Iron Mountain senior Gerald Sampoll Torres (10) splits the Menominee defense and puts up a floater over Darrent Butler (21) on Friday in Mountaineer Gym. (Terry Raiche photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — In 2021, the Iron Mountain boys varsity basketball team finished runner-up at the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 3 state finals. Since then, it hasn’t advanced past the district finals because of one team — the Menominee Maroons.

However, on Friday, the Mountaineers had a chance for revenge, this time in the friendly confines of Mountaineer Gym.

“We’ve been working for this since last year when we lost over there,” IM senior Gerald Sampoll-Torres said. “Everyday, we were working. We knew this day was going to happen again. We were looking forward to it.”

For the first time in three years, Iron Mountain (21-3, 11-1) dispatched the Maroons (13-12, 4-4), 56-38, and secured the District 66 crown.

“It was a big hurdle to overcome but let’s remember something,” Mountaineers head coach Harvey “Bucky” Johnson said. “The last two years, we were the No. 1 seed, but the way the state had the drawing worked out in their favor. It makes a difference when you’re on your home court.

“This year, our team earned the home court, and we wanted to protect it. I’m proud of my kids. They did that.”

Iron Mountain jumped on Menominee right away in the first quarter. Sampoll-Torres and senior Oskar Kangas scored quick baskets, and the Mountaineers led 4-0.

The Maroons racked up four fouls over the next two minutes, and the advantage ballooned to 8-0. But it wasn’t going to be that easy for Iron Mountain.

Menominee sophomore Dylan Beal buried two 3-pointers, and junior Tanner Theuerkauf added two points to tie the game with a minute left in the frame.

A Theuerkauf layup to end the first quarter put the Maroons ahead by two points.

“I didn’t really say much other than, ‘We’ve got to play our game,'” Johnson said.

Entering the second quarter with four points, Kangas knew he needed to step up.

“The last couple of games, coach Kyle Johnson has been telling me, ‘For the rest of the season and throughout the playoffs, you’ve got to be aggressive,'” Kangas said. “I think I was settling a little bit in the first quarter, shooting 3’s when I should have been aggressive. In the second quarter, I settled in. I got comfortable and was just attacking.”

Kangas scored 14 points in eight minutes, and senior Evan Copley added four points, but Iron Mountain’s defensive effort made the difference in the second.

Menominee only scored three points in the frame and found itself behind 29-13 at halftime. Although the Mountaineers held a sizable advantage, they knew the Maroons weren’t going down without a fight.

“We’ve been practicing that all week,” Kangas said. “They have a great history with a run-and-jump press. We knew once we got a lead at the end of the first half, they were going to come out in it. We were just talking about trying to remain calm through it.”

Menominee turned up the defensive pressure in the third quarter and leaned on Theuerkauf offensively. He tallied eight points while the Maroons held Iron Mountain to eight.

After recording four points in the first three quarters, Sampoll-Torres took over in the final frame.

“I knew I needed to make big plays,” Sampoll-Torres said. “They were pressing me, two against one. I knew I had to go by it and make a play, make something happen.”

Sampoll-Torres scored nine points, going 7-for-8 from the charity stripe in the fourth.

“You’ve got to give Menominee credit; they’re well coached,” Johnson said. “They know us, we know them. Oskar attacked in that second quarter and was able to do his thing.

“Gerald, he’s the point guard. He’s got to handle the ball, and he’s got to handle the pressure. Overall, they’re just really good players. They showed poise tonight.”

Theuerkauf poured in seven points down the stretch, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tides in Menominee’s favor.

“It means a lot,” Kangas said. “The past two years, we felt like we could have won the district. We thought we had the tools. But coming out here and winning, it’s a great feeling. We’re not done, but we’re going to celebrate this one.”

Kangas led all scorers in the contest with 22 points.

Iron Mountain also received contributions from Sampoll-Torres (13 points), Ian Marttila (6 points), Copley (7 points) and Brayden Kassin (8 points).

Theuerkauf paced the Maroons with 19 points.

Menominee also received offensive contributions from Nathan Komp (2 points), Beal (11 points), Jacob Schultz (2 points), Talan Woods (2 points) and Kaiden Bell (1 point).

Now, the Mountaineers turn their attention to the MHSAA Division 3 Regional 17 quarterfinals on today against Westwood. The game will be played at Marquette Senior High School. They have faced off twice this season, with each team winning on the road.

“We’re looking forward to that game,” Sampoll-Torres said. “We’re going to go to Marquette and give the best of us.”