By DOUG DONNELLY

BLISSFIELD – With a couple of mid-season losses, Whiteford fell out of the Tri-County Conference race. Instead, they set their sights on the Division 3 district.

Those district dreams came true Friday as the Bobcats slipped in front of SMCC with about five minutes remaining, then held off the Falcons, 62-52, to win their first district championship since 2014. They never trailed over the final five minutes.

“This was the biggest thing we were looking forward to,” Bobcat senior Josh Hill said after he scored 18 points to help the Bobcats to the title. “This is what we worked for all off-season and all season. The season had some ups and downs, but all that matters is the ending.”

Hill kept the Bobcats in the game early. Every time it appeared SMCC might take control of the game, he hit a 3-pointer. Using some nifty side-stepping, step backs and coming off screens, Hill tied the game with a triple at 15-15 and 20-20 then gave Whiteford a 23-22 lead in the second quarter.

“Once you get hot, you just keep shooting, keep shooting and if they go in, they go in,” Hill said.

SMCC took its biggest lead of the game in the third quarter at 40-34 on three straight baskets by Buddy Snodgrass, including a two-handed dunk. Whiteford coach Nick Abalos quickly called a timeout to settle down the Bobcats.

Out of the timeout, Lincoln Joerin knocked down a triple and Ryin Ruddy converted a three-point play to tie it at 40-40.

SMCC went into the fourth quarter up three, but Hill got free for a layup to pull the Bobcats within one at 45-44. Drew Vuich gave SMCC its last lead of the game with a 3-pointer off a cross-court pass from Snodgrass to make it 48-46.

Joerin got a shot off from deep in the corner with 4:58 left in the game, then Hunter DeBarr scored on a short jumper with 3:39 left to make it 51-48. Hill grabbed an offensive rebound on a layup and scored with three minutes left to make it 53-48.

SMCC’s Ian Foster hit a basket in the lane with 1:21 left to pull SMCC within 54-52, but the Falcons could get no closer.

From that point, the Bobcats did a great job of taking time off the clock and hitting free throws down the stretch. Free throws by Kolby Masserant, Ryin Ruddy and DeBarr sealed the game in the final minute.

In addition to Hill’s 18 points, Joerin scored 14, Ruddy 11 and Masserant 8. The Bobcats made eight 3-pointers as a team and shot 14-for-17 from the free throw line. Whiteford was solid on the boards with Ruddy and Masserant coming down with key strays all game.

“I’m just excited and happy for the guys,” Abalos said. “SMCC is a great team. They are well coached. We knew it would be tough. They battled, we battled. They crash the boards hard. We knew we would have to do that to compete.”

SMCC coach Randy Windham gave credit to the Bobcats.

“They didn’t play their best on Wednesday,” he said. “I had a feeling they were going to put it together for tonight. They did a good job.”

Foster had a big game with 19 points while Vuich scored 12 and Snodgrass 10. SMCC also hit eight 3s.

The Falcons close the season 16-9. They were 4-7 at one point in the season but went 9-1 in February.

“It took this team a little bit of time to understand what it means to be a champion type team,” Windham said. “I’m super proud of them. We are losing some seniors, some great human beings, but we have a ton coming back. We expect to be right back here next year.”

Whiteford (16-8) advances to the Division 3 regional at Grass Lake where they will take on Ypsilanti Arbor Prep at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

SMCC 17 17 11 7 – 52

WHITEFORD 17 15 10 20 – 62

SMCC: Hines 1 0-0 2, Foster 7(3) 2-2 19, Kuehnlein 1(1) 0-0 3, Snodgrass 5 0-2 10, Zachel 2 0-0 4, Vuich 4(4) 0-0 12, Treece 1 0-0 2. Totals 21(88) 2-4 52.

WHITEFORD: L. Joerin 4(3) 3-4 14, Hill 7(4) 0-0 18, DeBarr 2 2-4 6, Masserant 2 4-4 8, Parker 2(1) 0-0 5, Ruddy 3 5-5 11. Totals 20(8) 14-17 62.