Todd Rose | Daily Press Escanaba coach Tracy Hudson talks with his team during a timeout against Cadillac in an MHSAA Division 2 Regional 9 Final Wednesday in Petoskey.

PETOSKEY — Nine points separated the 2021-22 Escanaba Eskymos from repeating as MHSAA Regional 9 Champions Wednesday night as they were defeated by the Cadillac Vikings 54-45 in Petoskey.

It was a three-point game as the fourth quarter began with the Vikings up 34-31. Connor Smale put up a two-point shot for Escanaba just 15 seconds into the quarter to make it a one-point game. However, that is as close as the Eskymos would get to the regional title in the final 7:45 of play.

Just 13 seconds later, Casey Bray was called for a shooting foul on Cadillac’s Jaden Montague. When Bray turned to the official commenting, “He just fell.”

He was given a technical foul which put Montague on the line for two more shots. He sank all four.

This changed the dynamic of the game, said Eskymos coach Tracy Hudson, as the Vikings just had to keep the ball out of Escanaba’s hands.

“I feel like that one play really had a huge impact on the game. I don’t know what happened, and we never really got an explanation,” coach Hudson said. “But that created some separation.”

It wasn’t the first time in the night Bray was on the receiving end of what Escanaba fans in attendance felt were some questionable calls on the part of the officiating crew.

Late in the third quarter, Bray took several shoulder shots to the face resulting in a bloody nose. There was no call made to stop play even as blood poured from Bray’s nose to the floor, and Jared Hanson yelled to one referee, “He’s bleeding! He’s bleeding!”

It wasn’t until Colin Hudson was fouled that play was stopped, and, even then, it took a bit longer for Bray to receive any attention from officials. Play had to be suspended for several moments while the floor was cleaned up.

“We were on offense, and the ball got loose, and I thought there were some shots to my face they could have called,” said Bray. “I was bleeding everywhere. No call. Nothing. I had to come out and switch my jerseys and everything. … I had to go walk up to the ref and, literally with blood on my face dripping down, I had to go up to him, and he still didn’t notice until I pointed at my face.”

Bray’s Eskymos teammate Jared Hanson shared his feelings on the situation as well.

“It was a physical game in general and, obviously, some of the calls didn’t go our way, but that’s basketball sometimes,” Hanson said. “I thought we should have been stopped when we had a guy bleeding, but it happens. Maybe they didn’t see it; it is what it is. We moved on, and the game played out how it did.”

Both Bray and Hanson added how much they have enjoyed this season of basketball as well as how much their teammates mean to them.

The Eskymos did hold the lead several times throughout the game, going up 11-8 at the end of the first and opening up the second half by going up 23-19.

In total, they led five times at different points of the game.

When it comes to the loss, coach Hudson felt the team had nothing to hang their heads about.

“It didn’t go our way tonight. We came here to win a regional, and we didn’t,” he said. “We don’t have anything to be ashamed of. We didn’t back down. We battled, and we scrapped.

“And Cadillac is a very good team. They made the plays when they had to, and I wish them the best.”

The season overall, Hudson said, was “a great ride,” but how it ended will stick with him for a bit.

“We could have very easily been one of the elite eight, but it didn’t work out,” he said. “This game will sit with me for a while just because I think we were as good of a team. We had them on the ropes a little bit, and they had us on the ropes. It kind of went back and forth. We just weren’t able to pull it out. But, it doesn’t take away the fact we had a great year.

“It’s probably been the easiest group I’ve ever coached. I think they got the most out of themselves. They got to the regional final and had a chance to win.”

Colin Hudson had 21 points in his final high school basketball game to lead the Eskymos, while Smale and Hanson had eight, Trevor Brown five and Bray three.

The Vikings’ Cole Jenema and Jaden Montague collected 43 of their team’s 54 points with 26 and 17, respectively.

Cadillac coach Ryan Benzenberg was quick to share his admiration for coach Hudson — who he has known for a number of years — and the Eskymos team following the game.

“We knew coming in it was going to be a really tough game,” Benzenberg said. “Eight years ago, in my first year here, I played coach Hudson in our regional final in the Sault, and him and I have developed a long-distance friendship since then. We text quite a bit, and I was just excited to see him. I haven’t seen him in so long, and I gave him a big hug when I saw him.”

One point that both coaches agreed on is just how equal they both were.

As Benzenberg put it, “If we play each other 10 times, it’s probably 5-5. I really believe that.”

The Eskymos end their season with an overall record of 19-5 and a district title to their name.

More than that, there will be a lasting impact because of the team and its seniors — Connor Smale, Nathan Howes, Colin Hudson, Zach Morehouse, Jared Hanson, Trevor Brown and Adam Willette — said coach Hudson.

“My seniors have been great, great leaders,” he said. “They’ve been great role models for the community, and they’ve been great students. We’re just super proud of the mark they’ve left on Escanaba basketball. They’ve continued the tradition.”

Cadillac 8 11 15 20 — 54

Escanaba 11 6 14 14 — 45

Cadillac — Jenema 26, Montague 17, Main 2, Gurden 2, Howell2, R. Wade 2, K. McGowan 2, Goetz 1; FT: 19-26; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Jenema 4, Montague.

Escanaba — Hudson 21, Smale 8, Hanson 8, Bron 5, Bray 3; FT: 12-17; Fouled out: Bray, Hudson; 3-point field goals: Hudson 3, Hanson 2, Bray, Smale.