NORWAY - It took an extra night, but Iron Mountain North's all-stars have secured a Little League minor state tournament berth.
Fighting off a tough Norway squad, the IM North all-stars claimed a 6-2 victory in Monday's winner-take-all District 10 final.
"We had to battle through some adversity, and we talked about that," IM North coach Bucky Johnson said. "We didn't want to have to come back today, but we did. And the kids stepped up and did a good job."
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Ron Deuter/The Daily News Photos
Iron Mountain North second baseman Caleb Johnson lifts up relief pitcher Marcus Johnson after the final out in Monday’s Little League minor (ages 9-10) District 10 championship game. Third baseman Matt Opolka also joins the celebration.
A loss to Norway in Sunday's first final, set up do-or-die championship Monday night.
The game was tied 1-1 in the second when Iron Mountain North loaded the bases. Luke Theisen came to the plate and belted a bases-clearing triple to the gap in right center.
"That triple that Luke Theisen hit was huge," Johnson said. "He had been struggling with the bat a little, and that was just such a big, big play in this game."
Foster Wonders kept the Norway bats in check, going 5 1/3 innings and striking out seven. Marcus Johnson worked the rest of the game for IM North.
"Foster Wonders pitched a great game," Johnson said. "And I thought our outfielders did a good job defensively, maybe had five or six putouts in the outfield."
Johnson drove in another IM North run with a fly to left in the fourth.
Noah Gorzinski plated both of Norway's runs, bringing in one in the first and singling in another in the fifth. He and starter Payton Thompson worked the mound for Norway.
"It was a hard fought game," Johnson said. "Give Norway credit, they've kind of been hunting us all year and took it right down to the wire.
"We're just proud oft he kids, Hopefully we can make some noise at the state level."
IM North heads to a 16-team state tournament at Kalamazoo later this week. Games begin July 20.