Brown City Aiming High Following 1st Final

By Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com

August 15, 2017

Kendal Muxlow offered nothing but praise when asked about the Brown City volleyball class of 2017, which left the school as the most successful in program history.

She raved about her graduated teammates’ leadership, work ethic and ability to raise up every player around them as they led the Green Devils to three Regional titles, two Semifinal appearances and a Class C runner-up finish over the past three seasons.

But while Muxlow was certainly fond of playing with Becki Krause, Alexia Mason, Breigha Donnelly, Jasmin Bender and Haley Bandemer, she’s less fond of constantly being reminded they’re gone.

“I have. I have heard (they’re gone),” the Brown City junior said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “In practice, they held us to that standard, they expected state-bound team stuff during practice. We all got along well in practice and everything, and as much as they wanted to succeed, they wanted everyone to be a part of it also.

“Since I’ve been a freshman, we’ve been trying to get lots of girls in the gym to get them excited to want to be part of the program. We had a lot of people come up and want to get in the gym. It’s a lot easier to get to where you want to go when you have girls that are excited about the program.”

For Brown City, that destination remains the same in the short-term: Kellogg Arena for the MHSAA Class C Final. That’s where the Green Devils, who hadn’t won a Regional title before 2014, landed a year ago for the first time before falling to Bronson in four games.

Taking a longer view, however, this season represents a chance for Brown City to keep working toward a larger goal: showing it’s a program that can consistently compete at the level it has for the past three seasons.

“I think that if that wasn’t my goal, I should probably step down from coaching,” said Brown City coach Jenna Welke, who is entering her fifth season directing the varsity. “I’ve told the girls all about building the program – not just a team, but a program. We have to show those younger girls what Brown City volleyball is all about and set that standard.”

Welke and her players do realize what they’re up against. They’ll be replacing 65 percent of their kills from a year ago, 94 percent of their assists, 67 percent of their blocks and 78 percent of their digs.

But they’re welcoming the challenge.

“We’re definitely a different team from last year,” Welke said. “They’re young, and yes, they’re inexperienced, but they’re willing to work hard. I think any coach is going take a more inexperienced team if they’re willing to work hard.”

Muxlow and Ann Schlaud return with the most experience, both having played significant roles throughout 2016, and taking the floor in the MHSAA championship game a year ago. While the other names and faces may be unknown to those outside the program, those within are confident they’re ready to step up.

“We have a lot of great players that were kind of not playing as much last year because of the key seniors we had,” Schlaud said.

The players are also confident in their coach, who happens to be a 2008 graduate of their biggest rival, Marlette, where she was a dominant athlete. Muxlow said the players don’t give their coach any grief about that, but Welke laughed when asked if she received any from elsewhere.

“I had such a great experience at Marlette, so I’ll always respect them – I think they have great programs,” Welke said. “I teach at Brown City now. I coach at Brown City now. So now I’m a Green Devil, but I’ll always have respect for them.

“I think it’s a friendly rivalry. We always respect each other, yet you don’t want to lose to them.”

Brown City is certainly happy to have her, as Welke, also a four-year player at Oakland University, has amassed a 144-43-18 record in four years, winning four Greater Thumb Conference East titles, four District titles and three Regional titles.

With results like those, it’s easy to see how players have bought into Welke’s system and the belief that building a dynasty in this small town is a possibility.

“She’s one of those coaches that in practice will push you to your absolute hardest, but also one of those coaches that if you have to sit down and talk with her about something, she will listen,” Muxlow said. “Since Coach Welke has been here, we’ve only been going up. She came and we’ve just been hanging more banners than we ever had.

“It’s easier when we have all these girls wanting to be part of the program, because she’s done that for the program.”

Paul Costanzo served as a sportswriter at The Port Huron Times Herald from 2006-15, including three years as lead sportswriter, and prior to that as sports editor at the Hillsdale Daily News from 2005-06. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Bay, Arenac, Midland and Gladwin counties.

PHOTOS: (Top) Brown City’s Kendal Muxlow (7) unloads a swing during last season’s Class C Semifinal against Adrian Madison. (Middle) Ann Schlaud (8) puts up a block against Madison. (Below) Brown City coach Jenna Welke instructs her team during the trip to Kellogg. 

Clarkston Everest Collegiate Caps Repeat as 1st Undefeated Champ Since 2015

By Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com

November 23, 2024

BATTLE CREEK – Sarah Bradley and her Clarkston Everest Collegiate volleyball teammates accomplished something Saturday that hasn’t been done since 2015.

Behind 28 kills from the senior outside hitter, the Mountaineers completed an unbeaten season and defeated St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake Catholic in four sets at Kellogg Arena, claiming their second-straight Division 4 Finals title. 

But when it all ended, and she was asked to look back on the accomplishments, Bradley looked more toward the bond she and her teammates had created.

“Yes, we won two state championships, but nothing will ever amount to the amount of fun I had with these girls and this team,” Bradley said through tears. “I’m so sad to leave them and everyone behind. I think this season, we really played for each other, and it’s going to be so hard to leave them.”

Everest won 25-23, 25-21, 21-25, 25-13 to finish 37-0-1 on the year, with a split against two-time reigning Division 2 champion North Branch the only match result that kept the team from achieving perfection. It was the first undefeated season for any Michigan high school volleyball team since Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard accomplished the feat in winning Class B in 2015.

The Mountaineers’ Sarah Bradley (4) sends a spike into the block of Rachel Kalamaros (3) and another Lakers teammate.The dropped set was one of just six that the Mountaineers lost all season.

“Everyone on the team was dialed in, everyone was in on the effort to go back to back,” Everest senior middle Addison Pearce said. “It wasn’t just a couple people that were like, ‘Oh, this is something we could do.’ It was everyone combined that worked hard every day, didn’t let anything come in our way to keep our momentum going.”

Madelyn Krappmann had 16 assists and 14 digs for the Mountaineers, and Pearce had 10 kills and five blocks. Erica Walker added 45 assists and 14 digs, while Bradley had 16 digs and Samantha Pietras had 14.

A year ago, Everest came into the final weekend as an underdog seeking its first Finals title. This year, it had to hold off an incredible effort from a St. Joseph Our Lady team that was in a similar position, albeit as a much bigger underdog.

The Lakers were making the first Finals weekend trip in program history, as five seniors led the charge to Thursday’s Semifinals. But they were the only five players on the roster who are actually in high school. Two eighth graders rounded out the seven-player team, which is allowed due to the enrollment of the school (61 students).

“I just feel like we played hard; there’s no question about that,” Lakers coach Erin Cashen said. “We knew this was going to be one heck of a feat to do. Seven players, two eighth graders that had never played before this season. We knew it was going to be tough. They were just too much for us in the end.

“I’m really just so proud of our girls. Nothing’s changed for me. I’m really proud of you guys. I think you did some amazing things. I’m pretty sure you didn’t believe me when I took the position two years ago and said I’m going to take you to state. And, here we are. I did it for you, and you deserve it.”

Our Lady’s Nora Proos (12) and Everest’s Erica Walker (6) contend for a ball.Nora Proos led St. Joseph Our Lady with 25 kills and 14 digs, while Jojo Marsh had 10 kills and 15 digs. Aislin Sargent added 34 assists for the Lakers (34-4-1), and Ellie Howard had 16 digs.

Winning the third set against the unbeaten soon-to-be repeat champ was certainly a badge of honor for the Lakers, although they agreed it may have woken something up in the Mountaineers.

“I think it’s great that we were able to take a set,” Marsh said. “We didn’t win the whole thing, but we did take a set. That’s huge for all of us. Everyone just played their hearts out, you could tell. You could tell it was our last game, everyone was flying everywhere and the eighth graders really stepped up. It was a really great season.”

After the first three sets were incredibly close, Everest did open things up in the fourth, winning 11 of the final 14 points in the match. It ended, fittingly, with an emphatic spike from Krappmann.

“I’m incredibly grateful that I had that opportunity, that Erica (Walker) set me that ball,” Krappmann said. “Something was off the first few sets. Passing and defense were OK, but hitting, I just had this weird disconnect. … We got to the fourth one, and I was hyped up, ready to go. Something switched, and I was like, ‘I want this.’ I just felt like I had control of the ball.

“On the last one, I felt like, ‘This could be the game point. This could be our second state championship. This could be the last point we play for Everest.’ Of course I want to give everything I have to that point, out of respect and gratitude to this team and my coach, and to all the people that support us.”

Click for the full box score.

PHOTOS (Top) Clarkston Everest Collegiate players raise their championship trophy Saturday at Kellogg Arena. (Middle) The Mountaineers’ Sarah Bradley (4) sends a spike into the block of Rachel Kalamaros (3) and another Lakers teammate. (Below) Our Lady’s Nora Proos (12) and Everest’s Erica Walker (6) contend for a ball. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)