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By CHRIS DOBROWOLSKI

News Sports Editor

ROGERS CITY - Anyone who saw Rogers City play Inland Lakes twice during the regular season would've never expected Friday's boys basketball district championship game to transpire the way it did.

The Hurons blew out the Bulldogs by 25 and 30 points in the two previous meetings this season, but with the district trophy on the line Rogers City got all it could handle before taking a 54-40 win at Rogers City High School.

The victory gave Rogers City back-to-back district crowns.

Was Rogers City overlooking the Bulldogs? Without question, if you ask the Hurons.

"They came to play," said Rogers City senior guard Erik Meharg. "I think we were looking at it like it was going to be too easy. We thought we were going to blow them out. They came out with intensity and we didn't. They gave us a run for their money."

Rogers City head coach Jesse Streich said he could tell with much certainty that his team was overconfident.

"I can tell. They took our boys by surprise," said Streich. "We didn't come out on fire like we did on Wednesday. We remember last year when Hale came in here 21-1 and we beat them. We kept telling them, 'don't let it happen to us.'

"We found a way to win and that makes me proud."

Inland Lakes fell behind 24-16 at the half as Rogers City outscored the Bulldogs 7-0 to end the first half. Then, after a basket by Meharg put the Hurons ahead by 10 - their biggest margin to that point - Inland Lakes scored nine unanswered to get within one, 26-25, with 4:15 to play in the third period.

Rogers City (13-9) struggled with sloppy play, which allowed the Bulldogs to mount their comeback. The Hurons like to play at a fast pace, but it wasn't the controlled up tempo speed that is typical.

"Inland Lakes came out and punched us in the eyes," said Streich.

Inland Lakes never took the lead in the second half, but hovered within two to four points until nearly halfway through the fourth quarter when the Hurons finally pulled away. Rogers City finished the game on a 11-0 run to clinch the win.

Meharg, who led all scorers with 20 points, hit two of the bigger shots in the game. His third three-pointer of the night to start the fourth quarter padded Rogers City's lead to six, 37-31. He added another triple two minutes later to put his team ahead by seven.

"He's a good ball player. He does everything for us," Streich said of Meharg. "To me, he's the best player in Northeast Michigan."

Senior guard Blaine Daily led Inland Lakes (8-14) with 13 points.

Rogers City advances to Monday's regional, where it plays Mesick or Mason County Central in Traverse City. Streich said the Hurons are going to need to bring a better effort if it is going to keep playing beyond Monday.

"If we play like that on Monday it's going to be a long bus ride home," he said.

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ROGERS CITY (54): Quaine 3 0-0 6, Wilbert 0 1-2 1, Bober 1 0-0 2, Vogelheim 3 0-0 7, Szumila 0 1-2 1, Meharg 7 2-2 20, Wagner 3 0-0 6, Bellmore 2 1-2 5, Waibel 1 3-6 6, Hilla 1 0-0 2.

INLAND LAKES (40): Dailey 5 2-2 13, Connelly 2 0-0 4, Elliot 3 0-0 6, Cochran 3 1-2 8, Gahn 4 2-4 11, Vizina 1 0-2 2.