Todd Rose | Daily Press Hannahville’s Gage Sagataw (25) shoots over Mid Peninsula’s AJ Richmond (11) Wednesday in St. Nicholas.

ST. NICHOLAS — An exciting boys basketball contest went the way of the Hannahville Soaring Eagles (2-0) Wednesday night in St. Nicholas as they defeated the Mid Peninsula Wolverines (1-3) 50-46.

Entering the fourth quarter, the score sat at 32 all after a three-point shot from Mid Pen’s Michael Englund tied things up with three seconds left on the clock in the third.

Hannahville fired right back to break the tie with a basket from DeShawn Metzger to make it 34-32. The Soaring Eagles held the lead the remainder of the game with Metzger pushing things to effectively a two-possession game with a free throw to make it 49-45 with 33 seconds left.

“We knew this game was going to be a dogfight,” said Hannahville assistant coach Ross Rahoi. “At home, a couple of weeks ago, we won by 26 and we knew that wasn’t going to happen again.

“But, it was great for our guys… We’ve only played two games, both with Mid Pen. But, for us to finish out that game in the fourth quarter the way we had to — slowing it down a little bit, protecting the ball, making some free throws, closing off some gaps defensively and getting some board — it was good for us and I’m happy.”

The Soaring Eagles opened up with a barrage of buckets — with shots from Gage Sagataw, Damon Sagataw, Nicolas Sobay and Mequon Jackson — in the first quarter, too as they opened up an 11-lead in the opening five minutes.

Damon Sagataw (18) and Gage Sagataw (11) led Hannahville’s scoring for the night.

“I’m really proud of Gage and Damon. They both played the entire game tonight,” Rahoi said. “With the pace we were playing at for a while, that’s a tough thing to do when we’ve only played two games.”

Michael Englund had 27 points for the Wolverines in the game while Bradley VanDamme also hit double digits with 11. AJ Richmond, Tristen Syers and Caleb Lofquist also had shots go in for Mid Pen.

“We had a lot of turnovers at times — and under the circumstances — they were critical turnovers,” said Wolverines coach Mark Branstrom. “But, our team did a lot of good things tonight. They played with more enthusiasm and they stopped people when they needed to be stopped.”

Branstrom also noted the performances of Englund and VanDamme.

“There’s no doubt what Michael means to us. Absolutely no doubt,” he said. “He is our head of the snake. His game is, right now, he needs a little more polishing but he is getting close to being where I’d like to see him.

“Bradley didn’t have that great of a game tonight but, when we needed him, he came through with a couple. His rebounding was tough.”

Both Rahoi and Branstrom also sent their best wishes to Soaring Eagles head coach Josh Eagle who was unable to attend the night’s game.

“We were without our main man, we were without Josh,” Rahoi said. “We want to wish him the best. All the time he’s put in with these guys for all these years in the summer and stuff is phenomenal. But, we missed him.”

Branstrom had similar thoughts,

“Coach Eagle, I can’t say enough about him,” Branstrom said. “That group of kids (from Hannahville) is a special group and it’s all because of him. It’s all because of Josh Eagle.”

Earlier in the night, the Hannahville girls and Mid Pen JV team faced off, with Mid Pen earning the win.

Hannahville sees Beaver Island tonight and tomorrow as part of a two-day doubleheader at home while the Mid Pen boys visit Republic-Michigamme tonight.

Hannahville 11 11 10 18 — 50

Mid Peninsula 12 5 15 14 — 46

Hannahville — Damon Sagataw 18, Gage Sagataw 11, Halfaday 6, Metzger 5, Jackson 5, Beaver 3, Sobay 2; FT: 5-11; Fouled out: Jackson, Jayden Sagataw; 3-point field goals: Beaver, Jackson, Gage Sagataw.

Mid Peninsula — Englund 27, VanDamme 11, Richmond 3, Syers 3, Loftquist 2; FT: 8-22; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Englund 3, VanDamme.