BAR HARBOR – It’s a new team with a new identity.

Even though the Mount Desert Island girls cross country team will come into Saturday’s state championships at Leavitt Area High School in Turner as defending Class B champs, the Trojans will tell you that the memories from last year are just that – memories.

“This is a completely new team, we can’t really repeat anything [from last year],” said junior frontrunner Heather Spurling when asked if expectations rose slightly coming into this fall.

The Trojans and 11 other “B” girls teams will kick things off at 11 a.m., followed by the Class B boys at 11:45. The Class C girls teams will run at 12:30 p.m. and the boys at 1:15, while the Class A teams will wrap up competition with the girls race at 2 and the boys at 2:45.

MDI appears confident, relaxed and ready to contend in a challenging Class B field that includes Western Maine champ Cape Elizabeth, which has been ranked atop the MTCCCA polls all season.

“They’re a strong team and we haven’t raced them yet, so we don’t know what to expect,” said sophomore No. 6 runner Lily Madeira.

Coaches and runners know that cross country races are never decided through polls.

“You never know what’s going to happen until you’re actually in the race,” added Madeira.

A prime example to that statement is the 2001 Brewer boys team, which won the EM Class A title, then had only six runners finish the state meet and finished next to last in the field.

“You can feel really good before the race, then once you step on the starting line and let it all go, you can run good or not good,” said sophomore Jessica Swanson.

The Trojans did graduate three runners from last year’s state championship team, but have a talented corps of underclassmen which includes sophomores Madeira, Swanson, Frances Blank, Mackenzie Curtis and freshman Kailyn Russell to go with Spurling and classmate Jessica Rothenheber.

That, Madiera says, equals new excursions on the cross country trails and fresh team bonding experiences.

“We came in not knowing what to expect. It’s a whole different experience,” she said.

According to Spurling, there is more than one leader on this team.

“I feel like we’ve all kind of pitched in. It’s a great group of girls,” Spurling said.

Spurling, who finished fourth in last year’s state meet, will headline a talented individual field which includes Old Town senior Hilary Maxim, Cape’s Emily Atwood, Anna Makaretz of Yarmouth and Falmouth’s Madeline Grygiel.

“The west has really quality runners,” Spurling said. “I got fourth last year. I’m hoping to do that or better.”

Before heading to coach Kate Goupee’s classroom to enjoy some buttery popcorn and the popular running movie “Without Limits,” which chronicles the life and career of running legend Steve Prefontaine, the Trojans jubilantly expressed what their true aspirations are this weekend.

“To qualify for New Englands,” the group said excitedly, while Madeira joked that “popcorn makes everything better,” which drew some laughs.

On the boys side in Class B, Cape Elizabeth, Greely of Cumberland Center, Falmouth and EM champ Ellsworth highlight a competitive field.

Coach Andy Beardsley’s Eagles are led by seniors Logan Will, Alec Phippen and Akihisa Ishida.

Dave Weatherbie’s Capers, who tipped the Rangers in the West Regionals, are the defending state champs.

In Class A, the Lewiston boys will be looking to become the first Eastern Maine team to win a Class A state crown since the 1995 Lawrence of Fairfield team while the Brunswick girls are gunning for their third straight.

The Dragons’ chief challengers will be Scarborough, Brewer and Massabesic of Waterboro.

Freshman Michelle Haluska and soph Bekah Clark lead the pack for Brewer coach Glendon Rand with juniors Katie Snow, Kaitlin Noyes, Caitlyn Wilson, Ashley Geiser and Brooke Madden playing key roles as well.

A new state champ will be crowned in Class C with the four-time defending state champ Freeport girls moving up to Class B this fall.

Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln and Waynflete of Portland are the likely candidates to take hold of the throne. The Lynx are led by Renee LaFlamme and the Flyers by Adele Espy, who won the Maine Cross Country Festival of Champions individual title last month.

West champ Winthrop got a black-and-white monkey off its back at last weekend’s regionals by besting rival Lisbon, and the Ramblers and four-time defending champion Greyhounds will have a formidable battle here.

East champ Foxcroft Academy, led by Graham Pearsall, will be in contention as well.