Sports

With the third season of local high school hockey complete, the 2023-2024 Manistique Emeralds came together to celebrate their season. The annual endof- season awards banquet was hosted at the Munising High School on Monday. The ceremony honored top performers from this past season and also served as a farewell to Coach John Nutkins, who has announced he will no longer be coaching the program. Team MVP - Alex Noble, senior; Goalie MVP Offense - Gavin Nutkins, senior MVP Defense Matthew Rahilly, junior Coach’s Award - Blake Walther, senior; Forward Special Teams Award - Carsyn Hinkson, senior; Defensemen and Cameron Skeans, senior; Forward Players of Tomorrow - Carter Deatsman, junior, Forward and Jackson Goudreau, sophomore, Goalie Most Improved Carter Lavigne, junior, Forward Playmaker Award Austin Hinkson, senior, Forward Team Captains: Carsyn Hinkson, Captain; Alex Noble and Ryan McEvers, Assistant Captains

Admittedly, Munising’s Division 4 district championship win over host Big Bay on Friday wasn’t all that dramatic; a 62-21 victory tends to take the stress out of things. However, that is just how the defending state champion Mustang want things at this point as they go after another lengthy playoff run.

Back in the middle of January, the Munising girls basketball team lost a disappointing one point game at home to Manistique. On Thursday, Feb. 29, Munising played down at Manistique, and they were able to get some revenge on the Lady Emeralds, claiming a 57-41 victory in what was their final contest in regular season play.

The third season of local high school varsity hockey came to a sudden end against a familiar face in Sault Ste. Marie last week. After earning an opening round playoff win last Tuesday against Kingsford with an incredible late game comeback, the magic ran out for the Manistique Emeralds against the Blue Devils and star goaltender Camden Labadie. A former Tahquamenon Area Youth Hockey Association (TAYHA) teammate of many Newberry players on the Emeralds, Labadie became one of the top senior goalies in the state. He showed why when he slowed down the Emeralds in a 4-1 win for the Soo, propelling them to this week’s MHSAA Regional Championship.

Playing in a key Skyline Central Conference Large Division game at Bark River Harris on Friday, the Munising girls basketball team was not able to get the job done. The Lady Mustangs were in the game early on, but couldn’t keep up as things played out, falling 52-31.