Sports

Ranked first and second in the final AP poll for Division 4, the contest did not disappoint between the Jeffers Jets and Munising Mustangs. Arguably the biggest game for Munising since the 1930 U.P. State Championship game, Munising came from behind to defeat Jeffers 52-43 in Negaunee on Tuesday, March 21.

Piper Grabowski, a hockey player and eighth grader at Munising Middle/High School, will be joining her team at the USA Hockey 14U National Championships this weekend. Grabowski is a forward for the Northern Michigan K-Stars, a travel team out of Kalkaska and her team qualified after winning the Michigan state championship earlier this year.

The Munising Middle/ High School gymnasium was packed by fans of the Baraga Vikings and the Mackinaw City Comets on Tuesday, March 14, as the local school hosted the MHSAA Division 4 Quarterfinals. It was the last basketball game of the season played in Alger County.

The Northern Lights League has announced their all-conference teams for the boys and girls basketball season. Munising Baptist’s Ryan Swift finished in second in the voting behind NLL Player of the Year Brayden Altoft of Maplewood Baptist.

The U.P. Football All-Star Game draft took place on Saturday, March 11, setting up some unique teammates and adversaries in the exhibition contest.

The Munising Mustangs boys basketball team won the District Championship on Friday, March 10 at Big Bay de Noc with a convincing and controlling 70-44 win over the Rapid River Rockets. Munising started the game with a 18-0 run while Rapid River failed to score from the floor until the second quarter. Ten different Mustangs scored in the game, with all 15 players getting meaningful minutes. Trevor Nolan led all scorers with 24 points, 21 of which came from behind the three-point line. Cully Trzeciak had 10 points. Ian Sundling had 16 to lead Rapid River.

For the first time in 69 years, the Munising Mustangs are regional champions. “I think it’s a special group of kids right here that really wanted this,” Munising Head Coach Terry Kienitz said.