Just before tipoff of the Hereford-Dulaney boys basketball game, Bulls athletic director Mike Kalisz grabbed a microphone and asked the overflow crowd to make as much room as possible in the packed bleachers for a long line of spectators waiting to get into the gym.
It turned out to be a big game that didn't live up to the advance billing.
No. 15 Hereford had five players in double figures and cruised to a 74-66 victory over No. 8 Dulaney Friday night at Hereford High School.
The Bulls (18-2) had a double-digit lead for more than half the game. When the final buzzer sounded, Hereford's fans stormed the court.
The victory clinched the Bulls' first appearance in the Baltimore County championship game in school history.
The game will be played Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Catonsville or Woodlawn at Towson University's SECU Arena.
"We haven't beaten Dulaney for a while," said Hereford coach Jim Rhoads, whose team cracked The Sun's boys basketball high school ranking for the first time in 13 years this week. "It's probably been four years. We just played well at both ends of the court against an awfully talented Dulaney team."
Senior forward Scott Isett led Hereford with 17 points and teammate Gabe Ceribelli, a senior point guard, added 15 points. Chase Waganer (11), Ben Bittner (10) and Aaron Geschwilm (10) also scored in double figures.
Senior guard Scott Harrelson had 18 points and eight rebounds for Dulaney (16-4), and Gary Bernardez contributed 14 points.
Rhoads said his team was "so jacked up" for the game, and the Bulls looked like it from the beginning.
Hereford hit four of its first five shots to build a 10-4 lead in the first 5:17. A 12-4 spurt to open the second quarter had the Bulls in command, 30-16.
Hereford led, 38-29, at halftime and shot 58 percent (18-for-31) during that stretch.
"We haven't been down (14 points) this year," Dulaney coach Matt Lochte said. "We had no sense of urgency whatsoever. Let me be clear: We were outcoached and outplayed. Period."
Hereford had another 12-4 run to the start the third quarter to make it 50-33 with 3:13 remaining.
The Bulls led by double figures until Dulaney found some late-game magic.
The Lions, who also got 14 points from Joey O'Dwyer and 10 from Jair Williams, used an 8-2 run to cut the advantage to 71-66 in the final minute before Hereford closed the scoring with three consecutive three throws.
"They are disciplined, playing with confidence and really believe in one another," Lochte said of Hereford. "They execute, don't turn the ball over and limit the opponent to one shot. They are not a fluke."
No. 15 Hereford 74 No. 8 Dulaney 66
H—Isett 17, Ceribelli 15, Waganer 11, Bittner 10, Geschwilm 10, Lewis 7. Totals: 32 7-11 74.
D— Harrelson 18, Bernardez 17, O'Dwyer 14, Williams 10, Richardson 7. Totals: 26 8-12 62. Half: H, 38-29.