Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Charlie Sturgis (15) and his Manson Northwest Webster teammates celebrate their district title on Tuesday in Sac City. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

SAC CITY — The Manson Northwest Webster boys have officially entered uncharted territory.

The Cougars clinched the program’s first-ever district championship and substate berth here on Tuesday, erasing a fourth-quarter deficit to eliminate Ridge View by a final of 66-63.

Senior Logan Moline, MNW’s freshly-minted all-time scoring leader, had 26 points as the Cougars (19-5 overall) fought back from seven points down at the start of the final period to prevail. Head coach Caleb Wubben’s squad will now square off with third-ranked West Lyon at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday evening at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake for a Class 2A state tournament berth.

“I’m just so proud of this team,” Wubben said. “This really goes all the way back to the offseason, when we put out an open gym schedule or opportunities to play and we’d almost always have nine or 10 guys show up. They bought into each other and believed in each other from day one.

“To be down seven in the last quarter of a district title game and fight our way back speaks to their competitiveness, trust and belief. Just to be in this position is amazing.”

Last night’s tilt between MNW and the Raptors (21-2) was a game of spurts. The Cougars led 7-0 right out of the gate, but Ridge View immediately responded with a run of their own. It was a single-possession contest at halftime.

The Raptors were up 57-50 heading into the last quarter. MNW pulled even to open the period, though, and eventually came out on top.

“We really buckled down defensively late,” Wubben said. “To only give up six points to a Ridge View team that had lost just once (before Tuesday)…the gameplan was to keep attacking on offense and get stops on defense. The kids did both.”

The Manson Northwest Webster district consolidated in 1989, and the first season of Cougar boys basketball was in ’90-91. There were many successful squads and postseason pushes through the years, but never a district crown until now.

“I think back to our season opener…we were down seven at Humboldt with three minutes left, but we came back and won (77-73),” Wubben said. “We’ve maybe never been in this position before (tournament wise), but we were confident and didn’t panic when we got down (entering the fourth).”

Coy Moline added 12 points and Kelan Koval had eight for MNW, which has won 10 in a row since dropping consecutive close decisions to St. Edmond and Emmetsburg in mid-January.

“Our seniors have been our leaders,” Wubben said. “If you go back to their freshman year, we weren’t that great. But they’ve bought into each other and developed the culture of our program one step at a time.”

The Cougars are now 49-21 in the last three campaigns combined. Their 19 wins this winter has tied a program record for a single season.

MANSON NW 66, RIDGE VIEW 63

Manson Northwest Webster — Coy Moline 12, Matt Condon 7, Broc Patzner 5, Logan Moline 26, Charlie Sturgis 4, Grant Pohlman 2, Kelan Koval 8.

Ridge View — Kellen Jensen 22, Adam Stephan 11.

Quarter scores: RV led 18-14, 35-33, 57-50.