AUGUSTA - The record for most free throws by one team in a Class D girls' basketball championship game fell in 2007 and was matched Monday night.

Coincidence? Buckfield co-coach Troy Eastman suspects not.

"Sometimes," said Eastman, "it just feels like they're called a little different than a Class C game."

Woodland was tough as everyone expected, walking away from Augusta Civic Center with a 59-45 victory and its fourth Class D crown since 2001. The Dragons might have hoisted the Gold Ball no matter what style the title game took on.

But watching the Eastern Maine visitors attempt 35 free throws, sinking 21, while in the double bonus for the entire second quarter and most of the fourth surely didn't help the Buckfield cause.

Three starters - Alyssa Henderson, Lindsay Henderson and Ashlee Hamann - fouled out in the fourth period.

Their gradual departures, and the limitations of being neck-deep in foul trouble in the first place, nullified the Bucks' hopes of making any further headway against a deficit they reduced from 18 points to 10.

"Being in the double bonus the whole second quarter, I don't believe we ever got into the one-and-one," Eastman said. "And that's against a team that presses and is in your face and plays tough."

In fairness, there were plenty of whistles directed at players in purple and gold, too. Buckfield was 12-for-21 from the stripe on the night itself.

Woodland star Courtney Cochran picked up her fourth foul with 3:10 remaining in the third quarter. It was in her absence that the Bucks nearly trimmed the disparity in half.

The Bucks led 9-1 and 13-8 in the first quarter before Emily Eastman, Tristen Newton and Hamann all acquired their second fouls. Newton, who was one of Buckfield's first players off the bench, returned there with No. 3 before quarter's end.

Somewhat miraculously, despite 14 Buckfield fouls before the break, nobody else was saddled with three. But that required Coach Eastman to go much deeper into his bench, much earlier, than he planned and preferred.

"Instead of playing to extend your lead, you're managing the game. It's just a different approach," he said. "When you've got your players sitting next to you instead of on the floor, it's easy to guard them."

Eastman acknowledged that the Bucks had to take some of the responsibility for running afoul of the gang in the striped shirts.

Excessive generosity - Buckfield gave away the basketball 40 times in all - forced the previously unbeaten Bucks to employ a style they hadn't used all year.

"Some of the foul situation, when we make a turnover and have to reach to get it back, that isn't really against your defense," Eastman said. "That's against your transition. Yeah, we fouled, but I think there were a lot of fouls on defense caused by our poor decision-making on offense."