WALES — Local donors raised more than $1,100 to give the Oak Hill High School football team an upgraded ride to Saturday’s state championship game in Portland aboard motor coaches. However, the team will be riding in standard school buses after all.

RSU 4 Superintendent James Hodgkin applauded donors’ willingness to help the team Tuesday, but he didn’t want to set a precedent for other championship teams at the school.

Nor did he want the football team to celebrate quite yet.

“We’ve got a 50-minute trip to Portland,” Hodgkin said. “We’ve gone all over the state on our school buses. The last thing I’m going to do is change the way we do business a week before the most important game we’ve played.”

Call it game-day superstition.

The team is scheduled to play Bucksport High School on Saturday for the Class D state title at Portland’s Fitzpatrick Field. The Oak Hill team hasn’t played in a state championship game since 1984 and hasn’t won it since 1982.

“I’m thinking if other sports went to states, something would be done,” said Oak Hill parent Katrina Cyr of Sabattus, who said she was saddened by the school district’s decision. “Unfortunately, it’s been all these years since we went to states with the football team. The community is very excited about it and would like to see our guys go down in style.”

However, no one checked with school administrators, the coach or the athletic director before raising the money.

Oak Hill has hosted other championship contenders and winners — such as its cheerleaders and its golf team — and they didn’t get a coach ride, Hodgkin said.

“Other schools do it,” he said. And, “if they do, they do it for everybody.”

Instead, the money raised will be used to help fund a post-game reception Saturday for the team at the high school in Wales.

“I asked our athletic director, (Jim Palmer), to call all of the people who donated and say, ‘Would you like your money back?,'” Hodgkin said. Most of the donors gave permission for the switch. Two asked for their money back.

The kickoff for Saturday’s championship game is scheduled for 2:36 p.m.

dhartill@sunjournal.com