Onekama Upsets Undefeated Traverse City Christian 46-40, Faces Wyoming Tri Unity Christian

Onekama handed previously unbeaten Traverse City Christian a 46-40 loss in the Region 27 MHSAA Division 4 regional final at McBain Northern Michigan Christian on March 5, advancing the Portagers to the Division 4 quarterfinals to face Wyoming Tri Unity Christian on March 10 in Big Rapids. The victory returned Onekama to the quarterfinals for the first time since the Portager head coach Nathan Bradford was a senior in 1997, a milestone that sent players and supporters into celebration at McBain NMC.

The game tightened late after Onekama carried a double-digit advantage into the fourth quarter. Onekama held a 10-point lead entering the fourth, and Onekama junior Ryan Hrachovina, wearing No. 14, delivered a third-quarter reverse layup that put the Portagers up 33-27. Traverse City Christian rallied in the fourth and at one point got within a few points of a tie, but Onekama held on for the 46-40 final. Photographs from the arena captured Onekama players, including Tyler Hart (11), Mitchell Falk (12) and Luke Bradford, celebrating with the regional championship trophy after the final horn.

The win followed a dominant regional semifinal performance by Onekama, which defeated Whittemore-Prescott 60-36 to reach the regional final. In that semifinal, Onekama opened quickly, scoring the game’s first 17 points, and rolled past Whittemore-Prescott, a program that entered the postseason with a 3-15 record. NationalToday recorded the 60-36 semifinal and noted the victory marked Onekama’s first district championship since 2018, underscoring the program’s recent upward trajectory.

Local reporting and game coverage identified Traverse City Christian as the No. 3-ranked Sabres entering the regional final and noted this was their first loss of the season. Onekama came into the game with a 16-10 record, and the upset at McBain reshuffled the Division 4 bracket as the Portagers prepare to travel to Big Rapids on March 10 to meet Wyoming Tri Unity Christian in the quarterfinal round.

Other regional results around the area included Ludington’s 50-42 win over Kingsford, Pickford’s 57-30 victory over Burt Lake NMC, and Menominee’s 67-50 defeat of Elk Rapids, results that finalize matchups as the Division 4 field narrows. With the regional trophy in hand and a return to the MHSAA quarterfinals that echoes a 1997 milestone for coach Nathan Bradford, Onekama will carry local momentum to Big Rapids on March 10.