In this file photo Trevyn Feasel, left, of North Union attempts a layup past a Centerburg defender. The Wildcats have returned to this year’s district title game against the same opponent that knocked them out of last year’s title game, Johnstown-Monroe. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
Last year, the North Union boys basketball team capped what up to that point had been a perfect season by working its way past a difficult Africentric squad to find itself playing for a Division III Central District title.
The No. 3 Wildcats took their 23-0 record up against No. 7 Johnstown-Monroe.
The Wildcats had high hopes of claiming the district crown.
That dream, however, fell short for North Union by only three points (46-43), ending their run of perfection and their season.
The Wildcats find themselves back in the district championship game at 7 p.m. on Friday and once again facing the Johnnies.
This time, though, the No. 4 Wildcats find themselves as the underdog on the No. 3 Johnnies’ home court.
Coach Brian Terrill said that is exactly how he wants it.
“I told the boys, it is at their place, they are supposed to win, they beat us last year and no one is going to give us a chance to win,” he said.
With COVID-19 impacting this season, the better-seeded teams host games through the district finals.
North Union won’t go into the title game with a perfect record, but they are bringing a sterling 19-3 record.
The Cats’ losses have come against local rivals Jonathan Alder and Fairbanks.
Terrill believes those losses have made his team better this season.
“I think the watershed was the Fairbanks game,” he said.
Fairbanks toppled the Wildcats back on Dec. 22 by a score of 56-52.
It was North Union’s fifth game of the season and Terrill said he hadn’t used the full potential of his bench.
“It was a wake-up call for me,” he said. “I hadn’t got us playing fast yet and it got me asking myself what am I waiting for?”
The change expanded the number of players that have seen floor time from six to nine.
Terrill, however, had early reservations about the new expansion with three of those players being freshmen, Nolan Draper, Mason Bright and Max Parish.
“It is so hard to put three freshmen on the floor,” Terrill said. “It has never been done before on my watch.”
Now with a season worth of experience under their belts, Terrill believes those young players could be the difference in Friday’s game.
“It might come down to the kids who weren’t in the game last year and which one of those guys plays the best,” he said.
The freshmen, though, will be on the floor with a team that has the experience and talent to be in this year’s title game.
Preston Crabtree, Trevyn Feasel, Zach Vernon, Aaron Krebehenne and Owen Davis all played in last year’s district title battle.
They saw just how close they came to claiming the championship.
Terrill believes that brush with success will help the Wildcats in this year’s rematch.
“They know how close we were,” he said. “It was literally one of two games in which we were out-rebounded.
“In my opinion, we lost the game on the boards and missed a couple of key free throws.”
With another tight battle on the horizon, Terrill used a boxing adage to explain his teams chances at win.
“We will see,” he said. “We’ve got a puncher’s chance.”