Nine Just Fine for Record-Setting St. Phil
November 22, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
BATTLE CREEK – Emily Schaub has grown up in Battle Creek St. Philip’s volleyball tradition, her mother a member of the Tigers’ 1989 Class D championship team.
The last two seasons, Amy (Nelson) Schaub’s daughter also set St. Philip squads that weren’t supposed to continue the program’s near-decade of MHSAA Finals dominance.
But No. 1 in the regular-season rankings doesn’t mean much compared to number nine in the record book.
St. Philip, ranked No. 3 in Class D at the start of the postseason, defeated No. 2 Mendon in a Quarterfinal and then top-ranked Leland in Saturday’s Final 25-18, 25-18, 23-25, 25-17 to claim a record ninth consecutive MHSAA championship. The Tigers had entered this fall tied with the Marysville teams of 1997-2004 for the longest title streak in MHSAA volleyball history.
“Growing up and watching them, it was always great to say ‘I want to be out there one day.’ And just having that experience, being around that all my life, has pushed me harder to want to be like that,” Schaub said. “Going out there and doing that, … it feels good to prove we’re just as good as the other teams. Just to show we’re a great program, even when considered in a rebuilding year, just to show we’re still a fighting team and we’re here to stay.”
In 40 seasons of MHSAA volleyball, St. Philip has made the Semifinals 32 times, played in 28 championship games and won 20.
The eighth-straight title last season meant something personally to St. Philip coach Vicky Groat, who took over the program from her late mother Sheila Guerra and tied her mom’s career total of nine championships won.
But Saturday’s crowning victory will serve as one of the brightest points of pride for a community that turned out again to celebrate success.
“Ask every single one of these girls if they were in the stands for championship runs or Final Fours. They were in the stands watching, and they want to be part of that team,” Groat said. “That’s what it is. These kids, they have that. They want to play for St. Phil. They want that experience. As a coach, I want to make sure to give every single one of my kids who play for me the chance at a Final Four or to play for a championship.”
And, as Groat added, there was something to be said of claiming number nine “with this group of girls.”
St. Philip graduated all-state hitter and Miss Volleyball winner Amanda McKinzie after the 2012 win, and another all-state hitter and Miss Volleyball candidate Sierra Hubbard-Neil after last fall.
The Tigers this season had only two hitters who saw time in the 2013 Final, when Hubbard-Neil had 19 of the team’s 31 kills.
But on Saturday, junior Abby McKinzie had 13 kills and senior Megan Parker added 12 as seven St. Philip players scored. Schaub had 32 assists and was one of five with at least 14 digs – sophomore libero Kameron Haley led with 21, tied for 11th most in an MHSAA Final during the rally scoring era that began in 2004-05.
St. Philip claimed the first two sets before Leland stormed back in the third. The Comets played the Tigers to 15-15 in the fourth set before St. Philip ended on a 10-2 run.
“She is one of the best coaches I’ve ever had in my life, and to be able top get this record for her is unexplainable,” McKinzie said of Groat. “I’m so happy to have won it for her.”
It came against a program that could be considered a distant part of the St. Phil family. Leland coach Laurie Glass coached against Guerra, and Glass’ players stay with Groat each year when they play in the Tigers’ tournament. Groat’s players stay with Glass each summer during the Comets’ camp.
Leland certainly had the Tigers wary of a comeback. Leland had fallen in its first Semifinal set to Onaway before winning the next two, losing the fourth and then shutting out Onaway 15-0 in the decider.
When Groat and Glass crossed paths after Leland claimed the third set, Groat did mutter a little something about a possible repeat of Thursday.
“We were certainly hoping to give her another run at that time, at least make it go to a fifth,” Glass said. “I thought they really started serving really well at that time (in the fourth), we started making passing errors and got a little tighter. We made a couple hitting errors, unforced errors on our part that gave them the momentum for that 3-4 point swing that put them ahead.”
Junior Maddie Trumbull led the Comets with 16 kills, and senior Jessica Fleis had 37 assists. Senior Miranda Harrison’s 24 digs ranked sixth for an MHSAA Final. The Comets' runner-up finish was their best since 2006, and they finished 43-13-4.
St. Philip finished 53-12-4, with a few more losses than the last couple of seasons. The Tigers finished 1-3 at the Rockford Invitational on Oct. 25, but that day Groat saw a championship-level surge beginning to build.
“At the start of the season, we were doubtful. Ask every single (player), we were doubtful,” Groat said. “(We thought) we’re going to have to do our best as coaches, but it’s not only coaching. It’s players, and they bought into it.
"They believed they could do it, and the power of believing is awesome.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Battle Creek St. Philip players celebrate claiming their ninth straight MHSAA title trophy. (Middle) St. Phil’s Abby McKinzie drive a kill while Leland’s Vianna Hennig (13) and Erica Ongaro prepare to block. (Click for action photos and team photos from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
HIGHLIGHTS:
COMETS ACE FOR SET THREE VICTORY - Down 2-0, Leland took the third set against Battle Creek St. Philip on this service ace by Eva Grobbel.
WINNER TIMES NINE IS FINE - Battle Creek St. Philip clinched its ninth straight Class D Girls Volleyball title on this kill from Abby McKinzie, which gave the Tigers a 3-1 decision over Leland.
You can watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Preview: Hopefuls Converge on Kellogg
November 14, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
There are important changes to note as we move into the final weekend of the 2018 Michigan high school girls volleyball season.
First, remember that Classes A, B, C and D are no longer. This weekend will see the first champions of Divisions 1, 2, 3 and 4.
And while Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Bronson are seeking to repeat, only two more of the 16 teams from last season’s field will be joining them back at Battle Creek's Kellogg Arena. From this mostly-new group of contenders, nine teams are seeking their first championship in this sport and six are hoping to make the final day’s matches for the first time.
Below is this weekend’s schedule:
Division 1 Semifinals – Friday
Lake Orion vs. Farmington Hills Mercy, 4:30 p.m.
Northville vs. Rockford, 6:30 p.m.
Division 2 Semifinals - Thursday
Grand Rapids Christian vs. Lake Odessa Lakewood, 4:30 p.m.
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs. Corunna, 6:30 p.m.
Division 3 Semifinals – Thursday
Unionville-Sebewaing vs. Traverse City St. Francis, Noon
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central vs. Bronson, 2 p.m.
Division 4 Semifinals - Friday
Mendon vs. Southfield Christian, Noon
Leland vs. Carney-Nadeau, 2 p.m.
Finals – Saturday
Division 1, 2 p.m.
Division 2, 4 p.m.
Division 3, Noon
Division 4, 10 a.m.
Click for links to all results from this season’s tournament plus ticket information and details on live broadcasts of all 12 matches this weekend on MHSAA.tv and MHSAANetwork.com. Below is a glance at all 16 contenders, with statistics through last week's Regional Finals unless noted.
Division 1
FARMINGTON HILLS MERCY
Record/rank: 52-2, No. 1
Coach: Loretta Vogel, 10th season (record N/A)
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League Central
Championship history: Class A runner-up 2010.
Best wins: 3-0 (Regional Final) plus five regular-season sweeps of No. 6 Bloomfield Hills Marian, 2-0 and 2-0 over No. 2 Lake Orion, 2-0 over honorable mention Clarkston, 2-1 over honorable Temperance Bedford, 2-0 over No. 9 Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, 2-0 and 2-0 over Division 2 No. 1 Grand Rapids Christian.
Players to watch: Jess Mruzik, 6-1 jr. OH (377 kills, .416 hitting %); Julia Bishop, 5-11 soph. S (1,329 assists, .589 hitting %); Ella Loussia, 6-1 sr. OH (211 kills, .362 hitting %).
Finals forecast: Mercy, a semifinalist last season as well, hasn’t lost a match in two months and only seven sets this season. Only Lake Orion and Stoney Creek took match victories, and the Marlins avenged both defeats. Mruzik, a returning all-stater, will enter next season as the likely Miss Volleyball Award favorite. Sophomore Charlie Atiemo and senior Mallory Conrad are both 6-0, giving Mercy a stifling block in the middle – and Atiemo was third on the team with 205 kills entering the week and second with a .504 hitting percentage. Mruzik has committed to sign with University of Michigan.
LAKE ORION
Record/rank: 66-5, No. 2
Coach: Tony Scavarda, fifth season (276-48-2)
League finish: Second in Oakland Activities Association Red
Championship history: Class A runner-up 2011.
Best wins: 2-0 over No. 1 Farmington Hills Mercy, 3-0 (Regional Final) plus two regular-season wins over No. 9 Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, 3-0 (District Final) plus three regular-season wins over honorable mention Clarkston, 2-0 over No. 3 Mattawan, 2-0 over No. 6 Bloomfield Hills Marian, 2-0 over No. 8 Northville, 2-0 over No. 10 Portage Central, 2-0 and 2-0 over honorable mention Novi, 2-0 over Division 2 No. 1 Grand Rapids Christian, 2-0 over Division 2 No. 2 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep.
Players to watch: Paige Briggs, 5-10 sr. OH (679 kills, .396 hitting %, 83 aces); Wren Macaulay, 5-9 sr. S (1,539 assists, 94 aces, 84 blocks, 319 digs); Sydney Smith, 5-10 jr. OPP (277 kills, .323 hitting %).
Finals forecast: Lake Orion has held onto the No. 2 spot in Division 1 as one of only two teams statewide to take a win from Mercy this fall. Briggs was a Miss Volleyball candidate and has the Dragons back at the Semifinals for the first time since the runner-up finish in 2011, and after missing nearly half of her junior season with an injury. Four players had at least 70 blocks entering this week, with 6-2 sophomore middle Kendall Robertson the leader with 99 and third on the team with 233 kills. Lake Orion’s losses were to Mercy (twice), Northville, Stoney Creek and Grand Rapids Christian. Briggs will continue her career at Western Kentucky.
NORTHVILLE
Record/rank: 47-6-1, No. 8
Coach: Julie Fisette, third season (134-21-4)
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association West
Championship history: Has never appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 2-1 over No. 2 Lake Orion, 2-1 over No. 10 Portage Central, 2-0 over No. 9 Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, 2-1 over No. 6 Bloomfield Hills Marian, 3-0 (District Final), 3-0 and 2-1 over honorable mention Novi, 3-1 (Regional Semifinal) and 2-1 over honorable mention Temperance Bedford, 2-0 over honorable mention Clarkston.
Players to watch: Clare McNamara, 5-10 jr. MB (353 kills, .309 hitting %, 85 blocks); Gabriella Fisette, 5-9 sr. S (817 assists, 190 digs); Hannah Grant, 5-7 sr. L (661 digs, 70 aces). (Stats include Quarterfinal.)
Finals forecast: The Mustangs will play in their third Semifinal in seven seasons but first under Julie Fisette, who took over three seasons ago but formerly coached for 17 at Novi. Northville ran into the eventual Class A champion Wildcats during the tournament the last three seasons, but prevailed in their meeting this time in the District Final. The team’s only defeats came to Lake Orion, Grand Haven, Clarkston, Bloomfield Hills Marian (twice) and Portage Central. Grant made the all-state second team last season, and McNamara earned honorable mention.
ROCKFORD
Record/rank: 46-11-1, No. 7
Coach: Kelly Delacher, 14th season (571-243-13)
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Red
Championship history: Class A champion 2011, runner-up 2016.
Best wins: 3-2 (Regional Semifinal), 3-0 and 2-0 over No. 5 Hudsonville, 3-2 (District Final) and 2-1 over No. 4 Lowell, 2-0 and 2-0 over No. 10 Portage Central, 2-1 over No. 3 Mattawan, 2-1 over Division 2 No. 1 Grand Rapids Christian.
Players to watch: Lindsay Taylor, 6-2 sr. OH (689 kills, 65 aces, 352 digs); Emmy Webb, 6-0 sr. MH (408 kills, .373 hitting %, 88 blocks); Emilee Karelse, 5-8 sr. S (1,412 assists, 77 aces, 250 digs).
Finals forecast: The Rams graduated two all-staters after last season but made it back to the Semifinals after ending 2017 in their Regional Final. Taylor made the all-state second team last season, while Webb made a brief appearance in the 2016 championship match. Rockford has won 15 of its last 16, avenging the lone loss of that string by beating Hudsonville in the Regional Semifinal. The team has only four seniors – the three mentioned above and 5-11 outside hitter Alyssa Judge, who was third entering the week with 236 kills and 315 digs and first with 95 aces. Taylor will play collegiately at Miami (Ohio).
Division 2
CORUNNA
Record/rank: 50-6-5, honorable mention
Coach: Kari Carnell, eighth season (251-125-28)
League finish: First in Genesee Area Conference Red
Championship history: Has never appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 3-0 over honorable mention Kingsley in Quarterfinal, 3-1 over Mt. Morris in District opener, 2-1 over Division 3 No. 6 Unionville-Sebewaing, 2-0 over Division 3 honorable mention Pewamo-Westphalia, 2-0 over Division 3 honorable mention Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian.
Players to watch: Elizabeth Norris, 5-11 jr. MH/S (837 kills, 86 blocks, 388 digs); Alexa Mort, sr. S (1,533 assists, 72 aces, 341 digs); Ellie Toney, 5-11 fr. MH (301 kills, 92 aces, 417 digs).
Finals forecast: Coming off its third straight Regional title, Corunna has broken through to earn its first Semifinal berth. The Cavaliers have won 10 of their last 11 matches and also taken some strong defeats – the losses this fall came to No. 2 Notre Dame Prep, honorable mention Cadillac, Division 3 No. 3 Schoolcraft, Oxford and New Lothrop. Norris earned all-state honorable mention last season and in Tuesday’s Quarterfinal blew past her sister Meredith’s best kills season of 839 in 2016, when Meredith was named Miss Volleyball.
GRAND RAPIDS CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 44-5, No. 1
Coach: Tiffannie Gates, eighth season (378-79)
League finish: First in O-K Gold
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 3-0 over No. 6 Hamilton in Quarterfinal, 3-0 over honorable mention Spring Lake in Regional Final, 3-0 over No. 8 Coopersville in Regional Semifinal, 3-0 (District Final) plus three regular-season sweeps of honorable mention Grand Rapids South Christian, 2-1 over No. 7 Fruitport, 3-2 over Division 1 No. 5 Hudsonville, 2-0, 2-0 and 2-1 over Division 1 No. 10 Portage Central, 2-0 over Division 1 No. 2 Lake Orion, 2-0, 2-1 and 2-0 over Division 1 No. 7 Rockford.
Players to watch: Addie VanderWeide, 6-0 soph. OH (482 kills, .332 hitting %, 351 digs); Maria Bos, 5-9 sr. OH (391 kills, 313 digs); Jordyn Gates, 5-11 jr. S (1,260 assists, .321 hitting %, 368 digs). (Stats include Quarterfinal.)
Finals forecast: Grand Rapids Christian is seeking its first championship in this sport after making the Class A Quarterfinals three times this decade including last season, and reaching the Semifinals most recently in 2015. Gates made the Class A all-state second team last season and VanderWeide made the third team, and they lead a lineup with only two seniors – Bos and 5-11 middle Olivia Nedd (206 kills, .315 hitting percentage). The Eagles have seen most of the best in Divisions 1 and 2, falling this fall only to Mercy (twice), Rockford, Lake Orion and Division 1 No. 3 Mattawan.
LAKE ODESSA LAKEWOOD
Record/rank: 46-8-2, No. 3
Coach: Cameron Rowland, first season (46-8-2)
League finish: First in Greater Lansing Activities Conference
Championship history: Class B champion 2012, four runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 3-1 over No. 5 Wixom St. Catherine in Quarterfinal, 3-0 over honorable mention Parma Western in Regional Semifinal, 2-0 over No. 7 Fruitport, 2-0 over No. 8 Coopersville, 2-1 over Division 1 No. 4 Lowell.
Players to watch: Patsy Morris, 5-5 sr. L (692 digs, 365 assists, 108 aces); Aubrey O’Gorman, 6-3 soph. MB (353 kills, .451 hitting %, 140 blocks); Maradith O’Gorman, 6-1 fr. RS/S (452 kills, .393 hitting %, 404 assists, 95 aces, 122 blocks, 300 digs).
Finals forecast: Longtime coach Kellie Rowland retired after leading the Vikings to a third runner-up finish in four seasons last fall. In stepped her son Cameron, who grew up in the program and previously served as a graduate assistant at Western Michigan University. He’s brought the Vikings back for their fifth Semifinal in seven seasons, and with a returning first-team all-stater in Morris and third-teamer in Aubrey O’Gorman. Five players had at least 100 kills entering the week, and sophomore Sophie Duits with 499 assists led three players with at least 365. St. Catherine was the first of six postseason opponents to win a set, and the Vikings are 15-0-1 over their last 16 matches.
PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP
Record/rank: 63-5, No. 2
Coach: Betty Wroubel, 25th season (1,057-221-94)
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Championship history: Three Class B titles (most recent 2017).
Best wins: 3-0 over No. 4 North Branch in Regional Final, 2-0 over honorable mention Corunna, 3-0 over Division 1 No. 6 Bloomfield Hills Marian, 2-0 over Division 1 honorable mention Battle Creek Lakeview, 2-0 over Division 3 No. 2 Bronson.
Players to watch: Maddy Chinn, 6-3 sr. OH (628 kills, .463 hitting %, 134 blocks, 493 digs); Natalie Risi, 5-11 sr. OH (532 kills, .449 hitting %, 178 aces, 444 digs, 147 assists); Aly Borellis, 5-5 fr. S/RS (74 aces, 700 assists). (Stats include Quarterfinal.)
Finals forecast: Notre Dame Prep won its second Class B title in five seasons a year ago, and this week saw Chinn named the Miss Volleyball Award winner – with Risi also among the 10 finalists. They and setter/outside hitter Maria Famularo (597 assists, 435 digs, 276 kills, 97 aces) are the only seniors on the team and three of only five upperclassmen. After taking tough losses early to strong Division 1 teams Clarkston, Marian, Lake Orion, Flushing and Sterling Heights Stevenson, the Fighting Irish have strung together 53 straight wins. Chinn will continue her career at Purdue University and Risi with Ball State, while Famularo will play at Division II Slippery Rock in Pennsylvania.
Division 3
BRONSON
Record/rank: 56-6, No. 2
Coach: Jean LaClair, 19th season (892-307-75)
League finish: First in Big 8 Conference
Championship history: Four Class C titles (most recent 2017), one runner-up finish.
Best wins: 3-2 (Regional Final) and 2-0 over No. 3 Schoolcraft, 3-0 over No. 9 Centreville in Regional Semifinal, 3-0 (Quarterfinal) and 2-0 over honorable mention Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, 2-0 over honorable mention Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, 2-1 over Division 1 honorable mention Battle Creek Lakeview, 3-0 over Division 4 No. 2 Mendon.
Players to watch: Keona Salesman, 6-1 jr. OH (707 kills, .394 hitting %, 114 aces, 525 digs); Kiera Lasky, 5-5 sr. L (662 digs, 92 aces); Ashton Wronikowski, 5-11 sr. MH (392 kills, 109 blocks, 135 aces).
Finals forecast: Bronson won the last three Class C championships and might be the favorite this weekend if not for an early loss to Monroe St. Mary. Lasky made the all-state first team last season and was a Miss Volleyball finalist, while Salesman and Wronikowski also made the Class C first team a year ago and now-senior hitter Jolie Smoker (331 kills) earned honorable mention. Sophomore Meagan Lasky has taken the reigns of the attack with a record book-qualifying 1,640 assists heading into this week. Bronson also has wins over Division 2 honorable mentions Parma Western, Niles and Edwardsburg and Division 4 No. 3 Camden-Frontier and No. 5 Battle Creek St. Philip, with their defeats to St. Mary, Division 1 No. 3 Mattawan, Battle Creek Lakeview (twice), Notre Dame Prep and Ann Arbor Skyline.
MONROE ST. MARY CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Record/rank: 45-3, No. 1
Coach: Karen O’Brien, fourth season (151-36-3)
League finish: First in Huron League
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2014), three runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 2-0 over No. 2 Bronson, 3-2 over No. 5 Manchester in Quarterfinal, 3-0 (Regional Final) and 2-0 over No. 10 Brighton Charyl Stockwell, 3-0 (District Final) and 2-0 over No. 4 Riverview Gabriel Richard, 2-0 over Division 2 No. 8 Coopersville, 2-0 and 2-1 over Division 1 honorable mention Temperance Bedford.
Players to watch: Mikayla Haut, 5-10 soph. OH (536 kills, .405 hitting %, 95 aces, 71 blocks, 364 digs); Abby Jackson, 5-7 sr. L (548 digs); Maddie Haut, 6-0 sr. MH (244 kills, .477 hitting %, 119 blocks).
Finals forecast: St. Mary is back at the Semifinals for the sixth time in eight years after falling in a Quarterfinal to eventual champion Bronson a year ago. The Kestrels have returning all-state first-teamers Mikayla Haut and Jackson and third-teamer Maddie Haut highlighting a roster with four seniors total but three who start. The third, setter Jessica Long, had a team-high 799 assists entering this week, and 5-8 sophomore Anna Dean (263 kills) is another key hitter. St. Mary also owns wins over Division 4 No. 5 Battle Creek St. Philip, No. 6 Plymouth Christian and Division 2 honorable mention Parma Western, with its losses to Brighton, Dexter and Mattawan.
TRAVERSE CITY ST. FRANCIS
Record/rank: 34-13, No. 8
Coach: Matt Witczak, first season (34-13)
League finish: First in Lake Michigan Conference
Championship history: Class C runner-up 2012.
Best wins: 3-1 over honorable mention Beal City in Quarterfinal, 3-1 over Rogers City in Regional Semifinal, 2-1 over Division 2 honorable mention Kingsley, 2-0 over Division 4 No. 1 Leland.
Players to watch: Molly Mirabelli, 6-1 sr. OH (408 kills, 129 digs); Brenna Poole, 5-10 sr. M (332 kills, 94 blocks, 136 digs); Hannah Sidorowicz, 5-8 soph. S (812 assists, 74 aces).
Finals forecast: St. Francis won its third Regional title in four seasons and will play in the Semifinals for the first time since 2015. The Gladiators have come on strong with 20 wins over their last 21 matches, including a late victory over Leland after two earlier defeats. Mirabelli made the all-state first team last season and played in the 2015 Semifinal loss to Bronson. Along with Brenna Poole, sophomore Kaylin Poole provides additional hitting with 284 kills and a team-high .350 hitting percentage entering this week. Mirabelli will play collegiately at Miami (Ohio).
UNIONVILLE-SEBEWAING
Record/rank: 43-4-4, No. 6
Coach: Teresa Rose, 11th season (373-105-46)
League finish: First in Greater Thumb Conference West
Championship history: Has never appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 3-2 (Quarterfinal) and 2-0 over Brown City, 2-1 over No. 9 Centreville, 3-0 over honorable mention Harbor Beach in the District Final, 2-0 over honorable mention Pewamo-Westphalia.
Players to watch: Rylee Zimmer, 5-10 sr. MH (782 kills, .384 hitting %, 517 digs, 127 blocks); Nichole Schember, 5-9 sr. S (1,616 assists); Allyson Kemp, 5-10 jr. OH (351 kills). (Stats include Quarterfinal.)
Finals forecast: After falling in a close Quarterfinal a year ago, USA took the next step to return to the Semifinals for the first time since 2014. Zimmer was a Class C all-state second-teamer last season, and she and Schember are the only seniors on this fall’s squad. Both have posted numbers eligible for inclusion in the MHSAA record book, and freshman Megan Gross (252 kills) and sophomore Grace Williamson (279) also are key hitters. The Patriots’ only losses were to larger schools – Grand Blanc (twice), Mason and Corunna. They’ve lost only 22 sets this season, including the eight from those four defeats. Zimmer will continue her career at Saginaw Valley State.
Division 4
CARNEY-NADEAU
Record/rank: 26-3-1, No. 9
Coach: Steve Kedsch, 17th season (279-196-38)
League finish: First in Skyline Central Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 3-2 over honorable mention Onaway in Quarterfinal, 3-1 (Regional Final) and 3-2 over Munising, 2-0 over No. 10 Rudyard.
Players to watch: Taylor Kedsch, 5-8 soph. OH (216 kills, 62 aces, 239 digs); Talisha McCullough, 5-4 sr. S (364 assists, 207 digs); Layla Blahnik-Thoune, 5-7 sr. S/RS (222 assists, 65 aces, 201 digs).
Finals forecast: Carney-Nadeau has followed up its first Regional title in this sport with its first trip to the Semifinals, after winning its third straight District and second straight league titles earlier this fall. The Wolves only losses were two early to Wisconsin teams and the most recent later to larger Sault Ste. Marie – they’ve lost only 15 sets all season. Senior Ashlyn Hansen and sophomore Liana Blahnik are 5-11 and 5-10, respectively, and provide an effective blocking tandem in the middle, together averaging nearly three blocks per match.
LELAND
Record/rank: 46-10-1, No. 1
Coach: Laurie Glass, 24th season (956-279-90)
League finish: First in Northwest Conference
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2015), six runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 3-0 and 2-1 over Division 3 No. 8 Traverse City St. Francis, 2-0 over Division 2 honorable mention Cadillac, 3-2 over Division 2 honorable mention Kingsley.
Players to watch: Ella Siddall, 5-5 sr. S (1,019 assists, 80 aces, 229 digs); Allie Martin, 5-7 sr. OH (493 kills, 113 aces, 386 digs); Hanna Elwell, 5-9 sr. OPP (310 kills).
Finals forecast: Leland is back for its fourth Semifinals in five seasons after falling in the Regional a year ago. Siddall is capping a career that has seen her set for the 2015 championship team and 2016 semifinalist, while Martin also was a key contributor in 2015 and Elwell played a big part in 2016. Siddall made the all-state first team last season, while Martin made the second, junior middle/defensive specialist Maddie Grosvenor made the third and senior libero Margie Stowe earned honorable mention. Siddall will play collegiately at DePaul.
MENDON
Record/rank: 47-6-3, No. 2
Coach: Heather Bowers, first season (47-6-3)
League finish: First in Southwest 10 Conference
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2001).
Best wins: