HEBRON -- Windham High School head football coach Matt Perkins doesn't put much stock in the rivalry between the East and West when it comes to the annual Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl. The East is coming off a win, but can two all-new rosters use that as motivation this year?

"I think that's more of a coaches' thing than the kids. I mean, half of them probably didn't even go to the game (last season)," Perkins said. "As coaches, we're so pride-driven, we want to win everything. The kids, you mention it to them and you make sure they understand. They hear it, but I don't know if it's as big to them as it is to us."

Matt Perkins, meet Nokomis graduate Steve Shea, who will be on the offensive line for the East tonight.

"We have to keep this going," Shea said. "There's no West winning. We can't have that happen."

Since the first Lobster Bowl in 1990, more than $313,000 has been raised for the hospitals. When the game kicks off at 7:30 tonight at Waterhouse Field in Biddeford, the East will attempt to win back-to-back games for the first time. The West leads the series 14-3, but the teams have split the last four games.

"We haven't really talked about the game, per se," East coach Mike Marston of Skowhegan said on Tuesday. "We've talked more about why we're here. We want to do a good job, the kids want to represent their schools, communities, coaches and families with pride."

The East's offense is led by a strong backfield, which includes Lewiston's Jared Turcotte and Winslow's Justin Lindie, arguably the top two backs in the state last fall. The pair combined for 3,408 yards rushing last season. "(Turcotte's) a good kid, and an excellent running back," Lindie said. "Hopefully we can make things happen."

Cony's Gabe Hinds and Messalonskee's Lucas Thomas will share time at quarterback for the East. Among the receivers is Corey Allen of Maranacook.

"As a freshman and sophomore, I ran the double wing and the last two years I ran the spread. We're doing a combination of both of those," Hinds said. "Each practice I'm getting better and the team is too."

The 6-foot-5, 275-pound Shea and Bangor's Robert Seccareccia (6-8, 320) are the biggest members of an East offensive line that averages 232 pounds. John Ringer of Waterville, Nick Robbins of Gardiner and Maine Central Institute's Domenick Frost will also play on the line for the East.

"They have the ability to do both (run and pass). They're pretty dynamic, and that makes them tough to defend. As coaches, you want to be challenged. You don't want it to be easy," Perkins said.

Perkins has plenty of offensive weapons of his own on the West sideline, including Portland quarterback Chris Treister, who threw for 1,846 yards and 18 touchdowns last fall. Running back Brian Sandora of Deering ran for 1,925 yards and 24 TD's. Mountain Valley's Kyle Dow (6-0, 285) and Andy Nash (6-1, 290) of Gorham lead an offensive line that boasts seven players 230 pounds or greater. Kyle Bowden of Winthrop will see time on the line for the West.

Class A state champion Lawrence had the best defense in the state last year, and three players from that unit will play for the East tonight. Aaron Champagne and Tom Hersom will play defensive back, while David Wallace is at linebacker. Other central Maine players on the East's defense are Kevin McCabe and Steve Siviski of Winslow, Justin Lowe of Mt. Blue, Messalonskee's Nick Ouellette, Joey Gilbert of Oak Hill and Devon Brown of Gardiner, who made 126 tackles last season.

Defensively, the West is led by a strong group of linebackers, including Stanley Watts of Bonny Eagle. Madison's Garrick Brown will play defensive tackle.

Travis Lazarczyk -- 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com