The Clinton County Bulldogs traveled to Russell County Friday night to take on Cumberland County in the championship game of the 16th District Tournament.

When the final buzzer sounded, the Dawgs had picked up the first back-to-back district championship title since 1960-61 by a final score of 66-61.

Cumberland County drew first blood with a three pointer and an early lead in the game.

Caleb Guffey cut the lead to two points on a basket in the lane, but the Panthers extended its lead on a field goal at the 6:51 mark, 5-2.

Clinton County then put together a 7-0 run to take a 9-5 lead with 3:27 remaining on the clock in the first quarter.

Cumberland County tied the score at nine from two free throws and a field goal.

With the Dawgs being cold as ice from the floor during the first quarter, every point helped and Guffey took the lead on a field goal with 1:20 on the clock, 11-9.

Cumberland County tied the score at 11, but a field goal by Evan Dearborn with four seconds remaining gave Clinton County the two point edge as the quarter ended, 13-11.

The second quarter is where things got really interesting for the Dawgs.

During the first couple of minutes it was business as usual for both teams.

The score went back and forth up until the 5:40 mark when Cumberland County took a one point lead, 19-18.

At the 5:10 mark, Chase Stines hit a field goal off a screen on the baseline to put the Dawgs up by one, 20-19.

With a defensive stop, Clinton County scored again on a drive by Stines for a 22-19 lead at the 4:35 mark.

Cumberland County hit one of two from the free throw line to cut the lead to two points, and then the three pointers started to rain down.

Blake Melton hit his first three pointer at the 4:04 mark and put the Dawgs up by five points, 25-20.

Cumberland County then hit a three pointer to cut the lead to two points, but a banking three pointer by Bryson Cross put the Dawgs up by five, 28-23 with 3:24 on the clock.

At the three minute mark, Melton floated in his second three pointer to give the Dawgs an eight point lead, 31-23.

The Panthers hit two free throws to cut the lead to six points, but a field goal by Guffey and Melton’s third three pointer put the Dawgs up by 11 with 1:31 on the clock before the half, 36-25.

Guffey finished the half scoring for Clinton County with two free throws and Cumberland County scored a field goal to make it 38-27 at the half.

As the third quarter got underway, the Panthers scored first to cut the lead to nine points, but Nick Delk hit a field goal at the 6:54 mark, followed by a free throw by Cross for a 41-29 Bulldog lead.

The Panthers cut the lead to seven with a three pointer and a field goal, 41-34, but Stines went to the line and dropped in two for a 43-34 lead.

Cumberland County hit a field goal with 5:01 on the clock, but Guffey went to the line and hit one of two to put the Dawgs up by eight points, 44-36.

Guffey went back to the line at the 3:53 mark and hit another free throw to put the Dawgs up 45-36, but a field goal by the Panthers cut the lead to seven points with 3:05 on the clock.

By the end of the quarter, Clinton County would finish scoring three more points and Cumberland County scored a field goal to put the score at 48-40 at the end of the third.

The fourth quarter got really intense for Clinton County fans. After spending most of the second and third quarter with a commanding lead, Clinton County saw that lead diminish somewhat in the fourth quarter.

Cumberland County opened up the quarter with a 9-4 run to cut the lead to three points, 52-49, with 5:41 on the clock.

Guffey stopped the bleeding with a field goal, 54-49, but a field goal by Cumberland County again put the Panthers to within three points, 54-51.

Nick Brown drove the lane at the 4:08 mark and hit the basket and was fouled sending him to the line for the three point play, 57-51.

A three pointer by Cumberland County put the Panthers to within three points at the 3:45 mark, 57-54, before Guffey hit a wide open shot on the baseline at the 3:40 mark, 59-54.

Cumberland County had the hot hand in the final minutes and continued to match Clinton County point for point.

Guffey hit another basket at the 2:49 and was fouled sending him to the line to complete the three point play, 62-56.

Cumberland County went to the line and hit two free throws to cut the lead to four points, then on the next possession, intercepted a pass and drove down the floor for a layup to cut the lead to two points, 62-60 with 1:42 on the clock.

Clinton County then threw the ball away again at the 1:20 mark and fouled Cumberland County, sending them to the line for two shots. Cumberland County made one of two to cut the lead to one point, 62-61.

The Dawgs worked the half court and the clock down to 46 seconds and Stines was fouled, sending him to the line.

Stines hits one of two for a two point lead, 63-61. On the next possesson, Delk made a steal and on the drive to the basket, was fouled, sending him to the line for two shots. Delk hit one of two for a three point lead and 28 seconds remaining.

Cumberland County then lost the ball on a tie up jump ball with the possession awarded to Clinton County with 15 seconds remaining.

Stines was sent to the line with 13 seconds after immediately being fouled on the inbounds pass. He hit one of two to put the Dawgs up by four, 65-61 and to seal the deal for the Dawgs.

Cumberland County missed its last attempt to score in the game and during the final seconds, fouled Dearborn, sending him to the line for two. Dearborn hit one of two to reach the final score of the game and give the Dawgs the 16th District Championship, 66-61.

Individual scoring for Clinton County was:

Stines 17

Guffey 17

Melton 9

Brown 8

Delk 7

Cross 5

Dearborn 3

Clinton County will travel to Bowling Green for the 4th Region Tournament on Wednesday night to play Franklin-Simpson in the final game of the first round at 7:45 central time.

The results of that game will be in next week’s edition of the Clinton County News.

Above, Nick Delk put up a three pointer during the first half of Clinton County’s game against Cumberland County in the district finals Friday night. Below, Evan Dearborn put up a shot in the lane against Cumberland County. Clinton County won the game by a final score of 66-61, and the second district title in back-to-back years.

Chase Stines drove the lane for two points during the first half of Clinton County championship game against the Panthers of Cumberland County. The Dawgs defeated Metcalfe County in the opening round to advance to the finals to defeat Cumberland County 66-61, for the second district title in back-to-back years. Stines finished with 17 points.

Nick Brown drove the baseline and put in a basket during the first half Friday night during the district championship against Cumberland County. Brown finished with eight points as the Dawgs won the game, 66-61.