CHASSELL — It came a year late for the Chassell Panthers, but they played a near flawless game against the Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Blue Bolts on Friday night.

After beating the Bolts twice in the regular season a year ago, the Panthers came out flat in the district tourney final and fell to the eventual regional champions.

“Yes, this was the kind of game we needed last season,” Panthers coach Raphael Soumis said after his team’s 60-48 victory over DB. “But this is a season later …. and the situation is entirely different. The kids played together and that was the main difference.”

It marked the first loss of the season for the Blue Bolts, dropping them to 17-1 on the season — and maybe out of first place in the UPSSA Small School poll.

Bolts skipper Jesse Kentala said that Chassell simply outplayed his team.

“Hats off to them (Panthers),” Kentala commented. “Right from the very start they took us out of our pace …. and got into their pace.”

Chassell’s determination was evident from the get-go as they stretched a 14-9 lead after one period to 33-20 by the intermission.

Sophomore Karl Rautiola netted nine points in the frame, while Bill Rautiola hit a pair of three-point baskets.

“The Rautiola boys play off each other and they do it at both ends of the floor,” Soumis noted. “But I thought we played very good team defense.”

The Panthers defense swarmed all over Bolts scoring standouts Ashton Janke and Davin Hill, allowing them to score just 21 points between them.

“We didn’t get many good looks but we were cold shooting the ball. Ashton Janke and Davin (Hill) were off tonight,” Kentala said. “I can’t recall the last time they both had off nights.”

Chassell expanded the margin to as many as 20 points in the third quarter and took a 47-31 lead by quarter’s end.

The Blue Bolts pressed their way to within ten points at 52-42 in the final stanza before the Panthers put it away with some deadly work at the free throw stripe.

Karl Rautiola dropped in five charities, while Bill Rautiola nailed four more.

Karl Rautiola paced the winners with 22 points, while Bill Rautiola, who hit five treys, tossed in 19. Both grabbed ten rebounds.

Dean Pietila contributed eight points for the 14-5 Panthers.

Hill netted 11 points, while Janke put in ten to lead the Bolts. Connor LeClaire, AJ Datto and Brad Myylyoja all scored eight.

Chassell plays at LL-Hubbell next Thursday, while the Bolts go to Republic-Michigamme on Tuesday evening.

Scoring

Dollar Bay-TC 9 11 16 12 – 46

Chassell 14 19 14 13 – 60

DB-TC — Hill 11, Datto 8, Janke 10, Myylyoja 8, LeClaire 8, Kainiainen 3. FT: 4-5; Rebounds: 26 (Janke 9); Fouls: 14; Fouled out: Janke; 3-point FG: Datto 2, Janke 2, Hill 2, Kaniainen 1.

CHASSELL — K, Rautiola 22, Pietila 8, Holmes 7, B. Rautiola 19; Usitalo 4. FT: 10-14; Rebounds: 32 (K. Rautiola 10, B. Rautiola 10; Fouls: 5; Fouled out: None; 3-point FG: B. Rautola 5, K. Rautola 1. Holmes 1.