The road taken to advance to the Final Four would be a short drive should the winner of the Northport Class D District advance.

With Leland the overwhelming favorite, it seems natural for Comet coach Jason Stowe to look at a road map to the Breslin Center on the campus of Michigan State University, where Class D semifinals and finals will be held March 13 and 15.

A map to the quarter finals won't be needed. Regional games for the Northport District champ will be hosted by Traverse City Central Monday and next Wednesday, March 3 and 5. The quarterfinal will be played Tuesday, March 11, at Traverse City West.

Of course, there will be some competition along the way.

The favorite to come out of the Arenac Eastern district, which will play the Northport District winner Monday, is Mio, Stowe believes. The Thunderbolts whipped up on District opponents Au-Gres Sims (54-11) and Arenac Eastern (84-22) in regular season meetings.

A win Monday would advance the Northport winner to the Regional finals contest, and a likely confrontation with Bellaire or Ellsworth. The teams split in meetings this season, and both are highly regarded. Bellaire bounced Leland in Regional play a season ago, 67-47.

“That would be just fine with us,” said Stowe of a possible rematch with Bellaire. “But we have to take care of our District first.”

Looking further down the road, should Northwest Conference foe Frankfort advance it would not meet the Northport District winner until the quarterfinal match at Traverse City West.

Cedarville, ranked No. 1 in Class D, would play the West quarterfinal winner in a semifinal game at the Beslin should it advance.