OAKLAND — Welcome back to football — and welcome back to the place it all started in central Maine a year ago.

For the second straight year, Cony and Messalonskee open the season in Oakland, and just as it was in 2024, this one should be a doozy. Both teams have Class B North title ambitions, and even if it’s just one game, the winner of Friday night’s showdown — 7 p.m. at Veterans Field — has to be considered a favorite in the region.

The matchup features two of the top quarterbacks in central Maine, and perhaps even the state. Messalonskee’s Tatum Doucette passed for 19 touchdowns and only three interceptions while topping the 1,000-yard mark both in the air and on the ground last season, while Parker Morin threw for 1,643 yards for Cony. In Malachi Cusano (Messalonskee) and Ethan Demmons (Cony), each quarterback has a top receiving targets.

Defensively, Cony has a chance to be tough, with all 11 starters returning, including Bohdy King Jones and Steve Witham on the line and Kaiden Veilleux at linebacker. The Eagles lost some athletes on the defensive side, though they do still have Denny Martin and Landon Rancourt on the line and Caylub Logan leading the linebacking corps.

Keys to a Cony victory

• Win the battle in the trenches. That’s the theme for Cony this year, isn’t it? It’s all about toughness, something the Rams are eager to show after 2024 ended in disappointing fashion. The Rams must give Morin time to throw and get to Doucette for sacks.

• Anderson and Anderson. While Morin enjoyed a nice game for Cony last year, he was complemented nicely by Anderson Noyes rushing for 127 yards and two scores in his varsity debut. If he and Anderson St. Onge can break some big runs, the Rams stand a great chance at a win.

Keys to a Messalonskee victory

• Force turnovers. This is a must for the Eagles, who intercepted Morin five times in the 2023 regional semis and made a key one on the goal line last year. Yes, Messalonskee lost both games, but those plays kept the Eagles in them and would be the foundation of a victory Friday.

• Doucette must have a big game. Cony has largely kept Doucette at bay through the air the past two meetings, which has helped the Rams to victories even though the dual-threat QB has rushed for big yardage. If Doucette also produces some big plays with his arm, the Eagles have a shot at a statement win.

Cony impact players

• Senior QB Parker Morin (2024: 1,643 yards passing, 16 touchdowns, 11 interceptions)

• Senior WR/DB Ethan Demmons (44 receptions, 710 yards, four touchdowns)

• Senior OL/DL Bohdy King Jones (first-team All-PTC on offense)

• Senior OL/LB Kaiden Veilleux (team-high 90 tackles, nine for loss)

• Junior RB Anderson Noyes (587 yards rushing, six touchdowns in six games)

Messalonskee impact players

• Senior QB/DB Tatum Doucette (2024: 1,289 yards passing, 19 touchdowns, three interceptions; 1,009 yards rushing, seven touchdowns)

• Senior TE/DL Denny Martin (13 receptions, 140 yards, four touchdowns; 36 tackles, nine for loss)

• Sophomore WR/DB Malachi Cusano (34 receptions, 422 yards receiving, seven touchdowns)

• Senior RB/LB Landon Rancourt (499 yards rushing, four touchdowns in six games)

• Junior WR/DB Cory Wallace (new starter)

2024 flashback

• Cony: 5-4, lost 28-18 to Lawrence in Class B North semifinals

• Messalonskee: 4-6, lost 51-7 to Falmouth in Class B North semifinals

• Last meeting: Cony def. Messalonskee, 33-27 (Week 1)

What they’re saying

• “They certainly have athletes, and that starts with No. 7 (Doucette). We’ve seen a lot of him over the past four years as a starter — he’s played four games against us already, including a playoff game — so we know we’ve got to slow him down. He’s got some capable targets, so it’s all about playing assignment football. If we don’t, they can take advantage of that with their speed.” — Cony coach B.L. Lippert

• “In my opinion, you have two of the best quarterbacks in Maine who are both leaders for their teams and fantastic athletes. … We’ve got to put pressure on Parker so that he can’t sit back there in the pocket and make those throws down the field. A lot of our scheme this year is predicated on pressure, and that’s what we intend to apply.” — Messalonskee coach Blair Doucette

• “We’re always hungry no matter who we play, but this one is special to me because they’re a great team that’s good competition every year for us. We know Parker is going to be a great QB, like he always is, and it’s great competition to go against him.” — Tatum Doucette