For the Bucksport Golden Bucks, a second-place finish in Class C for 2001 wasn’t enough.

The team had failed to make the playoffs in the two seasons before that, posting 4-5 marks each year. This year, nearly 50 players flew around “Camp Gold Ball,” punishing each other and then racing to the next drill in preparation for 2002.

“A lot of people think they can look past us now, that we’ve had our shot [at a championship] and we’re done,” senior linebacker and fullback Marcus Boober said. “This group has grown up with this system and we know it. Now it’s matter of perfecting it and picking up where we left off.”

Bucksport graduated 17 seniors from a team that went 10-2, but eighth-year head coach Joel Sankey isn’t worried as he returns 17 seniors and 11 juniors.

Clay Burgess, a senior transfer from Edward Little High School, weighed into camp at 250 pounds and will give the snaps to senior quarterback Dow Cain. Joining Burgess on the line will be junior Nick Norwood (320), senior Mike Dargon (190), junior David Mushrall (220), and junior Evan Kottrel (200) as they try to protect Cain in his efforts to create a pass attack.

Sophomore wide receiver John Harvey, 6-foot-4 and 185 pounds, showed potential in the preseason with a 40-yard dash of 4.4 seconds and a strong leaping ability.

“He has the potential to be the best receiver in the state at any level: A, B, C, or D,” Sankey said. “On top of that, he is an outstanding defensive end and he can punt the ball over 40 yards.”

Cain, who started as a sophomore in place of an injured Chris McHale, returned to the bench last season when McHale came back from a torn ACL (knee). Cain will again control the offense in 2002 and looks to improve on a passing attack that ranked 10th in the LTC during the 2001 regular season with 333 yards in the air, compared to 2,323 on the ground.

Senior Trevor Lalonde, 5-9, 165 pounds, and junior Josh Johnson, 5-8, 170, round out the wide receivers. Sophomore Joey Carmichael, 6-1, 190, and junior Shane Martin 5-11, 180, at tight end, provide Cain an assortment of weapons should teams decide to double Harvey.

The Golden Bucks return junior tailback Chris Woodman, 5-10, 170, who led the team in rushing last year with 703 yards at a rate of 6.8 yards per carry. He also scored 10 touchdowns. Providing additional muscle in the backfield are senior Phil Harvey, 6-1, 210, and Boober, 5-8, 210, who will split time at fullback.

The Bucksport 4-4 defense, renowned after allowing six points per game and forcing 28 turnovers for eight touchdowns during the 2001 LTC regular season, is as deep as ever and will be led by Dargon (52 tackles), Cain (4 interceptions), Lalonde (43 tackles), Boober (52 tackles), Phil Harvey (77 tackles), Woodman, Mushrall, Gunner Siverly, and John Harvey.

All-Conference kicker Lalonde rounds out the well-rounded Bucksport attack. He converted 38 of 40 extra-point attempts and connected on all six of his field goals in the regular season.

BUCKSPORT GOLDEN BUCKS

2001 results: 10-2, state Class C runner-up

Head coach: Joel Sankey, 8th year

Key players: Dow Cain, QB-DB, Sr.; John Harvey, WR-DE, So.; Chris Woodman, RB-LB, Jr.; Trevor Lalonde, K-LB-WR, Sr.; Phil Harvey, FB-LB, Sr.; Marcus Boober, LB-FB, Sr.; David Mushrall OL-LB, Jr.; Mike Dargon, DL-OL Sr.; Gunner Siverly, RB-DB, Sr.

Outlook: Bucksport will return the talent and athletic ability necessary to win its first state championship since 1973, but needs to define its player leadership on and off the field. The team will also be walking around with a large bullseye on its collective back after going undefeated in the LTC last year. Five of the Golden Bucks’ nine regular-season games this season, however, come in the comfy confines of Carmichael Field, where they were undefeated in 2001.