Mid Pen Upsets Rockets In Defensive Battle, 53-47

PERKINS---The Mid Peninsula Wolverines ramped up the defense Thursday night and topped the Rapid River Rockets, 53-47, at the Mid Pen High School Gym.

The Rockets came into the game as favorites, especially with a much deeper bench. But the Wolverines, with just six players in action and two of them in foul trouble, managed to play tough defense and not allow the Rockets to have very much offensive flow.

The game was nip-and-tuck for most of the night, with Mid Pen leading, 10-8, after the first quarter, and Rapid River leading at halftime, 16-15. The game was still close late in the third quarter when Mid Pen Coach Mark Branstrom called a time out.

After that huddle discussion, the Wolverines began to attack the basket and scored six straight points. That gave Mid Pen a 33-26 lead at the end of the third quarter, and the Wolverines carried that momentum into the stretch drive.

After Terry Brower nailed a long three-pointer to make it a 47-33 Wolverine lead, and Duner Englund found Mitch Barron all alone for a basket on the baseline, Mid Pen was on cruise control entering the final two minutes.

But Rapid River put on a rally in those final 120 seconds, with the Wolverines committing a couple of turnovers and missing a handful of free throws.

Jarrett LaCasse, who played a hard-nosed game that included taking three offensive foul charges on defense, nailed a three-pointer to pull the Rockets to within 47-41 with 1:35 still left on the clock. The Rockets would close the gap to five points in the final seconds, but the Wolverines were able to run out the clock and celebrate a win over their rivals.

Brower led Mid Pen with 17 points, and that included three triples. Englund added 16 for the Wolverines, making eight of his nine free throw attempts.

Rapid River got 16 points from Logan Hardwick, but Hardwick was frustrated most of the night, as the Wolverines keyed on him defensively. He made nine of his ten free throw attempts.

Freshman Tyler Sundling added nine points for the Rockets.

In the junior varsity game, Mid Pen led the whole night before Rapid River rallied for a 50-49 win. Tony Demars nailed the winning three-pointer with 7.1 seconds left for the JV Rockets.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to hear interviews with Mid Pen Coach Mark Branstrom, Rapid River Coach Richard Poma, and Mid Pen players Terry Brower and Duane Englund. Also...click above to see photos and videos taken by Nate Bellville.