BUCKFIELD – Coaches and boosters of the co-operative Buckfield/Dirigo football team approached players with a large bin that contained only a mounting pile of sweaty, mud-stained shirts and bad news.

The uniform collection represented the end of the program’s first varsity season. Blame it on the unseasonable, 70-degree temperature or the fact that he’s a senior, but two-way lineman Todd Kolln didn’t feel right about handing over his garnet-and-gray No. 71 jersey.

“I’ve been playing football since sixth grade. Next year I’ll go to Plymouth State and try to get started there,” said Kolln. “In a way it feels good, but in a way it’s kind of sad.”

Those good feelings were a product the game itself, a convincing 27-7 win over fellow Campbell Conference newcomer Cape Elizabeth, and a season in which both Western Class C “expansion teams” surprised everybody by winning one-third of their games.

Kolln, who had a hand in four tackles, was one of seven seniors appearing in his final contest for the Cougars (3-6). Each of them, appropriately, made a major impact.

Brandon Berry passed for a touchdown, recovered a fumble to set up another score and logged an interception. Jacob McAlister returned an interception 60 yards for Buckfield/Dirigo’s first score of the game.

Craig Langervin rushed for a TD and chalked up two quarterback sacks. Scott Wetherell finished with 134 all-purpose rushing, receiving and return yards. Tim Fortier grabbed Berry’s touchdown toss, and Harry Hayes delivered blocks that sprang the Cougars for several long gains.

“We wanted to end it with a bang,” said Wetherell, whose head coach is his father, Jim.

And in spite of all that attention focused on the past and present, the future doesn’t look shabby, either.

Freshmen flaunted their talent on the play that could serve as the centerpiece for the Cougars’ season highlight film.

Leading 21-7 but facing third-and-31 from his own 23 in the final minute of the third quarter, Jamie Henderson, who started for most of the season but shared time Saturday with Berry, dropped back to pass.

Henderson shook the pressure from Cape’s Mike Richards, squirmed away from two would-be tacklers and ran squarely into the back of an offensive lineman. Still standing, he looked downfield, probably out of self-preservation, and spotted fellow ninth-grader Spencer Berry near midfield.

With Henderson throwing the ball 40 yards on a dime, Berry made the grab and blazed a trail to the end zone for a touchdown that visibly demoralized the Capers (3-6).

“That was a freshman to a freshman, with a freshman blocking. Jamie threw a touchdown earlier this year that went 60 yards through the air. That’s pretty amazing,” Jim Wetherell said. “You look at the seniors we’re losing, but I expect us to be strong next year.”

The first-year teams demonstrated the fun, enthusiasm and ingenuity they brought to the conference this year in a wide-open game that featured halfback option passes, flanker option passes and against-the-grain runs that turned sure losses into huge gains.

Buckfield/Dirigo had command throughout after taking a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. McAlister’s runback got it going.

A 26-yard punt return by Wetherell fueled a seven-play drive on the Cougars’ next possession, capped by the 11-yard TD pass from Brandon Berry to Fortier.

Berry and Henderson combined for 195 yards through the air.

In the final minute of the quarter, Langervin, a bruising fullback, barreled in from 3, two plays after Berry’s fumble recovery at the Cape 9.

Cape scored with 1:31 remaining in the first half when receiver Kyle Toot faked a reverse and delivered a 42-yard strike to Zach Nedwell.

Elliot Cohen rushed for 101 yards for the Capers, who committed four turnovers and were sacked four times.

“This was our first really strong win of the season,” said Scott Wetherell. “Our heads were in it the whole game.”

Buckfield/Dirigo also beat Traip and Winthrop. But even in the six losses, the Cougars took pride in knowing that they left a lingering impact on more experienced opponents.

“After our game at Madison,” coach Wetherell said, “I walked by the training room and there were about eight Madison kids in there. You don’t want to see anybody get hurt, but football’s a tough game, and as a coach you kind of like that.”

koakes@sunjournal.com

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