Todd Rose | Daily Press Rapid River’s Rease Dawley (right) looks fo a lane around Munising’s Hayden Rockhill (32) and Kane Nebel (center) Friday in Munising during an MHSAA Division 4 District 100 championship.

MUNISING — In front of a roaring crowd on their home court, the Munising Mustangs won the MHSAA Division 4 District 100 Championship as they defeated the Rapid River Rockets 60-25 Friday night in Munising.

For the Mustangs, the win served as redemption from last year’s district title game loss to Rapid.

“It feels great,” said Munising coach Terry Kienitz. “Losing to Rapid last year and coming back and getting revenge against them and bringing the district trophy back to Munising, it feels great.”

The Rockets held Munising’s Jesse Duran to just three points down low. However, the return of Kane Nebel — who had been out all season after a football injury — added a huge boost to the Mustangs as he and Trevor Nolan started hitting from the outside to combine for 31 points.

“Having Kane Nebel and adding another outside shooter with Trevor and Cully (Trzeciak) and Rockhill and my boy Carson, you know, they’re all pretty decent shooters,” coach Kienitz said. “We weren’t really shooting the best in the first half, but they got it going in the second half.

“And Jesse knows that’s his job. He knows he’s going to draw a double team. Unfortunately, (for opponents) they’ve got to pick their poison with us.”

The game was the fifth back on the court for Nebel — who ended the night leading in scoring with 16 points — since his return from injury.

“It feels amazing,” Nebel said. “Last year Rapid got the best of us down at Superior Central, and this year, we really gave it to them. It feels really good.”

The work, mental and physical, that Nebel put into coming back was something he chipped away at 24/7, he said.

“It was definitely an everyday thing,” Nebel commented. “Staying there for physical therapy, getting extra shots up after practice, everything I could do to be back for this moment right here, it’s 100 percent worth it.”

As far as his leg feels, Nebel said it feels great as he looks forward now to facing the North Central Jets in a regional semifinal tonight.

Trevor Nolan — off five threes — collected 15 points for the Mustangs as well.

While the Rockets played pretty solid defensively — especially in the first half — things just didn’t quite fall in their favor.

“(Taking away Duran) was kind of the gameplan, make them beat us from outside,” said Rapid River coach Hayden Hardwick. “Obviously, we knew that they had a ton of shooters, and it was potentially just a matter of time. But, I can’t the effort from our guys. We just struggled offensively. I thought we did play pretty solid defense. They got a couple open looks in transition in the third quarter there, and they pulled away. We just didn’t quite have an answer.”

Hardwick took no shame in losing to Munising, who has been a stellar team all year and, with the return of Nebel, has found another level to take their play to.

“Hats off to them, though,” he said. “That’s a very, very, very good team… Kane definitely adds a different element. If he plays all year, I think he’s a 20-plus a game guy.”

Following the game, it was evident from the emotions shown on the faces of the Rockets three seniors — Rease Dawley, Jaiden McCarty and Damyn Smith — how much the Rapid River program and sport of basketball have meant to them. For coach Hardwick, the trio has meant a lot to the program in return.

“Rease being the only returning starter — and having a knee injury that sidelined for six to eight games in the last quarter of the year stunk — he loves the game. He’s 110 percent every day in practice,” he said. “Same thing with Jaiden. He’s gotten tremendously better over the last two years, especially this year. He’s gotten a lot more aggressive. He put in a lot of time in the weight room, and it showed.

“Damyn Smith, the one I talked into coming out, a football guy. He surprised some people with the skill he has on the basketball court. If he would have played all four years he would have been a really solid player. One of the strongest high schoolers I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Dawley and McCarty each had six points for Rapid while Kodey Goldi had five, Texas Cambron four, while Shawn Nelson and Clayden Belongia had two each.

Hardwick also voiced his appreciation for the Rockets supporters and the student-athletes he coached.

“I’d like to thank the community for always coming out and always supporting us, the kids for never quitting and putting their best foot forward the whole time,” he said.

Rapid River 5 5 4 11 — 25

Munising 10 10 22 17 — 60

Rapid River — Dawley 6, McCarty 6, Goldi 5, Cambron 4, Nelson 2, Belongia 2; FT: N/A; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Dawley 2, McCarty 2, Goldi.

Munising — Nebel 16, Nolan 15, Trzeciak 9, Rockhill 6, Curtis 5, Kienitz 4, Duran 3, Wendt 2; FT: 10-19; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Nolan 5, Nebel 2, Trzeciak.