BUCKFIELD ­- It wasn't too long after completing a perfect regular season and Western D tournament that things changed.

The Buckfield girls' basketball team, the preseason favorites and team to beat entering the Western tournament, was suddenly the underdog. Soon after the Bucks beat Vinalhaven to advance to Monday's state championship game against Woodland, that the unbeaten Bucks discovered that roles had reversed.

"No one's expecting us to win," said senior guard Alyssa Henderson. "We're the underdogs in this game. It makes us go out there and play a lot harder knowing that it doesn't matter what happens."

The Bucks (21-0) play Woodland (18-3) at 6 p.m. Monday in the Class D state championship game at the Augusta Civic Center. It was rescheduled from Saturday due to the weather.

The Dragons won the state title in 2006 and have been in the championship game five times in the last seven years.

"It was our goal to win Western Maine and go to states," said senior forward Kasey Farrington. "Now if we win, that would be great. We know we're the underdogs and the dark horse. I know they're expected to win, and that's what the predictions are. Hopefully we can do it. People aren't expecting us to win, but we want to prove to everyone how good we can be."

The Bucks have all read postings on various message boards that declare Woodland the easy victors. History is on the Dragons' side. Since Buckfield won the state crown in 1990, only four Western Maine teams have beaten an Eastern D squad for the Gold Ball. One of those came when Waynflete beat Woodland in 2002. The fact that the Bucks are now playing a different role could be to their advantage.

"I think we played with a little pressure down in Augusta," said Buckfield's co-coach Dan Jack. "Some times you want something too much, and you play a little tight. I think they'll play loose."

The Bucks have a tall order against the Dragons. Woodland's 6-foot center Courtney Cochran already has one state title to her credit. She averaged 21 points and 12 rebounds in the tournament, including a monstrous 33 points and 17 rebounds against Ashland in the regional final.

"She's a very good post player around the basket," said co-coach Troy Eastman. "She has nice soft hands. You have to find her. You've got to box her out."

The Bucks do have the depth to throw at Cochran in the post. In addition to Farrington, Tristen Newton, Lindsay Henderson and Abby Jones are all seasoned post players that can battle on the boards.

"I've played against her and played with her on the same team," said Farrington, who played with Cochran during a preseason tournament last fall. "I know her attitude. I know how she plays. I know how she acts on the court."

Cochran is just part of the problem the Dragons present. Woodland's guards, led by senior Rachel Torrey, another holdover from the 2006 title team, are quick and like to smother teams with a half-court trap. They forced 21 turnovers against Ashland. Buckfield struggled with turnovers in the regional tournament and knows it won't get away with those mistakes against the Dragons.

"They do a 1-2-2," said Eastman. "If you pick up your dribble or make lazy passes, they're going to get them. That's a key for us, not to turn the ball over that turns into chances for them."

The Bucks have faced a team trapping them in practice in preparation for the Dragons. They've tried to find a bigger and stronger substitute to represent what Woodland will deliver.

"We've had the boys practicing with us all week, trapping us and stuff," said Henderson. "So we're going to have a lot of work on pressure."

The Bucks have a variety of options offensively. Sophomore guard Ashlee Hamann was the Western D tournament's most outstanding player with 16 in the win over Vinalhaven. She and Alyssa Henderson had the hot hands in the regional final with a combined five three-pointers. Lindsay Henderson and Farrington have been solid in the post. Newton, Jones and guard Emily Eastman all contributed offensively, giving them more balance than the Dragons.

One constant for the Bucks in the regional tournament was its own fine defensive play. Eastman likens this game to a win over NYA in the regular season. The Bucks had trouble early against the Panther's size. The Bucks adjusted, neutralized any size advantage and took advantage of NYA's aggressive play in spreading the floor. Buckfield pulled away in the second half, showing it adapts very well to certain situations.

"If someone beats our No. 1 defense, we can play whatever we need to play," said Eastman. "We can switch until we find something that works the best."