Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette The Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Blue Bolts are all smiles in their MHSAA Division 4 District 98 championship win over the Baraga Vikings on Friday in Baraga.

BARAGA- Jesse Kentala summed up Friday night’s MHSAA Division 4 District 98 title game the best. The Dollar Bay- Tamarack City boys’ basketball coach said,” It was high school basketball at its best- what a fun game.”

It was a game that saw a lead change or two and one in which the Blue Bolts prevailed with a 51-42 victory before a very crowded gym. The win puts the team in the regional semifinals on Tuesday.

“Hats off to Baraga,” he added. “They are a good team and well coached. They played physical and exposed us with their inside game.”

The two teams battled back and forth in the first with the Vikings staying on top 13-11.

In the second they improved that lead to six points at 19-13. However, the Blue Bolts seemed to fall into a groove and tied it at 21 with a few minutes left. While the Vikings (15-7) scored six more to close out the period, the Blue Bolts scored juts two. It was a 27-23 Baraga lead at half much to the pleasure of their coach, Jon Boever.

“We had lost to them (Dollar Bay) twice by more than10 points already this season,” he explained. “So to be ahead at half in such a big game was already a huge accomplishment. I could not be more proud of these guys and the effort they put in.”

On the other bench, coach Kentala was not worried about being down at half. So he claims.

“We have veterans on this team, and we are battled tested,” he said.

While the first two quarters belonged to the Vikings, the send two were all Blue Bolts. This one was won in the third as the Blue Bolts outscored the Vikings 20-8. They tied it at 33 and 35 before going on a 8-0 run to end the third. They now led 43-35.

“That run really helped us, noted Kentala. We had enough separation now where we could get the job done. We were in a very good position to play our style of basketball.

Despite the Viking coming within three points at 40-43 and 42-45, they couldn’t not catch the Blue Bolts in the final period. Good free throw shooting by Liam Tourtillott and Caleb Kentala sealed the win at 51-42.

I am very proud of the guys,” stated coach Kentala. “This is a big deal to win districts and certainly a goal we set out to meet at the beginning of the season.”

UP NEXT

The Blue Bolts will face the Bessemer Speedboys for a MHSAA Division 4 Region 25 semifinal on Tuesday at Houghton High School. Tip off is set for 7 p.m.