The Dollar Bay-Tamarack City boys basketball team poses after winning the Division 4 District 98 championship game over Baraga Friday at the Dollar Bay-Tamarack City gym. The Blue Bolts are Caleb Kentala, Baron Colbert, Bennett Stevens, Guyius Gerous, Landon Halkola, Niko Reed, Dane Torrey, Tyler Jaehnig, Connor Laitala, Liam Tourtillott, and Noah Tourtillott. (Eddie O’Neill/For the Gazette)

DOLLAR BAY — For the second year in row, the Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Blue Bolts boys basketball team are district champs. They won the MHSAA Division 4 District 98 title just like they did a year ago, by beating the Baraga Vikings, 49-43, Friday before a standing-room only crowd in their own gym.

“What a game. It was a great night for our team and our fans,” said Blue Bolts coach Jesse Kentala. “The boys kept their poise down the stretch, and were able to pull it off. I am very proud of the effort.”

This was the third time these two teams had met. Both teams had wins during the season. In fact, Baraga (16-7) was just one of two teams that beat Dollar Bay (21-2) during the regular season.

The Blue Bolts set the tone in the first with a 14-9 lead. The Vikings got closer in the second by outscoring the Vikings, 12-8. It was just a one-point game with the Blue Bolts leading, 22-21, at the halfway mark.

“We were up by one, and I told the boys to keep the course,” said Kentala.

They did just that by moving a 24-24 tie in the third to a 35-28 lead with eight minutes to go.

With 1:02 left in the game, the Baraga boys got within three at 45-42, but ended up putting a very good free throw shooting team on the line (11-of-15) and the boys in white iced the game by six.

“Liam Tourtillott gets the game ball with some key threes there at the end,” Kentala said.

He had 10 points–all of them coming in the third and fourth quarters. Baron Colbert led the Blue Bolts with 19.

The Vikings had three players in double figures. They included Easton Foucault with 18, Daniel Connor had 13, and Landon Smith sunk 12.

“To say that I am proud of my team, would be an understatement,” said Vikings coach Jon Boever. “While we came up on the short end of this one, the boys gave everything on the floor tonight. They have no reason to hang their heads.

“We may have lost tonight, but there are so many things to be proud of this season.”

Up next

The Blue Bolts will advance to a Division 4 Region 25 semifinal game Tuesday against Wakefield-Marenisco at Houghton High School. The opening tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.