As the celebration swirled around him following the Bulldogs’ 62-51 win over Kirksville on Friday night at The Sports Complex, Drew Blevins paused to reflect on the season.

“We worked so hard,” he said. “We had ups and downs but kept battling. Look where it got us.”

Where it got them was a district championship – Mexico’s first since 2013 – and a berth in the sectional bracket.

The hugs and tears and ritual cutting down of the net were warranted after the Bulldogs incredible and unexpected 21-3 season. Kirksville, after all, did not make it easy on the hosts.

Early in the fourth quarter, fighting for an offensive rebound, Michael White had the foresight to slap the ball toward a nearby white jersey. Daeye Miller grabbed it and scored on a layup to give Mexico a 54-39 cushion that seemed comfortable at the time.

But the Tigers’ rallied, putting together a 9-0 run. Blevins finally broke the spell, converting a pass from Miller, who then pulled a little chicanery on an inbound from half court on the next possession.

Raef Yager appeared unable to find an open teammate, holding the ball as long as he dared. Suddenly Miller raced toward the rim unguarded. Yager hit him in stride for an easy two.

“We knew they were coming to trap,” Miller explained, although he didn’t expect to be so open.

And it’s no wonder.

“We just drew that up,” head coach Darren Pappas said. “We had never run that play before.”

The gamble proved crucial. Kirksville’s Keaton Anderson responded with a three, making it a 7 point 58-51 game with a minute on the clock.

Miller and White rolled in layups to secure the district title.

“We played as a team – defense, stops, playing hard,” White pointed out.

That was evident from the opening tip. On the Tigers’ first possession, Jordan Mitchell held his ground while Kirksville’s Noah Copeland drove toward the rim, drawing a charge.

For a time it looked like a contest between Copeland and Mexico’s Isaiah Reams. The prolific Bulldogs’ guard scored 8 of the home side’s first 12 points. Copeland put up game high numbers – 26 points on the night.

But ball movement and defense kept the Bulldogs in front. On back to back possessions in the second quarter, Reams first fired across the court to a flying White for a lay in. Next he found yager angling into the paint for another.

When Copeland sprung a personal 8-2 run on Mexico late in the period, a hustling block of an Anderson break by Yager and a jumper by Blevins after several offensive rebounds broke Kirksville’s momentum.

“We just kept our focus,” Reams said. “It’s an amazing feeling.”

Reams led the offensive barrage with 19 points on the night. Miller kicked in with 13 and Blevins 10. Yager almost joined the double-digit roster, throwing up 9, while White tacked on 6.

“It says a lot for them,” Pappas said of the win, the title and the season. “I’m just so proud of them.”

The Bulldogs advanced to the sectional round of the state tournament for the first time in seven years. They were scheduled to play at Kearney on Tuesday night.