It was the last hurrah for Heather on Saturday night although, clearly, she didn't want it to be.
Heather Buck, the Stonington center who is bound for UConn next year, did everything she could to keep her Stonington Bears in the Class L state tournament. She scored 39 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and played defense wherever she was needed.
In the end, East Lyme just found too many weapons as the Vikings scored from where ever Buck was not present; beyond the 3-point arc, driving the back door, getting rebounds on the weak side.
Buck held back the tears afterward as she realized her storied, four-year high school career had come to an end.
But she will have plenty to look fondly back on, a state championship, 2000-plus career points and just about every award conceived.
The nice thing for those who have followed her career, they won't have to go far to continue to watch her progress as she takes her show to UConn to play for the best women's college team in the nation.
She may have been a little saddened last night, but Heather Buck has plenty to be happy about too.
Just a little aside, the state semifinal sites have been set. East Lyme will play Pomperaug at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Branford High School in Class L. Also on Tuesday, the Wheeler Lions meet Bloomfield at 6 p.m. in Manchester. On Wednesday, Montville stays close to home as it meets Avon in a Class M semifinal at 6 p.m. at NFA.