NEGAUNEE - It wasn't supposed to end this way for the Munising High School boys basketball team.
Seeking their first regional title since 1954, the Mustangs instead saw their special season come to a sudden end Wednesday at Lakeview Memorial Gymnasium in Negaunee.
Though Kenya Oas scored 23 points, Munising couldn't contain Carney-Nadeau's Wade Schetter and wound up losing the Class D regional title game, 57-51, to the Wolves, who won the first boys regional title in school history.
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Matt Keiser | Marquette Mining Journal
The Carney-Nadeau Wolves hold up the regional championship trophy after beating Munising at Lakeview Memorial Gymnasium Wednesday. It is the first boys regional title in school history.
"It's disappointing. I didn't want my season to come to an end," Munising senior forward Zach Boucher said after his team wound up 21-3 this season.
"I just wanted to keep it going and it didn't work out that way.
"I know I'll look back on our season and be proud," he added, "but it hurts right now."
Fact Box
Carney-Nadeau 12 10 17 18 - 57
Munising 9 10 19 13 - 51
Carney-Nadeau - Moreau 14; Blahnik 1; Lanaville 4; Lampinen 7; Schetter 31. FT: 12-21.
Munising - Oas 23; Andrew Kelto 3; Webster 5; Boucher 11; Richardson 4; Mannisto 2; Austin Kelto 3. FT: 10-12.
Schetter was a major reason why. The junior guard poured in 31 points - 13 in the decisive fourth quarter - to send the Wolves (21-2) to quarterfinal play Tuesday in Sault Ste. Marie vs. No. 2 state-ranked Pellston (23-1).
"He was unbelievable," C-N coach Jacob Polfus said of Schetter. "When he gets going, he's tough to stop. He put on a great performance.
"Wade had the hot hand. He had a hand in his face all night, but he has been working on (combatting) that all season. He's just a great competitor."
C-N led just 39-38 heading into the fourth quarter after rallying from a 38-33 deficit late behind two 3-point buckets by Schetter.
"He was the difference," said Boucher, who scored 11 points and guarded Schetter close all night.
"He's a good player and was 'on' tonight. He wouldn't miss. All you can do is put a hand in his face. But when he's on, no one can guard him.
"He gets shots up quick and is pretty accurate," Boucher added.
Schetter led an 11-5 C-N run in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter with 10 points to make it 50-43 for the Wolves.
"I thought we played defense extremely well, but Schetter kept making contested jump shots," Munising head coach Dan Waterman said. "He stops and elevates quick. He's a real good player.
"They hit shots tonight and we didn't."
The Mustangs - who won their first district crown since 1957 - got to within 53-48 with 43.4 seconds left on a Boucher steal and driving bucket.
But Schetter then canned two free throws and teammate Lucas Moreau - who finished with 14 points - sank one to put the game away.
"Our team defense was the key," Polfus said. "We just played tremendously as a team."
That despite Oas, who notched 10 straight points in the third quarter to erase a 33-28 Munising deficit and make it a 38-33 Mustangs lead.
"He's a tremendous player," Polfus said. "He's one of the best in the U.P., if not THE best."
Neither team held more than a three-point advantage in the first half, with Schetter scoring 10 points and Oas nine to lead their respective teams.
"We did something special that hasn't been done in a long time," Boucher said after the game.
Added Waterman: " I told the kids in the locker room they changed the culture, not only in the basketball program and the school, but also in the town," Waterman said.
"I can't thank the fans enough for their support all year. They're disappointed now, but the foundation has been laid. With some hard work, it can continue."