![Manistique celebrates its league championship-clinching win Oct. 4.](/sites/default/files/2022-10/221011_Manistique_2H.jpg)
Experienced Lineup Pacing Manistique's Strong Start, Pursuit of Big Finish
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
October 11, 2022
MANISTIQUE — After achieving its first major goal, the Manistique volleyball team is looking for more this season.
The Emeralds clinched the Mid-Peninsula Conference title Oct. 4 by sweeping Negaunee. They opened this fall by winning the Kingsford Invitational Aug. 20. Their only losses took place in semifinal matches against Kingsford at the Marquette Invitational on Sept. 24 and against Charlevoix in three sets at the Rayders’ invitational a week earlier.
Manistique has been receiving honorable mention in the state Division 3 rankings, and the Indian River Inland Lakes Invitational this Saturday will provide an opportunity to potentially see not only the Division 4 No. 4 Bulldogs, but also bigger schools like Alpena, Petoskey and Sault Ste. Marie.
All should be good preparation for the Emeralds, who host their Division 3 District next month after reaching the District Final a year ago.
“We’ve really improved from the opening tournament,” said coach Amy Nixon, who took over the program in 2008. “I think our offense has really stepped up and become more dominant. I think we’ll be able to run more plays which will help us down the road.
"Last year we lost to Iron Mountain in the District. Most of the girls are back from last season. We’re looking forward to finishing what we started last season.”
Senior Nora Cunningham and juniors Ella Schuetter and Emma Jones all earned all-region honors last season. Cunningham, an outside hitter, served for four aces in the Emeralds’ 25-15, 25-9, 25-9 triumph at Westwood two weeks ago.
"Serving is one of our strengths,” she said. “We make it a priority. When we serve well, good things happen."
Jones, a setter, collected 26 assists and senior Kelsey Muth added 11 subbing against the Patriots. Jones has eclipsed 1,000 career assists this season.
“I have a lot of responsibility as a setter,” said Jones. “I set up all the plays (in a 5-1 offense), although I definitely couldn’t do it without my teammates. I think our communication has gotten better during the season. I certainly think all the time we put in during the summer gave us confidence coming into this season.”
“Communication was a factor in our loss to Charlevoix,” added senior middle hitter Sarah McDaniel. “We just have to make sure to control what we can control. In our loss to Kingsford, I think we learned to pick up our communication when times are hard. We definitely have a lot of depth on this team. Everybody is ready to go.”
Schuetter, a middle hitter, has made all-tournament teams at Marquette and Charlevoix this season, joined by Jones at the latter.
“We have real good chemistry” she said. “The most improvement I’ve seen is our drive and commitment as a team.”
Tonight’s match against Gwinn is one of five remaining along with the Inland Lakes tournament before the regular season ends. The Emeralds did earn a sweep against Iron Mountain on Sept. 19 and could see the Mountaineers again in a District rematch, with Bark River-Harris, Gwinn and Menominee also in the bracket.
“We always want to play hard competition and show who we are,” Cunningham said. “Being able to overcome adversity has been a highlight to our season. That shows how much fight this team has.”
John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
PHOTO Manistique celebrates its league championship-clinching win Oct. 4. (Photo courtesy of the Manistique volleyball program.)
![Alisha Glass](/sites/default/files/2021-09/210907_TitleIX_2H.jpg)
Title IX at 50: Best-Ever Conversation Must Include Leland's Glass
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 7, 2021
Labeling just one athlete the “greatest” of millions who have competed over a half century of MHSAA girls sports history – comparing the all-time best from multiple sports over multiple eras – is both bound to be unfair and ultimately impossible.
But Leland two-sport star Alisha Glass should be part of any related conversations.
The 2006 grad finished her Comets career with national high school career records of 3,584 kills and 937 aces, and her then-national record of 680 career blocks now ranks second. Total she continues to hold four MHSAA records, including for 48 kills during a five-set win over Battle Creek St. Philip in the 2006 Class D Final. She also earned all-state on the basketball court.
After finishing at Leland, Glass started all four of her seasons at Penn State and set the Nittany Lions to three straight NCAA championships. She was named USA Volleyball Indoor Female Athlete of the Year for both 2013 and 2014 and also was honored as the Best Setter of the 2016 Olympics after helping the U.S. to the bronze medal.
Second Half's weekly Title IX Celebration posts are sponsored by Michigan Army National Guard.
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