One chain link.

Lewiston was that far away from its first trip to a Class A championship game in 23 years last fall.

Faced with fourth-and-a-speck-of-dirt from its own 10-yard line, the Blue Devils took the no-guts, no-glory approach, kept its punter on the sideline and called a sweep that would be debated for nine months.

Bangor stuffed it, promptly scored, took away a 28-25 victory and clinched its second straight Pine Tree Conference championship.

Forgotten in the post-game analysis was the immediate future of two talented rosters.

Senior-dominated Bangor would be sending a fistful of athletes onto college football, college baseball and junior hockey.

Junior-led Lewiston would be back.

“With our depth and so many kids returning as starters, we’re able to kind of pick  up where we left off,” Lewiston coach Bill County said.

Eight starters return on both sides of the line of scrimmage, making Lewiston at least a co-favorite in the new-look league.

Gone are Mt. Blue and Brewer to Class B, and by extension, gone are the pesky Crabtree points that set the playoff field for so many years.

Ten teams make for a clean, neat, nine-game, round-robin schedule. One major change: Four teams, rather than eight, will make the postseason.

That explains the tangible sense of urgency you’ll already see opening night.

“It really does turn up the heat,” County said. “The last time they only took four teams, we went 5-3 and found out after our last game that we weren’t going to make it. We felt that we were one of the four best teams, but we didn’t get a chance to prove it.”

Lewiston is likely to post that proof with crooked numbers on the scoreboard this season.

The offensive backfield will have a familiar look with quarterback Chris Madden, tailbacks Jeff Turcotte and Matt Therrien and fullback Joe McKinnon — all seniors — back in the fold.

Turcotte is the shifty speedster in the group. McKinnon “is the stereotypical Wing-T fullback,” according to his coach, apt to grind out tough yards when the grass turns to mud in October and November.

When the Devils need to throw, Madden has two proven targets in 6-foot-4 tight end Steven Patrie and flanker Caleb Johnson.

Six-five, two-way tackle Rudy Pandora anchors the offensive line with fellow seniors David Demers, Leo Gaghan and Mike Nazaroff.

“He’s a kid who might project into Division I college football,” County said of Pandora.

Pandora and Gaghan are tackles in a new 3-5 defensive arrangement designed to take advantage of Turcotte and Patrie’s athleticism.

“They’ll be kind of a hybrid. They’re almost like strong safeties, although they’re listed as linebackers or defensive ends,” County said.

Therrien, McKinnon and Johnson all are returning starters in the secondary.

Lewiston will need to overcome more than one minus-yardage play worth of history in order to win the PTC title.

Bangor and Lawrence have dominated the league for a decade.

The Bulldogs, last year’s top-ranked team during the regular-season, have hopes of reclaiming that perch with Spencer Carey at quarterback and an experienced line led by third-year center Josh Perry, tackle Roy Barnaby and tight end Bryant Wade.

And don’t forget Brunswick, the team that has knocked Lawrence from the playoffs the past two years. Keith Kitchens and Dylan Walton give the Dragons a one-two punch out of the backfield.

Edward Little would love to maintain its momentum from 2010, when the Red Eddies dominated their last four regular-season games en route to a playoff berth.

Under the new system, that solid start will be essential.

“I played on a 6-3 team (at EL in 1987) that didn’t make the playoffs,” coach Dave Sterling said. “It puts an emphasis on playing well and getting wins right out of the gate.”

Second-year quarterback Josh Delong and a big offensive line will fuel the offense.

Center Aaron Crenshaw is 6-foot-3, 315 pounds and “has the wing span of a jetliner,” Sterling quipped. Junior two-way tackles Alex Sterling and Mitch Lachapelle each check in at 245 pounds. Guard Tony Wysocki tips the scales at 215.

EL will need to fill the shoes of explosive former tailback Teven Colon. The leading candidate is senior Darnell Hairston, a track and field standout with similar big-play potential.

There is concern about fullback/linebacker Luke Farrago. The Red Eddies’ leading tackler from 2010 is wearing a cast on his left wrist, and his September status is questionable. Hairston, Dylan Deconzo and cornerback Alphonso Belnavis will carry a bigger load as a result.

Basketball standout Quin Leary is a likely two-way starter after sitting out his sophomore gridiron campaign.

“We start with Lawrence, Cony, Bangor and Brunswick, so after the first four games we’ll know where we stand,” Sterling said.

Optimism is renewed at Oxford Hills, where the Vikings have won only two games total in the last three seasons but welcome one of the state’s most successful head coaches.

Paul Withee won three state championships and eight regional titles during a long, successful run at Class C Foxcroft.

“The school is different. The colors are different. But the game and the kids are still the same.” Withee said.

Actually, as far as the Vikings are concerned, a few of the kids are completely different.

That’s another reason for the enhanced excitement. Some of the school’s top athletes have returned to football after an extended absence. Two of them, John Frechette and Dylan Cox, will start immediately at quarterback and tailback.

“We have a lot of depth in the backfield,” Withee said. “Six or seven kids could see some time back there.”

There is no shortage of quality people to block for them, either. Jordan Croteau — the team’s leading tackler as a sophomore linebacker — takes over the fullback slot as a junior. Senior captain Tyler Hamlin and 6-5, 280-pound junior Billy Leahy headline the front five.

Last year’s quarterback, Logan Sanborn, moves to receiver and will start alongside senior classmate and fellow captain Josh McDonald.

“We have a lot speed and athleticism returning from a year ago,” Withee said. “Hopefully that year’s experience will translate into more success.”

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