From watering holes to locker rooms, expats and rival schools, up north and at the arena itself, fans rooted for the Munising Mustangs in the 2023 MHSAA Division 4 semifinals and finals. For the Mustangs themselves, they’re honored and thankful to have the fans and the community join them in this championship run.

“Nobody will ever understand how much that helps us. The energy is that fan base and how loud they are and they get so much energy knowing that they have those fans and the community support,” Munising Head Coach Terry Kienitz said.

Munising players and staff have taken every opportunity this season to include the fan base and the community. Through the boys and girls basketball programs this year, Munising participated in memorial toy drives at Superior Central and Manistique, played as the home or visiting team in multiple Weaver Family fundraiser games and recognized community members, veterans and deploying National Guardsmen. Parents and school officials have pulled Munising players and staff aside to thank them for their sportsmanship and class, with some of them referencing moments from the fall athletics season or other winter sports.

The public was able to latch onto a likable team, full of positive storylines. A regional title, literally generations in the making for the Nebel family. A deep bench, full of players and characters with meaningful playing time because of injuries and illness throughout the regular season. A chance for redemption for an Alger County man to beat a private Christian school from the greater Grand Rapids area as a coach after falling in the finals to a similar school as a player. Redefining a childhood by going to Lansing to play in a title game instead of having to travel for treatment to fight cancer. A small, tourist town fighting for the respect of an entire region, after a girls final loss the week before and a loss by another U.P. boys team in last year’s finals.

Munising provided so many opportunities for both diehards and casual fans to identify, connect and join the fan base this season and the team did not disappoint any of them. Whether it’s from the team to the community, or the community to the team, all can celebrate for the 2022-23 Munising Mustangs.