Matt McCarthy/The Daily News Photo Iron Mountain's Jon Carrion (60) and Bryce Pietrantonio (25) wrangle a Traverse City St. Francis ballcarrier in Saturday’s MHSAA Division 7 regional. Caleb Burklund (33) trails the play

IRON MOUNTAIN — There’s a popular saying, “Defense Wins Championships.” The 12-0 Mountaineers football team has an exceptionally strong defense, top to bottom.

They’ve given up fewer than 10 points per game in their 12 straight wins, with three consecutive shutouts in the regular season.

The shutouts came at Houghton, Norway and at playoff qualifier Bark River-Harris in weeks 3 through 5. The most points they’ve given up in a single game this season was 22 — Week 2 versus Westwood.

They play well together, as a cohesive unit, many of them two-way players. Players such as Gavin Goulette, who’s not a starter on the defensive side of the ball, comes in and gives any of the defensive lineman a break and the play doesn’t drop off. The Basanese brothers, Gio and Dante, are interchangeable in the defensive backfield.

Linebackers Bryce Pietrantonio, Caleb Evosevich-Hynes and Joe Dumais all get to the ballcarrier or to where the play goes. On any tackle, at least one of them is likely to be there.

Seniors Colin Visintainer and Marcus Johnson, two more defensive backs, are solid players in their own right. As critical as Johnson is to the Mountaineers’ success as a quarterback, he’s as important to their defense.

In the trenches, interior lineman Gio Colavecchi, Nick Opolka, and Caleb Burklund are consistent and reliable. Defensive ends Jake Dumais and Jon Carrion both have noses for the football.

There’s a point in nearly every football game where someone on the defense needs to step up and make a big play at a key point. With this defensive unit, you’ll never know who it’s going to be.

Defense wins championships — district championship, check, regional championship, check.

The next step in front of head coach Robin Marttila, his team and staff is a date with undefeated 12-0 Pewoma-Westphalia Pirates in the state semi-finals Friday night. One game at a time has been the team’s motto all season, it has worked so far.