The Carney-Nadeau girls basketball team celebrates with its MHSAA Division 4 regional championship trophy on Wednesday after a win over Ewen-Trout Creek in Gladstone. (Escanaba Daily Press photo by Todd Rose)

GLADSTONE — Utilizing strong shooting both inside and out, the Carney-Nadeau girls basketball team (21-0) defeated Ewen-Trout Creek 59-41 Wednesday night to win an MHSAA Division 4 regional championship.

“It is just an awesome feeling,” Wolves coach Ken Linder said after his team improved to a perfect 21-0. “I am so happy for these girls. They have worked their butts off. “

In the first quarter, the Panthers (17-2) got off to a hot start with Elise Besonen scoring 11 points — including three of her six triples — to put E-TC up 14-6 with two minutes left in the quarter.

The Wolves got back in it, though, as Tessa Wagner — who recorded a huge double-double with 28 points and 19 rebounds — hit for two, and Taylor Kedsch knocked down a 3 to shrink the lead to five at the quarter break.

“We started out not too bad,” Linder said. “They just started really good. They made their first five or six shots. They started out red hot.

“I love how we responded. We came right back and got it close before the quarter and pretty much took over the game from there.”

Anchored by Wagner’s scoring and solid rebounding, the Wolves took the lead 29-23 heading into halftime. They outscored the Panthers 10-8 in the third, and then put together a strong fourth, doubling E-TC’s scoring, 20-10.

For the second postseason game in a row, Taylor Kedsch had a phenomenal night shooting. She went 5 for 5 on 3s to total 15 points. Chloe Grand added a pair of triples as the Wolves were 7 of 7 overall from triples range.

Elise Besonen had 22 points for her final high school game to lead the Panthers.