Dollar Bay-Tamarack City's Caleb Kentala works the ball up court Tuesday in a Division 4 Region 25 semifinal game against Wakefield-Marenisco in Houghton. (Eddie O’Neill/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — Last season, the Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Blue Bolts boys basketball team got this far, but no farther.

While the Houghton gym was technically neutral ground for a Division 4 Region 25 semifinal game on Tuesday between the Blue Bolts and the Wakefield-Marenisco Cardinals, Dollar Bay is a lot closer–by about 90 miles. That closeness certainly added to the Blue Bolts’ 72-39 win in the regional semifinal.

“This was exciting to have a team win tonight,” stated Blue Bolts coach Jesse Kentala. “It’s March Madness, and we get to play another game on Thursday.”

In short, the Blue Bolts jumped out to a 11-4 lead and never looked back.

This was the second time these two teams had met. In mid-January, the Blue Bolts (22-2) beat the Cardinals (15-8) in similar fashion, 72-49.

“We were able to break their zone and attack the rim,” added Kentala.

Kentala then praised the efforts of his team’s leading scorer. Liam Tourtillott finished with 34 points.

“There is a reason Liam Tourtillott was named Copper Mountain Conference Player of the Year,” Kentala said. “He took it to the hoop tonight.”

Tyler Jaehnig added 11 points and Noah Tourtillott had 10.

A 16-10 lead after one for Dollar Bay morphed into a 35-23 Blue Bolts lead at half.

The boys in white outscored the boys in red 18-2 in the third and led by as many as 30 (61-31) in the opening minutes of the fourth.

With that, Kentala and his staff were able to get all of the bench players in to close out the game.

“These guys really do care for each other,” he stated, “and it is fun to see them rooting each other on. It makes my job easy.”

Up next

With the win, the Blue Bolts will face North Dickinson (21-3) in a Division 4 Region 25 final in Negaunee Thursday. Kentala characterized the game as small (Dollar Bay-Tamarack City) versus large (North Dickinson).

“They are big and talented, and I know they beat a very talented Crystal Falls team,” he said. “We are going to have to speed this game up, play fast, and do some scouting.”