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GLADSTONE---More than three decades ago, Doug Ingalls was a star player for the Gladstone Braves boys basketball team. He would go on to have a great collegiate career as a member of the Northern Michigan University Wildcats in the early 1990's.

Fast forward to Wednesdday, where Ingalls was back in Gladstone (albeit on a different court from the one he played on downtown), this time, coaching his son, Johnny, and his buddies in a winner-take-all regional championship game.

The Saints played well on the big stage, racing to a big 17-3 lead early on and coasting to an easy 62-38 win over the Ishpeming Hematites.

It's the first boys regional championship for St. Ignace since 2001, after the girls won many titles with Ingalls and his wife, Dorene, prowling the black-and-gold sidelines.

It was a moment that was not lost on Johnny Ingalls, one of the top players in the Upper Peninsula who rarely gets noticed on this end of the peninsula due to geography.

“It means a lot,” Johnny Ingalls said after he scored 26 points to lead his team to the win. “My dad played here, obviously, so it just feels good to come to his hometown and win. And it's just insane that I get to do this with my best friends since middle school. It's just fun to win with them.”

It was also a moment of joy for Saints senior Kevin Frazier, who's been through dozens of wars with his buddies and finally got to lift a trophy Wednesday night.

“The last three years, we lost in the first round every single time,” Frazier said. “So, this year, it's pretty special to do this. It means the world right now. It's the highlight of my life so far. It's pretty good.”

Frazier scored nine points to go along with Ingalls' 26 points. Nick Halberg also scored nine points, and Ethan McLean, the quarterback on the Saints' football team last fall, scored ten points.

Ishpeming's Cinderella story came to an end one win short of the first regional trophy in decades. The Hematites hadn't won one since 1998, but were in the mix this time after shaking off a season that saw them win just seven of their first 17 regular season games.

They won their final four regular season games, all on the road, and then won two games for a district championship, also on the road. Ishpeming's 60-54 come-from-behind win in the regional semifinals in Marquette on Monday capped off a seven-game winning streak, giving the Hematites hope for extending their season.

But on Wednesday, it came to an end underneath the Ingalls magic inside the Gladstone gym, and the Hematites had their season end with a 14-11 record. Eleven different players scored points for Ishpeming, but none broke into double figures.

For the Saints, they improve to 22-4 on the season, and will face a huge challenge in the state quarterfinals next Tuesday against Traverse City St. Francis.

The Gladiators are also 22-4 on the season, after beating McBain, 46-37, for their first regional championship since 2012.

TCSF's four losses have all come to larger schools.

“It's going to be a tough game,” Frazier said. “But if we play good, play together like a team, we can definitely do it.”

Game time next Tuesday is set for 7:00 at Gaylord High School.