DEC 9, 2023

DAILY NEWS STAFF REPORTS

IRON RIVER — The Iron Mountain Mountaineers jumped out to a 30-4 lead after the first quarter against host West Iron County on Thursday and never looked back in their 91-18 rout of the Wykons in a WestPAC Conference game at Charles Greenlund Gymnasium.

Oskar Kangas scored 10 of his game-high 20 points in the opening eight minutes, while Ian Marttila knocked three 3-pointers in the first quarter as Iron Mountain (3-0) left the Wykons (0-4) in the dust.

“We played good,” IM coach Harvey “Bucky” Johnson said. “Everybody scored.”

The Mountaineers, who led 55-6 at the halftime break, finished with five players in double figures. Reece Kangas wound up with 16 points, Evan Copley totaled 14 and both Kaden Sheldon and Marttila finished with 11.

Additionally, Matthew Colavecchi recorded six and Gerald Sampoll Torres had five. Aiden Ellis, Brayden Kassin, Max White and Collin Punzel all scored two.

The Mountaineers shot well from beyond the arc, hitting nine triples in the game. Aside from Martilla’s three, Copley and Sheldon splashed two each, and Reece Kangas and Sampoll Torres added one apiece.

West Iron was led by Elijah Oberlin, who tallied 14. Oberlin scored 10 of his points after halftime.

Both teams have busy road schedules ahead.

The Wykons were back in action Friday at Bark River-Harris (0-1). West Iron then travels to Forest Park on Monday, Dec. 11, and to Kingsford on Tuesday, Dec. 19, to complete its pre-holiday schedule.

The Mountaineers travel to Manistique (1-1) on Monday, Norway on Friday, Dec. 15 and Ishpeming on Monday, Dec. 18 to round out their 2023 slate.

— Daily News sports writer Jerry DeRoche compiled this report.