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.

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.

The Puck of the Irish Tournament is an annual tradition that’s spanned nearly three decades to date, and generations of hockey players. Current and former coaches and players describe it as a favorite weekend of the youth hockey season and a perfect way to wrap up the long, cold, hectic winter of hockey. Last weekend, the 26th Annual Puck of the Irish Tournament was held in Bay City.

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.