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Dominating Performances For Wolverines, Rockets
 EBEN---There were no dramatic moments Monday night as the Class D boys basketball tournament got started at the Superior High School Central Gym. The Rapid River Rockets raced to a 23-4 lead and cruised to a 70-40 win over the Big Bay deNoc Black Bears in the opener. And then in the nightcap, the Mid Peninsula Wolverines went on a 21-3 run late in the second quarter and early in the third to whip the Superior Central Cougars, 68-49.  In the opener, the Rockets (9-12) hit for nine three-point baskets, four of them by Daren Landis, to win by a surprisingly-big score. Rapid River led, 25-7, after one quarter, and 34-17 at the half. Big Bay never got any closer. Landis led the Rockets with 18 points, while senior Mason Berglund added 17 and Logan Hardwick contributed 13. Junior Cam Willemesen added ten points for the Rockets. "It was kind of weird because during warm-ups, I didn't even make a shot," Landis said. "And then I came out at halftime and got some shots up and they were going in. So, I started shooting more." "It took me a long time to get into a rythym this season," Berglund added. "I've kind of been in a shooting slump all year, and I guess I had kind of a good night tonight, to come out and shoot well." "That's, honestly, the first time I've been able to kind-of relax in a game this season," Rockets Coach Richard Poma said. "To see the guys actually being confident in their shots and moving the ball the way they should. I think it started on the defensive end." For Big Bay, in was a frustrating night, as nothing much went right. The twin towers of Tyler Johnson and Erik Johnson weren't able to get free very often, as Tyler finished his career with an 11-point performance and Erik was limited to seven points.  In the nightcap, Superior Central led, 18-17, late in second quarter before a barrage of Wolverine baskets...and tough defense...turned the tide. Mid Pen led, 25-20, at halftime, and scored 20 points in the third quarter to put it away. Mid Peninsula senior Duane Englund was dominant in all aspects of the game. He scored a game-high 31 points, with four three pointers, several cuts to the basket leading to a pair of "and-ones", and he made all five of his free throws. Englund was also tough defense, kept his turnovers down, and passed effectively. "Anything he does, he's good at," Mid Peninsula Coach Mark Branstrom said of Englund. "To be able to have a player like that is just tremendous. I let him know in practice, and before the game tonight, that we were going to go to him, big time. And he did it. He's our leader, and he's ben our leader. He's had the ball in his hands for us ever since he was a freshman and sophomore. He's as good as they come." "Well, when you're on, you're on," Englund said. "Once you make one shot, it keeps on going. It's like a domino effect." Besides Englund's 31 points, Mitch Barron added ten points and a dozen rebounds for Mid Pen (6-14). Sharpshooter Terry Brower was held to six points.  "We had to stop (Alex) Heinonen, because he was the one that killed us the last time we played them here," Barron said. "We stopped him, and everything else went good." "That was one of his better games that he's had, if not his best," Branstrom said. Superior Central (3-18) was led by sophomore Beau Rondeau's 14 points. The Cougars' only senior, Luke Leppanen, finished with 12 points. The district championship game is Wednesday night at 7:00 at Superior Central. Click the thumbnails in the ARICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and videos taken by Mike Dagenais. You can also hear post-game interviews with Englund, Barron and Mid Pen Coach Mark Branstrom; and post-game interviews with Landis, Berglund, and Coach Richard Poma.  |
