By DOUG DONNELLY

doug@monroenews.com

BLISSFIELD — The Whiteford Bobcats made it look easy Wednesday with an 81-43 District semifinal win over Morenci in a game that featured a running clock for a good part of the second half.

”I’ve never been involved in that, either for or against me,” said Bobcat coach Brad Stevens after his team improved to 19-3 on the season. “It was a good team win all the way around.”

After a close win Monday against Blissfield the Bobcats left no doubt in this one. Dave Gust scored the first two baskets of the game and made it 8-2 early in the first quarter as Whiteford continued to gain momentum.

Quick passes and strong rebounding helped the Bobcats to a 21-8 first quarter margin. Jake DuPree scored eight straight points to open the second quarter and Jake Ritzenthaler’s 3-pointer closed out the first half with Whiteford leading 52-21.

The second half was just as kind to Whiteford. Cody McCartney, Kevin Fischer and Josh DuPree all chipped in baskets during a third-quarter Bobcat run as the lead swelled to 65-24 with 3:45 left in the quarter. The rest of the second half was under a running clock as most of the Bobcat starters stayed on the bench in the fourth quarter. The Bobcats lead stayed around 40 points the rest of the way.

”Dave (Gust) kind of did it early and often and that opened things up,” Stevens said. “Cody (McCartney) was hitting the boards and we weren’t giving them many second shots.”

Jake DuPree led all scorers with 18 points, with his brother Josh chipping in 16, Gust 16 and McCartney 13 points and a dozen rebounds. Ritzenthaler had 7 in a solid effort off the bench. No one on Morenci (7-14) reached double figures.

Whiteford has reached the District finals for the first time in Stevens’ five seasons on the bench. Madison (21-1), a team that beat the Bobcats twice, including by 23 points last week, will be the opponent. The finals are at 7 p.m. Friday.

”We have to prepare for a solid defensive effort,” he said. “(Madison) will try and take Josh out of his game. That’s what everybody has tried to do the last couple of weeks. Tonight, it was nice to see Josh get focused and get everyone else involved. That’s a sign of maturity.”

Whiteford 21 31 21 9 = 81

Morenci 8 14 8 13 = 43

WHITEFORD: Fischer 2 0-0 5, Bunge 0 0-2 0, Josh DuPree 7 1-2 16, Hansen 0 1-2 1, Jake DuPree 7 2-2 18, Pant 1 0-0 3, Gust 7 2-2 16, McCartney 4 5-6 13, Keeling 1 0-0 2, Ritzenthaler 2 2-4 7. Totals 31 13-20 = 81. Three-point field goals: Josh DuPree 1, Jake DuPree 2, Pant 1.

MORENCI: Wolf 2 0 1-2 5, Hoadley 1 0-0 3, Ries 0 1-2 1, Barron 2 0-0 4, Jacob Bovee 2 5-6 9, Martinez 2 0-0 4, Swett 3 1-1 9, A. Tompkins 1 0-0 2, T. Tompkins 3 0-0 6. Totals 15 8-11 43. Three-point field goals: Hoadley 1, Swett

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