MANISTIQUE — The Manistique Emeralds paid the price for failing to convert numerous opportunities Tuesday as they dropped their boys basketball season opener to Iron Mountain, 65-34.

Iron Mountain controlled the boards as Carson Wonders and freshman Marcus Johnson combined for 44 points in this Mid-Peninsula Conference game.

Wonders, who is moving on to Northern Michigan University next year, pumped in 27 points while Johnson, the new Mountaineers point guard, added 17.

“Wonders is a nice ball player,” Manistique coach Ed Marietti said. “He can hit the 3, he can post you up, he can go either way.”

The key may have been the third quarter when IM held Manistique scoreless for 4 1/2 minutes to open the second half. The Mountaineers already had a 40-22 lead at the break.

Darien Nichols paced MHS with 18 points and Jake Arnold had 13.

The Emeralds, who lost the JV game 52-38, host Norway Friday.

Gladstone 63, Ishpeming 43

At Ishpeming, Reese Castor poured in 27 points and Brad Spindler contributed 17 for the Braves.

The Braves led 30-19 at halftime after limiting the Hematites to four points in the first quarter.

Mitch Uhl had 11 points for Ishpeming, which is under the direction of first-year coach Anthony Katona.