Best Dayton Hoops Team In A Generation

SPOKANE -- The Dayton Bulldogs themselves may not have registered how far they got into the Hardwood Classic Final 8 last weekend, but for their coach and hometown fans it certainly did register.

After their 57-41 Saturday morning loss against the Wahkiakum Mules, the players were subdued and disappointed they didn't place higher.

But their coaches and members of their community showed up in big numbers applauded them for being the best high school basketball team in a generation.

They placed sixth in state.

"It's a big accomplishment," head coach Roy Ramirez said after the team's third game of the tournament. "They'll look back and appreciate what they did."

The Dayton boys were the first Bulldogs basketball team in 17 years to go the distance to the Final 8. They lost, 62-51, in their first matchup on Thursday night against Toutle Lake, a team that came in with 19 years of arena playoff experience.

On Friday, the Dogs came roaring back with a close but inspiring, 39-37, win over the La Conner Braves to advance the Dayton team to the fourth/ sixth placement game.

In the end, they couldn't overcome the somewhat faster and better-shooting Mules, who had just beaten the Lake Roosevelt Raiders the day before.

"They came out and shot better than us," Bulldog Wyatt Frame said about the 9:30 a.m. game against the Wahkiakum team. "I think the early game got us. We didn't get into our rhythm."

Still, several players could see past their morning defeat and reflect on their history-making season.

"It feels good to know we were good enough to make it up here and compete with the best of the best," Bulldog Hayden Fullerton said.

Frame agreed.

"We're glad we made it here," he said.