Sports

South Shore Fishing Association Vice President Jesse Bianchi presents a check for $15,329 to Alger County Undersheriff Steve Blank on Thursday, March 30. Ross Anthony and Pam Basil of the SSFA join members of Rescue 21 outside the Alger County Courthouse for the presentation. The money was raised through the inaugural Munising Bay Ice Fishing Derby in February, which was organized through the SSFA as a fundraiser for Rescue 21. Local organizations donated prizes and raffle items while Rescue 21 volunteers assisted in the event gameday operations. The check was presented after all expenditures and prize payouts were completed.

A team-based victory, focused on fundamentals, pushed the Munising Mustangs past the Marine City Cardinal Mooney Cardinals 54-44 at the MHSAA Division 4 Semifinals on Thursday, March 23. Munising wasted no time getting on the board as Trevor Nolan popped a three pointer just 18 seconds into the contest.

The Munising Mustangs will have some familiarity when heading down to East Lansing. Head Coach Terry Kienitz played in the 1994 state finals with Superior Central. Kane Nebel attended basketball camps at MSU. Many of the players and staff have a connection or two to the state semifinals and finals venue.

To return to the finals, Tri Unity Christian had to go through another coastal town with a public school, the Frankfort Panthers. The Defenders led throughout, defeating the Panthers 54-37.

The trophy was presented on the floor of the Breslin Center in East Lansing, but the 2023 MHSAA Division 4 boys basketball championship was won in a Best Western in Okemos. In room 156 — the hotel room for Munising Assistant Coach Chris Prunick — coaches, alumni and family members used whatever electronic device available to break down game after game of Wyoming Tri-Unity Christian’s season before the championship final took place on Saturday.

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.

The Lakers’ Maddie Bradford (10) works to get up a shot while defended by Jaycee Larson. The motto this postseason for the Maple City Glen Lake girls basketball team was “Slam the door.” But at halftime of Saturday’s MHSAA Division 4 Final against Baraga, the Lakers still had to find their own way through it.

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.