Bulldogs Season Ends in Regional Final Loss

From the opening tip the Portland Red Raiders showed why they are the defending Division 2 state champions as Portland ended the Chelsea girls' basketball season 47-22 Thursday night.

Portland won the opening tip and broke in for a lay-up just two seconds into the game and never looked back against the Bulldogs.

The Raiders defense was swarming all over the court as the Bulldogs struggled to even get a shot off in their half-court offense. Chelsea had just two shots in the game with two minutes left in the first quarter as Portland built a 12-0 lead. It seemed that everywhere the Bulldogs went with the ball there was a Portland hand there to swat the dribble or block the shot for the first six minutes of the game.

The Bulldogs finally got on the board when Megan McCalla laid one in, and she would sink a pair of free throws with four seconds left in the quarter as Portland built a 14-4 lead after one.

Megan McCalla goes up for two against Portland. Photo by Mike Williamson

The Portland lead grew to 20-6 midway through the second. A Leila Wells triple cut the lead to 20-9 and the Bulldogs showed some life, but the Raiders answered with an 8-2 run to close the half to make it 28-11 at the break.

Wells opened the second half with a triple to cut the lead to 28-14, but a 10-0 run by Portland would ruin any hopes of a comeback by the Bulldogs. Braiden Scheffler hit a triple to snap the Raiders run, but Chelsea would get no closer as Portland rolled to the win.

The Bulldogs field a roster of 6 sophomores and three freshmen, as well as one junior. They lose three seniors from this year's squad with only one seeing significant playing time throughout the season. There is no doubt that if the Bulldogs stay healthy that they will be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come and the next time they reach a regional final the outcome may be different.

McCalla and Wells scored eight points each to lead Chelsea. Scheffler and senior Katie Wickman scored three each.

The Bulldogs finished the season with a 20-4 overall record. They won their fifth straight SEC White tile and second consecutive district title. The future is bright for Chelsea girls' basketball.

Photos by Mike Williamson