CLINTON – Then there was one.
At the beginning of the 2025-26 MHSAA boys basketball season, 12 teams from Lenawee County took to the hardwood looking for postseason glory.
Only one team was able to capture an MHSAA district title as Onsted brought home a trophy in Division 3, meaning the Wildcats are the last remaining Lenawee County team on the boys side of the bracket.
Well, those pesky Wildcats are still hanging around after the first round of regional competition and it is safe to say you do not want to see them lurking around in the same gymnasium as you, because they are downright dangerous.
That was never more evident than Tuesday night when Onsted settled in and put together another impressive defensive battle, defeating the usually high scoring squad from Whiteford by the score of 54-33.
So, What Happened?
Onsted took control of the regional semifinal early on, racing out to a solid 13-7 lead after one quarter thanks to a balanced scoring effort.
The second quarter saw the Wildcats push their lead a little further, outscoring Whiteford 10-9, extending the lead ever so slightly to 23-16 at the half.
It was a break of adjustments, and the break did wonders for the Wildcats offense. Scoring big for Onsted was Cole Wells with seven points, Mason Chesser with five points, and Rylan Henagan with six points, including a 4 for 4 effort from the free throw line. In all the Wildcats outscored Whiteford 21-13, pushing their lead to a near insurmountable 44-29 after three full quarters.
Any remote chance Whiteford had at a comeback was quickly squashed as the Wildcats buckle down hard on defense on the way to a 10-4 fourth quarter. That allowed Onsted to pull away for the dominant 54-33 victory.
Top Performances
Mason Chesser, Onsted – Chesser was big in the key semifinal win over Whiteford, leading the team with 17 points and six rebounds
Rylan Henagan, Onsted – Henagan was clutch in the start, scoring in double digits with 11 points
Sean Symington, Onsted – Symington came up big in a role off the bench, providing a huge spark with 11 points
Bryson Sutherland, Onsted – Sutherland had a solid all-around effort in the victory, scoring six points while pulling down five rebounds.
What Comes Next?
With the loss Ottawa Lake Whiteford’s 2025-26 season ends abruptly with a record of 24-1.
On the flip side, the Onsted Wildcats improve to 23-2 overall on the season with the victory. Onsted’s next action will come Thursday when they travel to Clinton to take on the team from Ecorse in the Division 3 regional finals beginning at 7 p.m. at Clinton High School on Thursday.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Onsted boys basketball roll past Whiteford into regional championship
Reporting by Troy Tennyson, The Daily Telegram / The Daily Telegram
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
