By Kalle Oakes,Staff Writer

AUGUSTA – They couldn’t find much to celebrate Saturday morning at Augusta Civic Center, so Buckfield fans improvised.

With more than four minutes remaining in a 76-32 Western Class D boys’ basketball quarterfinal manhandling by seven-time defending regional champion Valley High of Bingham, a hundred or so Bucks faithful mustered a mighty chant.

“Ja-RED! Ja-RED!” they serenaded senior Jared Martin. He smiled sheepishly from halfway down a diminished bench, towel adorned about his neck.

Must be one of those unsung hero, Rudy-type kids, right? Last guy to get a uniform at tryouts, eh?

No, and no. Martin is Buckfield’s starting point guard. The reason anyone wearing a garnet sweater or jacket wanted him in the game was dubious, at best.

Every other starter for No. 6 Buckfield – Jamie Henderson, Jeff Bennett, Chris Reuter and Danny Hayes – had already fouled out. Maybe the bleacher creatures figured they’d use sarcasm to demonstrate absurdity and playfully pull for Martin to join the ranks of the disqualified.

Let’s not kid ourselves. Buckfield (9-11) took two on the chin from the Cavaliers during the East-West Conference campaign. The Bucks had little faith and no expectations that the third time was a charm or that they’d break an eight-year spell in this forum.

But with the mandated, three-man officiating crew turning the 9 a.m. eye-opener into a whistlefest, neither team established anything remotely resembling a flow.

“That was ridiculous,” Buckfield coach Cam Cowett said succinctly.

Valley (16-3) couldn’t engage in its customary running and gunning, either. Astonishing total fouls (54) and turnovers (57) saw to that.

With Buckfield standouts Henderson, Hayes and Bennett yielding most of their quality minutes to reserves and JVs, Valley dominated the backboards and set up shop at the foul line.

Junior reserve Eric Hatfield led the Cavaliers with 19 points. He also yanked down seven rebounds and made four steals.

Mark Hyland, one of five seniors playing a role in his 12th career game on this floor, scored his 10 points all in the first quarter, including two step-back-and-let-it-rip 3-pointers.

“Our plan,” said Hyland, “was to go right after their big guys and not let them get anything easy.”

Henderson, Bennett and Hayes all reached double figures in a preliminary round win over Waynflete. Saturday, they combined for only 10 points.

Primary frontcourt reserve Sean Ridge fouled out, too, with three points.

Valley went 32-for-50 from the line, two successful free throws shy of the Western D single-game record.

Martin led the Bucks with nine points, all in the first half. Freshman Andrew Litchfield amassed five points and three steals.

“The (athletic directors) all have to fill out a form recommending 10 referees for the tournament pool,” Cowett said. “Well, none of these officials were on our AD’s list.”

Ridge was the victim of perhaps the most questionable call. After drawing an offensive foul by stepping in front of Tyler Giberson along the baseline, the burly junior tried to rile up a sedate Buckfield crowd with his team down by 20 in the first half.

As he ran back up the court, Ridge held his hands to his sides and waved them skyward, the universal sign language that says “make more noise.”

He received a technical foul.

Hyland says his team’s tournament experience has taught them to accept any level or style of officiating.

“You can’t let it get into your head,” he said. “You can’t let it take you out of your game.”

For Buckfield, though, the end result was seeing most of its players physically ushered from the game.

“It’s crazy. Our kids never got a chance to play,” lamented Cowett.