After a two-year absence, the Clinton County High School Bulldog boys’ basketball team laid claim to the championship title of the 16th District Tournament last Friday night.

The Bulldogs earned the championship title in resounding fashion, leading wire to wire and cruising to a 69-51 win over district rival Russell County in the tournament played at Cumberland County High School in Burkesville.

The Bulldogs will now advance to the 4th Region Tournament this week where they take on the runner-up team from the 14th District, Bowling Green’s Greenwood High School.

The 4th Region Tournament is being played in Diddle Arena on the campus of Western Kentucky University, with first round games on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, followed by the semi-final and championship games next Monday and Tuesday, March 6 and 7.

The Bulldogs, coached by Todd Messer, has put together a highly successful season that will see the team heading to Bowling Green this week with a 22-9 overall record. Greenwood, defeated in the 14th District championship game by Bowling Green, will take a 19-13 record into Wednesday night’s contest against C.C.H.S.

Friday night’s victory over the Russell County Lakers marked the sixth straight year those two teams have met in the championship game of the 16th District Tournament, with Clinton County’s victory this year giving each team three championship titles during that stretch.

This year’s trip to regional tournament competition also marks the sixth consecutive year the Bulldogs have earned the right to compete on the regional level either as a district champion or runner-up, the most successful consecutive regional tournament run for boys’ basketball in the history of the school.

The Gators of Greenwood will bring a 19-13 record into Wednesday night’s game against Clinton County. The Gators fell to the Purples of Bowling Green in the 14th District championship game by a score of 89-48.