"The big thing I was worried about was if my foot was on the line," Bridgewater said.
Bridgewater said that his coach, Dustin Keltner, had drawn up the coach just seconds before it happened. Froid/Medicine Lake had 34-31 lead with one free throw attempt to ice it with five seconds to go. That free throw was missed and a pass by Jesse Pfau found Bridgewater open for three. That tied things up 34-34 at the end of regulation.
In overtime, Thomas McClure scored the first five points of the period for Arlee and Junior Sansavere hit two big free throws to put Arlee up 44-39 with 16.1 seconds to go. A miracle three-pointer went of Froid/Medicine Lake but McClure hit a free throw at the end to add to the Warriors' lead and send them to the state championship game.
Trae Burland led Arlee with 17 points while McClure had 11.
Froid/Medicine Lake took the early 5-4 lead after the first, then Arlee picked up the pace in the second and took a 14-12 lead into the locker room at halftime.
After exchanging leads in the third, Arlee went into the fourth with the advantage again, 23-20. Burland scored nine of his points in that period.
Froid/Medicine Lake would have the 34-31 lead with just mere moments left in the game before Bridgewater's late-game heroics.
Arlee will play Scobey at 8 p.m. on Saturday for the state championship.
Arlee - 4 - 10 - 9 - 11 - 11 - 45
Froid/Medicine Lake - 5 - 7 - 8 - 14 - 8 - 42
Warriors scoring - Trae Burland 17, Thomas McClure 11, Junior Sansavere 7, Casey Bridgewater 6, Jesse Pfau 4
