As autumns go by and the competition has a chance to explore the new, four-class landscape of Maine high school football, Leavitt might begin to look like a perfect fit for Class C.

In the here-and-now, though, the Hornets are loaded, experienced and angry after an unsatisfying, abrupt conclusion to the 2012 campaign.

“The disappointment of last year was really good motivation for these guys,” Leavitt coach Mike Hathaway said. “The way they responded to it kind of reminds me of the 2009 team after we lost to Morse at home in the playoffs the year before.”

All that ’09 team did was go undefeated, win a Class B state championship and start a Pine Tree Conference winning streak that endured for 3 1/2 seasons.

Belfast’s shocking win on the final play of the 2012 quarterfinals ended the Hornets’ otherwise triumphant stay in Eastern B. Now Leavitt moves into Western C and what is essentially the intermediate division of the Campbell Conference.

They will renew acquaintances with past state championship game foes Wells and Cape Elizabeth. They will revive dormant rivalries with Mountain Valley and Spruce Mountain. And they will be nothing less than a prohibitive co-favorite, with cause.

Senior quarterback Tyler Chicoine directs an offense that clicked throughout summer 7-on-7 sessions and scored a staggering eight touchdowns in the first preseason scrimmage against Gardiner. Conor O’Malley takes over for his first full season at tailback after a strong finish in 2012.

“Anytime you have a quarterback returning for his second year, it allows you to do more things and have more confidence in your offense,” Hathaway said. “We threw the ball well all summer.”

The offensive line features two seniors that have drawn notice from Division I scouts, left tackle Matt Powell and center Levi Morin.

And while there’s a natural tendency to think of the Hornets’ offense, their defense could be sensational with Mitch Davis and O’Malley at end, Powell at tackle, Morin and Scott Sleeper at linebacker and Nate Coombs and Clay Rowland in the secondary.

Leavitt is unlikely to find much of a drop-off in the caliber of competition.

Senior-dominated Wells has legitimate aspirations of its second Gold Ball in three seasons. Cape Elizabeth finished its run in Class B with seven consecutive playoff appearances. And Yarmouth moves up with back-to-back Class C titles in 2010 and 2011 not far in the rear-view mirror.

Oh, and lest we forget Mountain Valley, whose trophy case is awash in Class B gold from 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010. The Falcons couldn’t keep that even-numbered progression alive in what was a trying and draining 2012 campaign.

“We had problems with injuries, issues with grades and other things,” Mountain Valley coach Jim Aylward said. “It was kind of a perfect storm.”

The proud folks of Rumford-Mexico might have to exercise patience this season, too. More than 40 of the 54 players on the roster are either freshmen or sophomores.

Linemen Brandon Roberts, Caleb Gauvin, Dalton Milledge, Anthony Boucher and Alan Carrier were nudged into the starting lineup out of necessity a year ago. Junior Josh Mason, sophomore Logan Wilhoite and freshman Kyle Farrar could emerge as the best in a young, hungry group of backs.

“You never want to say that dreaded ‘r’ word (rebuilding),” Aylward said. “But if I only say it once in 27 years of coaching, it probably isn’t such a bad thing. At least I know what we’re building to.”

Spruce Mountain should have a chance to secure its first winning season since the Livermore Falls-Jay school merger in 2011. The Phoenix are still heavy with sophomores and juniors, but there is an increased comfort level with the option offense and five-man defensive front installed by second-year coach Walter Polky.

“Seeing it all come together, its exciting,” Polky said. “It’s just repetition.”

Peter Theriault directs both the offense and defense as a second-year starter at quarterback and free safety. When they have the ball, the Phoenix flaunt speed and playmakers with tailback Alwayne Uter and receivers Matt Vigue and Deonte Ring.

Poland takes a step up in competition, on paper. The Knights spent the past two seasons in Western C with most of the schools that now make up the ‘D’ division.

“I’ve given up trying to predict,” Poland coach Ted Tibbetts said. “I’ve tried to spend most of my time looking at film and paying attention to the details. How we fix that is the real issue.”

The Knights will look to Adam Mocciola, Everett Bertrand and Nick Cote to keep the flex option humming this season behind veteran linemen Jake Simard and Tanner Marston.

Jim Hersom was successful this summer at convincing several of the top senior athletes at Gray-New Gloucester to come out for football.

The veteran coach hopes that the success Justin McKenna, Sam Johnson and Brandon Thibeault experienced in other sports carries over to the gridiron. They’ll see time as backs and receivers, joining experienced fullback Adam Dumas.

“They’re all good-looking athletes. Just with their physicality, all of them at least 180 pounds, they’ll certainly help,” Hersom said. “Without them we were looking pretty thin.”

koakes@sunjournal.com