The streak lives on for Madisonville-North Hopkins.
But Caldwell County gave the Maroons a battle for most of the night.
Madisonville won its 15th straight 7th District championship Friday night, turning back the Tigers 55-46 at Maroon Gym. The Maroons last failed to win the district title in 2009.
Madisonville (17-15) also extended its winning streak against Caldwell to 19 straight, going back to February of 2017.
Hopes were building for the blue and golf when Caldwell took a 28-26 lead to halftime.
But Madisonville’s defensive pressure began to take its toll on the Tigers in the second half.
Caldwell played most of the game without starting point guard Carter Whittington, who tried to go with an ankle injury but had to come out of the game after just a few trips up and down the court.
Still, Caldwell (19-13) fought Madisonville to a 37-37 standstill through three quarters.
However, the Maroons got a 3-pointer from Landen Smith and a soaring tip-in by Kanyon Johnson early in the final frame to get out to a 44-38 lead.
Caldwell twice got back to within two points — the last time at 46-44 following two Jaydarius Wilson free throws with 3:20 to play — but the Tigers could never draw even again.
A bucket in close from Wilson with 59 seconds to play still had Caldwell within 49-46.
Johnson pushed the Maroon lead back to five when he hit two charity tosses with 54 seconds to go.
Madisonville then capped its district championship with a pair of dunks from Johnson and Smith down the stretch as the Maroons took their biggest lead of the night at 55-46.
Smith finished with 15 points for Madisonville while Johnson had 13 and Aaron Richardson 12.
Wilson flirted with a triple double for Caldwell, totaling 21 points, 13 rebounds and eight blocked shots. Demaurius Thompson added nine and Collin Whittington had eight.
The Tigers haven’t won a district championship since 2007.
Both teams advance to next week’s 2nd Region tournament at Hopkinsville High School.
As a champion, Madisonville will draw another district’s runner-up in the first round — either Trigg County, Union County or Christian County.
As a runner-up, Caldwell is looking at a difficult draw against a district champion. The Tigers will get either Lyon County, Henderson County or University Heights Academy in the first round of the regional.
Caldwell County 11 17 9 9 — 46
Madisonville-NH 14 12 11 18 — 55
Caldwell County (19-13)—Wilson 21, Thompson 9, Co. Whittington 8, Lander 5, Hammett 3.
Madisonville-North Hopkins (17-15)—Smith 15, Johnson 13, Richardson 12, Ratcliff 7, Bryant 7, Cheirs 1.
