MUNISING — It was status quo here Wednesday night as the favored teams advanced in the Division 4 boys’ district basketball tournament.

Rapid River survived Mid Peninsula’s slow-down tactics in a 56-41 triumph, and third-ranked Munising was off to the races in the first half, then cruised past Superior Central 49-29.

The Rockets (13-8) will try to defend their title against the host Mustangs (18-2) in Friday’s title game at 6 p.m. Mid Pen finished 6-14, and the Cougars ended 4-14.

Mid Pen controlled the pace for nearly three quarters in the opener before Rapid River broke it open in the fourth.

“We had to do that,” said Mid Pen coach Mark Branstrom. “They have a lot of good young men over there. We had to dictate the pace.”

The Wolverines were within 34-33 after sophomore Brad VanDamme split a pair of free throws with two minutes, 22 seconds left in the third stanza.

Rapid River scored the next six points, taking a 40-33 lead on a layup by sophomore Myles Anderson set up on a pass from junior Ian Sundling with 27 seconds remaining in the third.

The Rockets continued to pull away, gaining an insurmountable 50-33 advantage on a free throw by Anderson with 3:20 left in the contest.

Rapid River led 14-7 with 61 seconds left in the opening frame following a six-foot jump shot by junior Texas Cambron.

The Wolverines shaved their deficit to 14-12 on junior guard Michael Englund’s jumper from top of the key 61 seconds into the second quarter.

Rapid River led 20-12 after Sundling converted a putback into a reverse layup less than two minutes into the third.

Mid Pen dialed long distance for the next nine points, taking a 21-20 halftime lead on a 20-foot jumper from the left wing by VanDamme 1:35 before the intermission.

The lead see-sawed early in the third.

Rapid River took a 28-26 on a layup and free throw by senior guard Rease Dawley at 5:38.

The Wolverines tied the score on a five-foot jumper by VanDamme before the Rockets went ahead to stay.

“Rapid River has a darn good team,” said Branstrom. “Hayden (coach Hardwick) had them well prepared. We shoot a lot of free throws in practice, but couldn’t hit one to save our lives tonight. By the fourth quarter, we were big-time tired. A lot of things went wrong during the season, although that’s not an excuse. We had a lot of medical issues. Yet, we still had fun this year.”

Anderson scored 11 points in a reserve role for the Rockets, who hit 23-of-63 field goals and committed eight turnovers.

VanDamme led the Wolverines with 19 points, and Englund finished with 11. They were 15-of-56 from the floor and 4-of-16 from the line and had 18 miscues.

Rapid River 14 6 20 16 — 56

Mid Peninsula 7 13 13 8 — 41

Rapid River — Sundling 9, Dawley 9, McCarty 2, Cambron 8, S. Nelson 4, N. Nelson 5, Anderson 11, Smith 8. F: 13; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Sundling, N. Nelson.

Mid Peninsula — Englund 11, Richmond 8, VanDamme 19, Micheau 2, Cretens 4. FT: 4-16; F: 10; Fouled out: Cretens; 3-point field goals: Englund 3, VanDamme 2.

In the nightcap, Munising led 16-0 after the first quarter before a lay-in by senior guard Zach Frusti got the Cougars on the board 20 seconds into the second stanza.

The Mustangs ran their lead to 30-2 on a steal, layup and free throw by junior Hayden Rockhill with 2:33 left in the second.

Superior Central then got its second basket on a steal and layup by junior Lucas Swetich 1:48 before the half.

Munising pulled its starters in the second half.

“They were nice enough to sub their guys,” said Cougars’ coach Adam Ely. “We came in trying to put up as many shots as we could, but it didn’t work for us because we didn’t make any. They’re a high-powered offense. They have multiple guys who can fill it up. They’re absolutely a well-balanced team.”

Munising led 36-8 after senior Carl Wendt sank a layup on a pass from freshman Carson Kienitz midway through the third.

The Cougars trailed 45-26 following a 12-foot jumper by eighth-grader Blake Tanner but couldn’t get any closer.

“We need to work on all the skill stuff during the off-season,” said Ely. “Our defense was solid all year. We just couldn’t score. We have a little bit of a core group if they want to put the work in.”

Junior Kane Nebel led the Mustangs with 12 points. Frusti and Tanner were the Cougars’ leaders with eight apiece.

The teams combined for 40 turnovers, including 23 by the Cougars.

S. Central 0 4 10 15 — 29

Munising 16 14 10 9 — 49

Superior Central — Swetich 7, Z. Frusti 8. Tanner 8, Koski 6. FT: 1-2; F: 10; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Swetich, Z. Frusti.

Munising — Nebel 12, Curtis 3, Kienitz 4, Tripp 4, McNally 2, Walsh 2, Trzeciak 4, Wendt 6, Duran 9, Rockhill 3. FT: 5-9; F: 10; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Nebel 2.