 The year was 1985. Ronald Reagan was president. New Coke debut and was scrapped. Michael Jordan was rookie of the year and the Bemidji Boys basketball team made it to the state tournament. That was the last time they made it to state 34 years ago and tonight they had a chance to get back as they took on the Sartel St. Stephen Sabres in the section championship game. Full house on both sidelines tonight. Lumberjacks looking to chop down the Sabres early. They came out flying on a 9-0 run, capped off by this running hook by Kate Peterson. Later in the first, Silas Hess grabs the board, goes coast to coast, finishing with the end, one to put Bemidji up three. Second half now and Colton Jensen gets the shot to go as he falls to the ground with the foul. Jax up by seven. Few possessions later Silas Hess drives to his left, dumps it off to his brother Ben Hess for the easy bucket. Jax go up 10. But Sartel, they would cut it to three and with five minutes to play, Hess finds Quincy Wilson in the corner, he buries the triple to put the Jax ahead for good. They win the section 8-3-8 title and they are going to the state tournament for the first time in 34 years. I won a high school basketball game, great crowd, a great energy in the gym, two good basketball teams and it wasn't over, it was over. I mean it was it was fun basketball. We started adjusting the officiating and just go straight up, not foul. I'm ecstatic, it was amazing, the atmosphere was amazing, not a lot of fun. Offense comes in goals for everybody and it was nice, definitely nice to have a start like that and I think if anything it got us some momentum and got the jitters out. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.