Eskymos, Jets Eliminated; Menominee Wins In 2OT

The Menominee High School boys basketball team captured its first regional championship since 2008 Wednesday night by beating Benzie Central, 60-56, in double overtime.

At the same time, Escanaba and North Central lost their title games, while Rudyard won a regional championship on the east end of the Upper Peninsula.

DIVISION TWO---ESKYMOS FALL SHORT

The Escanaba Eskymos were trying to repeat as Division Two regional champions but could not make the big shots down the stretch against the Cadillac Vikings at Petoskey High School.

The Esymos led, 11-8, after the first quarter but scored just six points in the second quarter and trailed, 19-17, at halftime. The Vikings led, 34-31, entering the fourth quarter before pulling away to win, 54-45, behind a 20-point fourth quarter,

Big man Cole Jenema led Cadillac (19-5) with 25 points.

Escanaba, with seven seniors, including four in the starting five, finished its season 19-5.

Colin Hudson led the Eskymos with 20 points.

DIVISION THREE---MAROONS WIN NAILBITER
The Menominee Maroons fell behind by as many as ten points in the third quarter, but rallied in the fourth quarter to force overtime against Benzie Central at Sault Ste. Marie High School.

The Maroons, playing in Division Three for the first time after many years in Division Two (or Class B) trailed, 25-18 at the half and had chances to win at the end of regulation and at the end of the first overtime, but couldn't hit the shot. Finally, in the second overtime, Cooper Conway had a big basket inside and Aiden Bellisle drained a triple to put the Maroons in front.

Bellisle led Menominee (21-3) with 23 points. Brady Schultz added 13 and Conway scored 12.

Quinn Zickert led Benzie Central (20-4) with 22 points. Jaxon Childers added 19 points.

Menominee plays in the state quarterfinals on Tuesday night against Grayling.

DIVISION FOUR---EWEN-TROUT CREEK HOLDS OFF NCA JETS
The North Central Jets made a late push but could not overcome a 22-point deficit and lost to the Ewen-Trout Creek Panthers, 56-44, in the Division Four regiolnal final in Negaunee.

The Jets slowed down the high-powered ETC offense in the first quarter, trailing just 9-5, but the Panthers outscored the Jets, 33-15, over the next two quarters to lead, 42-20.

NCA battled back in the fourth quarter, with Bradey Anderson and Brody Mercier both knocking down triples to close the deficit to 51-44 with a little more than one minute left to play. But the Jets didn't score again and the Panthers finished it at the free throw line.

ETC was led by Eric Abrahmson's career night of 31 points. Jaden Borseth, who was scored more than 2,000 points in his Panther career, was held to seven points.

Anderson led NCA with 14 points, and Luke Gorzinski added ten points.

The Jets finished their season with a 19-5 record.

ETC improved to 21-3 and will face Rudyard in the state quarterfinals on Tuesday,

The Rudyard Bulldogs rolled into the Division Four state qurterfinals Wednesday night with a 51-37 win over the Onaway Cardinals in the regional championship game in Pellston.