D1/4 Recap: Lake Orion Rallies to Advance
November 16, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Lake Orion will play for its first MHSAA volleyball championship Saturday.
The No. 2-ranked Dragons, previously Class A runners-up in 2011, downed top-ranked Farmington Hills Mercy in five sets in their Semifinal on Friday to earn a spot in this season’s Division 1 Final at Kellogg Arena.
Senior Paige Briggs – a Miss Volleyball Award finalist this fall – had 43 kills as Lake Orion (67-6) twice fought back from one-set deficits. The 43 kills are tied for fifth-most in one match in MHSAA history.
The Dragons won the fourth set 25-20 and edged Mercy (52-3) in the final set 15-13.
Senior Wren Macaulay had 53 assists and three aces for Lake Orion. Junior Jess Mruzik led Mercy with 27 kills and three blocks, and sophomore Julia Bishop had 44 assists.
Division 1: Rockford 3, Northville 1
The No. 7 Rams won the final two sets to return to the championship match for the second time in three seasons after finishing runners-up in 2016.
Seniors Lindsay Taylor and Emmy Webb split the attack, Webb with 21 kills off a .514 kill percentage and Taylor with 20 kills. Senior Emilee Karelse had 52 assists for Rockford (47-11-1).
Northville, ranked No. 8 entering the postseason, was led by sophomore Jenna Boksha’s 11 kills plus 10 digs. Senior Gabriella Fisette had 24 assists for the Mustangs (47-7-1).
Division 4: Mendon 3, Southfield Christian 0
Mendon will play for its first championship since 2001 after a Semifinal performance that improved the No. 2 Hornets to 48-6-3.
Sophomore Anna Smith led Mendon both with 20 kills and nine digs, and senior Aubrey Crotser had 31 assists.
Junior Emily Van Dyke had 13 kills for No. 4 Southfield Christian (27-10-3), and junior Caitlin Warnshuis added 10. Senior Rachel Stiteler had 20 assists. The Semifinal was the first in Eagles program history.
Division 4: Leland 3, Carney-Nadeau 0
Leland’s powerful seniors led the way as the top-ranked Comets earned a chance to win their first championship since 2015.
Senior Ella Siddall had 34 assists and five aces, while senior Hanna Elwell had 17 kills for Leland (47-10-1).
Carney-Nadeau, also playing in its first Semifinal in this sport, got a big defensive performance from junior Alanis Harris, who had 22 digs. The No. 9 Wolves finished 26-4-1.
PHOTO: Lake Orion celebrates advancing to the Division 1 championship match after Friday’s Semifinal.
Performance: Lake Orion's Paige Briggs
November 21, 2018
Paige Briggs
Lake Orion senior – Volleyball
The Dragons outside hitter was one of the state’s top players this fall, and led her team to an unprecedented accomplishment. Briggs put together back-to-back unforgettable performances during last weekend’s Division 1 Semifinals and Final to lead Lake Orion to its first MHSAA championship in volleyball and earn the Michigan Army National Guard “Performance of the Week.”
In Saturday’s Final against Rockford, a 25-18, 25-23, 23-25, 25-16 victory, Briggs had 30 kills on 53 attacks – good for a .491 hitting percentage. She also added nine digs, as she was all over the court for the Dragons, who were making their first appearance in a title match since 2011. Amazingly, that performance may have been second-best on the weekend for Briggs, as she had 43 kills on 84 attacks in Lake Orion’s five-set Semifinal win over top-ranked Farmington Hills Mercy. The 43 kills tied for fifth-most in one match in MHSAA history. Lake Orion entered the postseason ranked No. 2 in Division 1 by the state coaches association and finished 68-5.
After missing four months including half of last season with a broken vertebrae, Briggs came back this fall to become a finalist for the Miss Volleyball Award, and she finished fifth among 10 finalists. On the season, she tallied a record book-qualifying 767 kills, averaging 4.7 per set, with a .408 hitting percentage. Briggs is still deciding what she will study after high school, but she’ll attend Western Kentucky University on a volleyball scholarship.
Lake Orion coach Tony Scavarda said: “I’ve watched a lot of high school volleyball, and I haven’t seen too many kids just take over games at this level of a tournament the way she has (Friday and Saturday) against that type of competition – such high-level teams. She’s been great all year, but she took her game to a whole new level in the Finals here. It was incredible.”
Performance Point: “As a team, we could clean things up, but we played flawless,” Briggs said after Lake Orion’s title-winning performance. “We played together as a team. You could feel it, almost. As a player, I loved the way I played, but you always want to do better, I guess.”
Taking control: “I ask for the ball all the time – I love hitting,” Briggs noted, explaining the team’s strategy of shifting to set her whenever possible during the final. “Those were some good stats, but I have to give it to my team, though. They helped me through this.”
Bouncing back, no pun intended: “Leaning back hurt – I was happy to get back.”
Peaking at the right time: “We all pulled together. We really wanted this. Going into Districts, we were watching film and doing the most we could possibly do to win this, because we all wanted it. We had multiple team talks, and they were really beneficial. It laser-focused everyone, and we got on the same page. It was really great.”
Next step: “I’m so excited for college. (Western Kentucky) is doing great, and I just can’t wait to be a part of it, and kind of try it on my own.”
- Paul Costanzo, Second Half contributor
Every week during the 2018-19 school year, Second Half and the Michigan Army National Guard recognizes a “Performance of the Week" from among the MHSAA's 750 member high schools.
The Michigan Army National Guard provides trained and ready forces in support of the National Military Strategy, and responds as needed to state, local, and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order, and public safety. The Guard adds value to our communities through continuous interaction. National Guard soldiers are part of the local community. Guardsmen typically train one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. This training maintains readiness when needed, be it either to defend our nation's freedom or protect lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
Past 2018-19 honorees
November 15: Hunter Nowak, Morrice football - Read
November 8: Jon Dougherty, Detroit Country Day soccer - Read
November 1: Jordan Stump, Camden-Frontier volleyball - Read
October 25: Danielle Staskowski, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep golf - Read
October 18: Adam Bruce, Gladstone cross country - Read
October 11: Ericka VanderLende, Rockford cross country - Read
October 4: Kobe Clark, Schoolcraft football - Read
September 27: Jonathan Kliewer, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern soccer - Read
September 20: Kiera Lasky, Bronson volleyball - Read
September 13: Judy Rector, Hanover-Horton cross country - Read
PHOTOS: (Top) Lake Orion's Paige Briggs serves during Saturday's Division 1 Final against Rockford. (Middle) Briggs prepares to hit during a Semifinal win over Farmington Hills Mercy.