The Class C boys basketball state champion has come from the survivor of the Eastern Maine tournament four of the last five years.

George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill earned the gold ball in 2003, followed by Houlton in 2004 and Calais each of the last two seasons.

As for the 2008 event, it’s hard to argue with the notion that while the Eastern C tourney will be staged at the Bangor Auditorium as it has been for decades, once again it really goes through Calais.

The Blue Devils are in the midst of a run few Maine high school coaches and players have experienced.

Already the owner of the 2006 and 2007 state championships, coach Ed Leeman’s club entered the final days of the current campaign poised to cap off a third consecutive undefeated regular season, with an overall winning streak approaching 60 games.

And the true measure of what Calais has accomplished during that span is in the successful transition from the group that won the Blue Devils’ 2006 crown to those who are seeking a third consecutive gold ball for the program.

Only Sam Bell, a senior guard who played on the varsity level as a freshman, has tasted defeat among the current crop of Blue Devils, and that’s a distant memory – in the 2005 Eastern C quarterfinals.

But most of the other players who led Calais to its 2006 state championship are long since graduated, replaced by the next generation of Blue Devils who now are making their own mark in the program’s success story.

Bell, Nathan O’Neill and Jordan Leeman comprise a talented trio of perimeter players this year, while Rod Tirrell and brothers Cal and Cam Shorey give Calais the tallest front line of its recent run.

Calais, one of five Eastern C teams to earn a preliminary-round bye, will enter its regional quarterfinal at 8:35 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 19, undefeated but not untested.

The Blue Devils own two highly contested victories over No. 2 Lee Academy, a come-from-behind 62-56 decision at Lee to open the season and an emotional 67-60 victory at Calais in late January.

Coach Randy Harris’ Lee Pandas feature talented junior guard Luis Medina, who erupted for 32 points in the second game against Calais, and unsung inside threat Devan Parker.

Lee and No. 3 Schenck of East Millinocket, teams that went deep into the Class D playoffs in recent years, both moved up to Class C this winter with no drop-off in their success.

Schenck boasts its own talented backcourt tandem in Mike Lowell, Aaron Hutchins and Lanny Thompson, along with a strong inside presence in center Nate Lewis, and coach Steve LeVasseur has the Wolverines playing aggressively on both offense and defense.

Houlton’s record, just slightly above .500 entering the final days of the regular season, doesn’t necessarily reflect that of a major contender – but the schedule it reflects has the veteran Shiretowners ready to challenge any rival in the division.

Coach Mike Fogarty’s club, led by Josh Beals, James Bates and Ryan Hill, faced two of Eastern B’s top four teams in Presque Isle and Caribou, as well as Calais – losing two competitive games by 13 and 11 points – Lee, Schenck, No. 6 Fort Kent and Woodland, a top-four team in Eastern D.

Another team that has flown somewhat under the radar throughout the season has been Orono, an 11-win team entering the final week of the season. Coach Ben Goodwin’s Red Riots are led by one of the region’s top players in senior guard Seth Dwyer, a 1,000-point scorer.

Other teams and players to watch include Fort Kent and guard Corey Voisine, Narraguagus of Harrington and guard Blake Chase, Piscataquis of Guilford and guard Brandon London, Washington Academy of East Machias and guard Ben Teer, and Dexter and center Gavin Cote.