeast Athletic Conference rival Calais during the 2005-06 regular season, with one of its two losses to the Blue Devils coming by just two points.

That memory gives a veteran Raiders’ squad confidence that they can compete with Calais again this winter, and a lopsided loss to Madawaska in the tournament quarterfinals provides additional motivation.

“The guys were disappointed in how last year ended,” said Kenrick Liburd, who moves over from neighboring Narraguagus of Harrington to take over as WA’s head coach. “They’ve been working really hard because they want to make up for last year.”

The Raiders graduated just two players from last year’s roster, and return a good mix of inside strength and solid guard play. Jeff Ramsdell, Joey Hunter and Josiah Porter provide frontcourt depth, while Mike Von Rotz, Eric Leighton and Chris Wood all will see duty in the backcourt, along with freshman Ben Teer.

“We’ll definitely be an up-tempo team,” said Liburd. “We should be fun to watch. We have a lot of guys who can make plays.”

Houlton also returns a veteran team after losing just three players to graduation, but still is relatively young under new head coach Mike Fogarty.

Senior guard Drew Farrar, a transfer from Greater Houlton Christian Academy, has made a smooth transition to the Shiretowners, so much so, in fact, that he was named a team captain.

Farrar was the team’s leading perimeter scorer during the opening week of the season, with junior forward Josh Beals providing much of the inside punch. They are joined in the Houlton rotation by center Doug Haggerman, forward Mike Cleary and guards Ryan Hill, Parker Brown and James Bates.

“The kids have certain expectations,” said Fogarty, a starting guard at the University of Maine at Farmington during his playing days.

Among other contenders, Central of Corinth has a solid trio in senior point guard Danny Kane, junior forward Tyler Pineo and junior guard Stephen LaFlamme, though the Red Devils had to battle some injury and illness woes early in the season. Penquis of Milo has a strong inside-outside game in guard Nate Allen and center Russell Berry to go with coach Tony Hamlin’s trademark hard-nosed defense.

George Stevens may be in a rebuilding mode after graduating nine seniors last year but retains a strong postseason tradition, while Orono hopes to move up in the standings behind junior guard Seth Dwyer.

Fort Kent also could make some noise in the St. John Valley, with Sam Bard a top returning player for the Warriors.

Dexter is another hard-nosed defensive team with plenty of tournament history, as well as some veterans in senior point guard Aaron Woodman, senior forwards Dan Beatham and Steve Robinson, and forward Zach Leal, a transfer from Nokomis of Newport.

“We’ve got to find what our style of play is,” said Dexter coach Peter Murray after the Tigers’ season-opening loss at PCHS. “We’re still searching for that a little.”