![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.)
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Pair of Michigan School Sports' Best Receive National Accolades
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
August 4, 2021
A pair of longtime and significant contributors to school athletics in Michigan have been recognized nationally as the best in their respective fields by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association.
Battle Creek St. Philip volleyball coach Vicky Groat was named national Coach of the Year in her sport, while recently-retired administrator Fred Smith was named national Athletic Director of the Year by the NHSACA.
Both were nominated for the national recognition by the Michigan High School Coaches Association. They received their awards at last week’s NHSACA Annual Conference in Lincoln, Neb.
Groat last season led St. Philip to the Division 4 championship, the program’s 11th Finals title with her as head coach. She ranks sixth in MHSAA history with 1,177 coaching wins (1,177-275-93) over 22 seasons. She also serves as principal and athletic director at her school.
Smith served 38 years total as a teacher, coach and administrator with stops at St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic, Comstock, Buchanan and Benton Harbor before retiring in 2017. He received a Citation from the National Federation of State High School Associations in 2019 for his various contributions not only in Michigan but nationally, especially in athletic director education and development.
Both Groat and Smith, coincidentally, are graduates of Battle Creek St. Philip. Both also have served on the MHSAA Representative Council, including Smith four years as vice president.
Additionally, Temperance Bedford volleyball coach Jodi Manore and longtime Warren De La Salle Collegiate lacrosse coach and athletic director Mike Jolly were inducted into the NHSACA Hall of Fame. Manore is the winningest coach in MHSAA volleyball history and all-time nationally as well with a record of 2,128-369-59 at Bedford from 1980-83 and again from 1990-2020. Jolly led the Pilots lacrosse program to a 215-105 record and also coached football, basketball and baseball.