COEUR d'ALENE - The top-seeded Moscow Bears got out and ran on the second-seeded Lakeland Hawks early in the first quarter, and did enough down the stretch to hold on for a 62-51 win in the 4A Region 1 basketball championship game on Wednesday night at North Idaho College's Rolly Williams Court.

Moscow, which won its fifth straight regional title, led 16-2 midway through the first quarter.

"Moscow played really well and did what they needed to do to get the win," Lakeland coach Dave Stockwell said. "We just couldn't get the ball in the hole when we needed to."

Moscow (9-11) advances to state next week at Borah High in Boise. The Bears will open against the runner-up from District 5-6 next Thursday at 5:15 p.m. PST.

"It's never guaranteed, but is nice to hear those numbers," first-year Moscow coach Aaron Dail said of the Bears earning a fifth straight trip to state. "But it gets harder to repeat on. Every time we played Lakeland this year, they improved. Lakeland has some special players and they make you battle. We got a nice big lead, but they battled right back into it."

Lakeland cut the deficit to 50-43 after the fourth quarter, but Moscow closed out the game in the final two minutes with Adam Gresch scoring six of his 18 points in the final quarter.

"The run was nice, but it's scary at the same time," Dail said. "When you get a lead like that, it's easy to let off the gas, and against Lakeland, you can't do that. It didn't win us a game, but it was a hell of a start to get the jitters off and get a good start."

Jake Ram scored 15 points and Tyrel Derrick added 11 for Lakeland, which finished 14-8.

"Their defense was really tough tonight," said Derrick, a junior who was named league MVP following the game. "They took us out of our offense, but our guys fought through a lot of adversity and came back and made it really tough. It just showed the fortitude of our players and coaches."

Lakeland graduates three seniors - Hayden Nosworthy, Justin Dove and Derek Bayley.

"Every year is a new year, but we've got some kids that really came out strong," Stockwell said. "At the beginning of the year, I didn't know what we had, but all of a sudden, the light clicked and we really started to play well. I thought they did an outstanding job this season and the coaching staff did a great job with the kids."

Lakeland 10 8 25 8 - 51

Moscow 18 11 21 12 - 62

LAKELAND - Ram 15, Nosworthy 0, Cooper 4, Derrick 11, Roth 0, Henry 0, Knight 0, Bayley 8, Plunkett 7, Ray 7.

MOSCOW - Gresch 18, Martin 4, Akey 15, Stephens 0, Robertson 0, Verlin 0, Niehenke 4, Gorton 0, Ellison 17, Davis 4.

ALL-INLAND EMPIRE LEAGUE TEAM

MVP - Tyrel Derrick, jr., Lakeland

Coach of the Year - Aaron Dail, Moscow

Newcomer of the Year - Cooper Spalding, jr., Sandpoint

MOSCOW - Adam Gresch, sr., Jack Akey, jr., Nick Ellison, sr. LAKELAND - Derek Bayley, sr. SANDPOINT - Jeremiah Gagnon, sr.