It’s almost formulaic now for the Skowhegan Indians as they head into each new football season.

Fifth-year head coach Mike Marston can pretty much count on high numbers each season, and this year is no exception as 93 players – 33 of them freshmen – turned out for preseason camp.

For the third straight year, those numbers break down, class by class, with freakish similarity: 20 seniors, 20 juniors and 20 sophomores.

“Yeah, we’ve been getting that many kids out the last few years and that’s the number we usually have for seniors,” Marston said.

With just two full-time starters back on both offense and defense, the presence of so many upperclassmen is especially important this season.

“We’re not as inexperienced as it looks on paper because a lot of guys back were part-time starters or started the last half of the season last year,” said Marston. “We still start from zero every year and assume no one knows much, but they pick things up very quickly.”

A quartet of senior captains – Peter Boardman, Billy Clark, Cody Vigue and John Fuller – will lead the Indians this season. Boardman and Fuller are penciled in as two-way starters at defensive end and tight end. Clark figures to be starting at halfback and defensive back, and Vigue will be at fullback and linebacker.

The Indians will again run out a double-wing, multiple-formation offense and a base-50 defense using five down linemen (noseguard, two tackles and two ends).

“We try to add a little bit every year and we will be more diversified this year offensively,” said Marston. “We’ll have a stronger passing game and experienced running backs to go with it.”

Vying for starting quarterback duties are senior Brad Greenleaf and junior Jordan McGowan, who each bring different strengths to the position.

“We may use both at quarterback. It depends what we see in practice,” Marston said.

The backfield does look promising with Clark, Vigue, juniors Mike Roy and Dustin Corson and seniors Eddie McGregor and Dylan Lancaster competing for playing time.

The ends are strengths on both sides of the line with Boardman and Fuller entrenched as two-way starters and guys like junior Paul Verville vying for time.

The offensive line is neither huge nor slow, so Marston is hoping to overcome a lack of size with experience and athletic ability.

Typically, the Indians start slow and come on strong late in the season. That kind of progression may not net them a high seeding, but they made it all the way to the Pine Tree Conference title game two years in a row, the first time as a seventh seed in 2004.

“That’s how we approach every season. Just keep improving and playing better and better each week,” said Marston

SKOWHEGAN INDIANS

2007 results: 7-3, lost in PTC semifinals

Head coach: Mike Marston, 5th year

Key players: Peter Boardman, TE-DE, Sr.; Billy Clark, HB-DB, Sr.; Cody Vigue, FB-LB, Sr.; John Fuller, TE-DE, Sr.; Mike Roy, HB-DB, Jr.; Paul Verville, TE-DE, Jr.; Justin Perri, OT-DT, Sr.; Eddie McGregor, HB-DB, Sr.; Justin Taylor, TE-DB, Jr.; Jordan McGowan, QB-DB, Jr.; Brad Greenleaf, QB-DB, Sr.; Dylan Lancaster, FB-LB, Sr.; Todd Steward, OL-NG, Sr.

Outlook: The Indians seem to take a carbon-copy approach to each season with lots of players, plenty of upperclassmen and a general improvement week to week that results in a playoff appearance. With 20 seniors returning again, it’s likely their formula will create another playoff appearance.