Ten years is a long time to wait for a celebration.
Just ask the Boise High baseball team. For the past decade, Braves teams have been spectators as other large-school teams from the Treasure Valley have celebrated district and state titles.
But on Thursday night at Eagle High, the Braves finally had their moment to dance.
Boise scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning to beat perennial district champion Timberline 7-3 and claim its first 5A District Three championship since 1998.
Timberline had won the past two district titles and four since 2000. Boise celebrated for the first time since winning district and state titles under current Timberline coach Larry Price in 1998.
"It's incredible," fourth-year Boise coach Jeff Hultberg said. "I know those guys are so excited right now. They're excited, they're living in this moment, but I think they are very aware of what is going to happen next week."
Boise (25-2) earned the top seed from District Three to the 5A state tournament and will play the No. 2 seed from District Four-Five-Six in the first game at 10 a.m. on May 15 at Borah High.
"We've been working toward that all year," senior Sean McDonald said. "We're just now starting. This is where it all begins. We're going to state now and we're going to play harder and harder."
Timberline (23-4) begins state play against Borah (12-15) at 7:15 p.m. on May 15.
The last of Timberline's three state titles came in 2004, when the Wolves did not win the district tournament.
"This could be a blessing in disguise," Price said.
Boise and Timberline tied for the 5A Southern Idaho Conference title with 16-2 records.
On Thursday, the decisive play was not a clutch hit or a key pitch to win the game. Instead, Boise scored the winning run on a balk.
McDonald was a pest on the bases all game. He went 3-for-4 with a double, scored three runs, stole two bases and was hit by a pitch.
And the center fielder/pitcher took advantage of key mistakes by Timberline during the big sixth inning.
Timberline pitcher Zack Anderson looked like he was going to pick off McDonald at first base, but the senior took off for second base and beat the throw from first baseman Chris Kerns. McDonald then stole third and later trotted home on the balk by Anderson. Timberline pitchers walked three batters and committed two errors in the sixth. Boise took advantage with four runs.
"It was a really good feeling going up on those guys and we just didn't look back from there," said McDonald, who took over on the mound with two runners on and one out and retired the final two batters of the game.
Boise pounded out 10 hits, while Braves starter Charlie Pollock held Timberline to four hits and three runs. Wolves outfielder/pitcher Braden Tullis tied the game in the third with a two-run home run and Kerns tied the game 3-3 when he stole home in the fourth.
Pollock pushed on. He struck out five and walked one to earn his second win of the district tourney and seventh overall.
"It's been awhile," said Pollock, one of 15 seniors on Boise's team. "The program's been building since the split (in 1999) with Timberline. I think that's why this is partly better for us because we beat the best team."
