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The Warriors controlled the game in the first half, but the Eagles hit eight 3-point field goals in the second half to get back in the game.

A few calls that went against the Warriors didn't help, but it was the Eagles' long-range shooting that served to wipe out Forest Area's early lead.

"It was a tough one for us to lose,"Forest Area coach Bobby Nix said. Forest Area bounced back, however, with a 58-37 rout of Onaway last Friday night. Despite splitting their Ski Valley Conference games last week, the Warriors still have a shot at finishing second in the league.

Mitchell Core paced the Warriors against the Eagles with 18 points and he also hauled down 5 rebounds. Tyler Denike added 14 points and 8 assists.

Karl Snyder and Sam Runkel contributed 9 points each, while Matt Kelly and Bob Hatfield scored 8 apiece. Runkel also had 8 rebounds to lead the Warriors, and Hatfield pulled down 4.

The Warriors jumped out to a 15-5 lead at the end of the first quarter, and kept building on it in the second. It was 31-17 at the half, and the Eagles could feel the pressure.

Forest Area still held a 51-40 lead heading into the fourth, but the Eagles tied the game at the end of regulation, 5959.

"Bellaire has been in that situation before,"Nix said. "They know when to calm down and relax. Our kids just got overwhelmed.

"It's something they can hopefully learn from going into districts.Ó

Denike had 14 points and 5 steals to lead the Warriors past Onaway. Runkel followed with 12 points and pulled down a team-high 12 rebounds.

Hatfield contributed 10 points and 8 rebounds. Core finished with 9 points and 6 rebounds.

Forest Area had a good shooting night, hitting 40 percent of their field goals.

Even more impressive was the Warriors' defense, which pestered Onaway into making only 25 percent of its field goal attempts. The game was close early.

Onaway stayed right with the Warriors throughout the first half and made them work for every basket.

But, the Warriors led at every quarter break. It was only 14-13 after the first quarter, but the Warriors stretched that to 32-21 at the half.

Forest Area really pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring Onaway 13-6 to take a 45-27 lead into the fourth quarter.

"That was a good win coming off the disappointment Wednesday for us,"Nix said.

With several teams vying for second and third place in the conference, the next three games loom extremely large for the Warriors.

Forest Area, 11-6 overall and 8-6 in the Ski Valley, is at Mancelona tonight (Wednesday), host Gaylord St. Mary on Friday and plays at Central Lake on Feb. 19.

In districts, the Warriors play the Mesick-Manton winner.