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Preview: Powers Return to Battle Creek
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 14, 2021
This season began with teams practicing outside, and included nearly two months off for COVID-19 precautions before this final week.
But the scene over the next three days at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena will look quite familiar with a number of regulars back in the championship hunt.
Action begins today with Division 2 and 3 Semifinals, with Divisions 1 and 4 on Friday and all four title matches Saturday.
While spectators are limited for this weekend’s event, all 12 matches will be broadcast on MHSAA.tv and (audio) MHSAANetwork.com. Click for more information from the 2020 Volleyball Finals Home on the MHSAA Website. (NOTE: Saginaw Valley Lutheran withdrew from the Division 3 Semifinals.)
This weekend’s schedule:
Division 3 Semifinals – Thursday
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central vs. Beaverton, 2 p.m.
Schoolcraft (BYE – Valley Lutheran forfeit)
Division 2 Semifinals - Thursday
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs. Lake Odessa Lakewood, 4:30 p.m.
Cadillac vs. Grand Rapids Christian, 6:30 p.m.
Division 4 Semifinals – Friday
Mesick vs. Battle Creek St. Philip, Noon
Auburn Hills Oakland Christian vs. Carney-Nadeau, 2 p.m.
Division 1 Semifinals - Friday
Clarkston vs. Bloomfield Hills Marian, 4:30 p.m.
Novi vs. Lowell, 6:30 p.m.
Finals – Saturday
Division 1, 2 p.m.
Division 2, 4 p.m.
Division 3, Noon
Division 4, 10 a.m.
Below is a glance at contenders in each division.
Division 1
BLOOMFIELD HILLS MARIAN
Record/rank: 33-5, No. 2
Coach: Mayssa Cook, third season (117-24-2)
League finish: Second in Detroit Catholic League Central
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2010), six runner-up finishes
Best wins: 3-2 (Regional Final) and 3-2 over No. 1 Farmington Hills Mercy, 2-0 over No. 9 Saline, 3-0 over No. 4 Byron Center, 2-1 over No. 7 Novi, 2-0 over honorable mention Clarkston, 3-0 over Division 2 No. 1 Grand Rapids Christian, 2-0 over Division 2 No. 4 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep.
Players to watch: Ava Brizard, 6-1 jr. OH (510 kills, .504 kill %, 338 digs); Sarah Sylvester, 6-3 jr. MB (174 kills, .407 kill %, 66 blocks); Ava Sarafa, 5-11 soph. S (1,107 assists); Sophia Treder, 6-0 jr. OH (210 kills, 296 digs).
Finals forecast: After Marian fell to rival Mercy in five sets during last season’s tournament, on the way to Mercy winning its first Finals championship, the Mustangs also were swept in their first two matches this season against the Marlins – before winning the last two in five sets, including in the Regional Final. Those two sets were the only ones Marian has given up this postseason. Cook coached Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard to the Class B title in 2015 and could have a special two or three-year run going with her entire starting lineup made up of sophomores and juniors. Brizard made the all-state first team, Sylvester and Sarafa made the second, and Treder earned honorable mention this fall.
CLARKSTON
Record/rank: 28-8, honorable mention
Coach: Kelly Pinner, 18th season (681-183-23)
League finish: First in Oakland Activities Association Red
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 3-0 (Regional Final) and 2-1 over No. 5 Utica Eisenhower, 2-1 and 3-2 over honorable mention Oxford, 3-2 over honorable mention Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, 2-0 over honorable mention Northville, 2-1 over Division 2 No. 4 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep.
Players to watch: Claire Nowicki, 5-11 sr. OH (385 kills, .323 hitting %, 287 digs); Summer Jidas, 5-4 jr. L (57 aces, 414 digs); Paige Giehtbrock, 6-0 soph. OH (230 kills); Sydney Hasenfratz, 6-0 sr. MB (174 kills, .425 hitting %, 112 blocks).
Finals forecast: The Wolves are back at the Semifinals for the first time since 2011 after winning their fourth league and third District championships over the last five seasons under the guidance of alum Pinner. They’ve won 10 of their last 11 matches, with the lone loss during that time to No. 9 Saline. Nowicki made the all-state first team, and Hasenfratz and Jidas earned honorable mentions.
LOWELL
Record/rank: 34-4, No. 3
Coach: Jordan Drake, third season (127-12-2)
League finish: Second in Ottawa-Kent Conference White
Championship history: Division 1 runner-up 2019.
Best wins: 3-0 over No. 10 Rockford in Regional Final, 3-0 (Regional Semifinal) and 3-0 over No. 4 Byron Center, 3-0 (District Final) and 3-1 over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 2-0 over No. 6 Ann Arbor Skyline, 3-0 over honorable mention Traverse City West, 3-1 over Division 2 No. 1 Grand Rapids Christian, 3-0 over Division 2 No. 2 Lake Odessa Lakewood, 2-0 over Division 3 No. 3 Cadillac, 2-0 over Division 2 No. 4 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep.
Players to watch: Sophie Powell, 5-8 sr. S (1,170 assists, .380 hitting %, 268 digs); Emma Hall, 5-11 sr. L (73 aces, 446 digs); Jenna Reitsma, 5-11 sr. OH (834 kills, .322 hitting %, 60 aces, 398 digs); Emily Struckmeyer, 6-0 jr. MH (258 kills, .317 hitting %, 61 blocks).
Finals forecast: The Red Arrows took Mercy to four sets in last season’s Division 1 championship match, and stormed back this fall to give up only 18 sets, with 11 of those in the four losses. Lowell avenged two of those defeats, against Grand Rapids Christian and Byron Center, and navigated arguably the toughest postseason tournament path in any division. Reitsma’s kills total this season ranks among the top 20 all-time despite the shortened schedule, and she with Powell and Hall made the all-state first team while Struckmeyer made the second. Reitsma also was a Miss Volleyball Award finalist.
NOVI
Record/rank: 29-4-1, No. 7
Coach: Kacy Bryon, third season (99-21-9)
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association West
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2017), one runner-up finish.
Best wins: 3-2 over No. 6 Ann Arbor Skyline in Quarterfinal, 3-2 (District opener), 3-0, 2-0 and 2-1 over honorable mention Northville, 2-1 over honorable mention Oxford.
Players to watch: Megha Gondi, 5-8 sr. MB (205 kills, .326 hitting %); Gaby Cummings, 5-10 sr. OH (217 kills); Rachel Kerr, 5-11 jr. S (786 assists, 137 kills, 200 digs, 53 aces); Rachel Jennings, 5-10 sr. L (544 digs, 47 aces).
Finals forecast: Novi has built back to Battle Creek following its run of three straight Class A titles from 2015-17, with this season seeing the team’s second-straight league and District titles and first Regional championship under Bryon. Five hitters total have at least 130 kills, with middle Caleigh Robinson (154 kills, .330 hitting %) and outside Sarah Vellucci (195 kills) also main contributors. Jennings was named to the all-state second team. The Wildcats are 16-1-1 over their last 18 matches following a 2-1 defeat to Marian.
Division 2
CADILLAC
Record/rank: 43-5, No. 3
Coach: Michelle Brines, 21st season (855-263-44)
League finish: First in Big North Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 3-2 over honorable mention Birch Run in Quarterfinal, 3-1 and 2-1 over No. 6 North Branch, 2-1 over honorable mention Grand Rapids West Catholic, 2-1 over No. 2 Lake Odessa Lakewood, 3-2 over Division 1 honorable mention Traverse City West, 2-1 over Division No. 3 Lowell.
Players to watch: Macy Brown, 5-11 sr. OH (911 kills, .300 hitting %, 84 blocks, 623 digs, 73 aces); Renee Brines, 5-8 jr. S (1,164 assists, 252 kills, 102 aces, 525 digs); Cailey Masserang, 6-1 jr. MH (180 kills, 55 blocks); Julia Jezak, 5-5 sr. L (568 digs, 61 aces).
Finals forecast: This will be Cadillac’s third trip to the Semifinals over the last seven seasons, and first since 2016, and comes as part of an incredible run of 13 league titles, 15 straight District titles and 12 Regional titles over 15 seasons. And there’s no arguing with the Vikings’ prep for this run – especially the win over Division 1 semifinalist Lowell among an impressive list of opponents this fall. Brown made the all-state first team – with her kills ranking among the top 10 in the MHSAA record book for a single season – while Renee Brines made the second team.
GRAND RAPIDS CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 29-4, No. 1
Coach: Tiffannie Gates, 10th season (452-86)
League finish: First in O-K White
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2018 and 2019.
Best wins: 3-0 over No. 9 Ada Forest Hills Eastern in District Final, 3-0 (District Semifinal) and 2-0 over No. 10 Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 2-0 over honorable mention Grand Rapids West Catholic, 2-1 over Division 1 No. 9 Saline, 2-1 over Division 1 No. 2 Bloomfield Hills Marian, 3-0 and 3-0 over Division 1 No. 8 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 3-2 and 2-1 over Division 1 No. 4 Byron Center, 3-0, 2-1 and 2-0 over Division 1 No. 10 Rockford; 3-1 over Division 1 No. 3 Lowell.
Players to watch: Addie VanderWeide, 6-0 sr. OH (540 kills, .338 hitting %, 342 digs); Lauren Peal, 5-8 sr. L (40 aces, 399 digs); Alyssa DeVries, 6-9 jr. S (1,040 assists, .316 hitting %, 210 digs); Evie Doezema, 6-3 jr. OH (308 kills).
Finals forecast: The Eagles are seeking their third straight Finals championship and loaded the schedule again this fall, with wins over six of the final top 10 in Division 1. VanderWeide was a Miss Volleyball Award finalist and with Peal made the all-state first team, while DeVries and Doezema made the second team. Senior middle Stephanie Stewart (170 kills, 58 blocks) joined Doezema, DeVries and VanderWeide in the starting lineup for last season’s championship match win over Lakewood as well, and Doezema and VanderWeide also started in the 2018 Final win over Pontiac Notre Dame Prep.
LAKE ODESSA LAKEWOOD
Record/rank: 41-2, No. 2
Coach: Cameron Rowland, third season (127-24-2)
League finish: First in Great Lakes Activities Conference
Championship history: Class B champion 2012, five runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 3-1 (Regional Semifinal), 2-0 and 2-0 over honorable mention Marshall, 2-0 over No. 4 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 2-0 over No. 10 Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 2-1 over No. 3 Cadillac, 2-0 over No. 9 Ada Forest Hills Eastern, 2-0 over Division 1 No. 3 Lowell, 2-0 over Division 4 No. 1 Mendon, 2-1 over Division 3 No. 2 Schoolcraft.
Players to watch: Aubrey O’Gorman, 6-4 sr. MB (444 kills, .497 hitting %, 109 blocks, 66 aces), Maradith O’Gorman, 6-2 jr. RS (504 kills, .379 hitting %, 78 blocks, 317 digs, 60 aces); Carley Piercefield, 5-6 fr. DS (532 digs); Skylar Bump, 5-7 soph. S (1,092 assists, 132 kills, .455 hitting %, 108 aces, 238 digs).
Finals forecast: The Vikings finished runner-up last season, three of the last four years and four of the last six seasons, and senior middle Sophie Duits joins the O’Gormans and Bump as returning starters from the 2019 championship match. Aubrey O’Gorman was a Miss Volleyball Award finalist and made the all-state first team with Maradith O’Gorman, while Piercefield and Bump made the second team. The only losses this fall came to Lowell and Division 3 top-ranked Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, and the Vikings avenged the Red Arrows defeat as part of a 34-match winning streak.
PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP
Record/rank: 38-9, No. 4
Coach: Betty A. Wroubel, 26th season (1,142-240-96)
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2017), Division 2 runner-up 2018.
Best wins: 3-0 (Quarterfinal) and 3-0 over honorable mention Warren Regina, 3-2 (Regional Final) over No. 6 North Branch, 3-2 (District Final) over No. 5 Detroit Country Day, 2-0, 2-0 and 3-0 over honorable mention Marshall.
Players to watch: Alyssa Borellis, 5-11 jr. S/RS (434 kills, 472 assists, .419 hitting %, 228 digs); Olivia Kowalkowski, 5-5 sr. L/DS (79 aces, 608 digs); Bianca Giglio, 5-9 jr. MH (294 kills, .324 hitting %, 43 blocks); Josephine Bloom, 5-6 sr. DS (392 digs, 155 assists).
Finals forecast: Notre Dame Prep is another regular at Kellogg, with this its fourth-straight trip to the Semifinals and sixth over the last eight seasons. Borellis, Giglio and Bloom all started in the 2018 championship match loss to Grand Rapids Christian, and Kowalkowski played a significant role on that team and joined them in the 2019 lineup as well. Borellis and Kowalkowski have been selected to the all-state first team, while Bloom made the second team, Giglio and junior outside hitter Sophia Sudzina (325 kills) made the third team and sophomore setter Margo Sudzina (570 assists) earned honorable mention.
Division 3
BEAVERTON
Record/rank: 32-5, No. 5
Coach: Steve Evans, 12th season (362-159-4)
League finish: First in Jack Pine Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 3-0 over honorable mention Calumet in Quarterfinal, 3-0 (Regional Semifinal) and 2-0 over No. 7 Traverse City St. Francis, 2-0 over No. 9 Beal City.
Players to watch: Molly Gerow, 5-9 sr. OH (451 kills, .329 hitting %, 266 digs); Mady Pahl, 5-7 sr. S (822 assists, 148 kills, 60 aces, .312 hitting %); Becca Wirt, 5-6 sr. MH (122 kills); Hannah Stearns, 5-9 jr. OH (110 kills, 48 aces).
Finals forecast: Beaverton has continued a trophy-filled four-season run with its third league and second Regional titles in four seasons and fourth-straight District title. Beaverton’s only loss last season was in a Semifinal to eventual champ Monroe St. Mary, and now-sophomore middle Faith Danielak (34 blocks) joined Gerow, Pahl and Wirt in that starting lineup at Kellogg. The Beavers return to Battle Creek having not lost – or lost even a set – in 20 matches. Gerow made the all-state first team, and Pahl made the second this fall.
MONROE ST. MARY CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Record/rank: 37-2, No. 1
Coach: Karen O’Brien, sixth season (238-44-3)
League finish: First in Huron League
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2019), three runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 3-0 over honorable mention Bronson in Quarterfinal, 3-0 over honorable mention Manchester in Regional Final, 3-0 over honorable mention Hudson in Regional Semifinal, 2-1 over Division 2 No. 2 Lake Odessa Lakewood, 2-1 over Division 2 honorable mention Marshall, 3-1 over Division 1 No. 6 Ann Arbor Skyline.
Players to watch: Anna Dean, 5-10 sr. OH (249 kills, .361 hitting %); Abbie Costlow, 6-0 sr. MH (263 kills, 78 blocks, 77 aces, .513 hitting %); Mikayla Haut, 5-11 sr. OH (352 kills, .300 hitting % 55 aces); Kylie Barron, 5-11 sr. MH (137 kills, 97 blocks).
Finals forecast: The reigning Division 3 champion is making its third trip in a row to the Semifinals and seventh over the last decade. The Kestrels have won all of their postseason matches 3-0 and are on a 20-set winning streak with their only match losses this season to Skyline (in five sets) and Division 1 No. 9 Saline. Haut was a Miss Volleyball Award finalist and made the all-state first team with Dean and Costlow. Barron and junior setter Kate Collingsworth (497 assists, 121 digs, 49 aces, .671 hitting %) were named to the third team.
SAGINAW VALLEY LUTHERAN
Record/rank: 32-2, No. 3
Coach: Jon Frank, 15th season (508-227-65)
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference West
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 3-0 (Regional Semifinal) and 3-0 over honorable mention Unionville-Sebewaing, 3-2 over No. 5 Beaverton, 3-0 over Royal Oak Shrine Catholic in Quarterfinal.
Players to watch: Sydney Krause, 5-9 sr. S (914 assists, 40 aces); Peyton Bartnikowski, 5-7 sr. OH (326 kills, 54 aces, 263 digs); Ashlyn Martin, 5-9 jr. MH (254 kills, 236 digs); Olivia Grimpo, 6-2 jr. M (217 kills).
Finals forecast: Valley Lutheran was set to make its second-straight appearance at the Semifinals before having to withdraw from the tournament Wednesday. The Chargers did win their sixth league and fifth District titles in seven seasons. Their only losses were to Division 2 Birch Run and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. Krause made the all-state second team, Bartnikowski made the third team and Martin earned honorable mention.
SCHOOLCRAFT
Record/rank: 36-3, No. 2
Coach: Erin Onken, ninth season (354-95-15)
League finish: First in Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley
Championship history: Class C champion 2008, two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 3-0 over No. 6 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, 3-0 over No. 8 Morley Stanwood, 3-0 over No. 7 Traverse City St. Francis, 2-0 over Division 4 No. 1 Mendon.
Players to watch: Maggie Morris, 5-11 sr. M (405 kills, .487 hitting %, 90 blocks); Kayla Onken, 5-8 sr. S (152 kills, .482 hitting %, 1,046 assists, 55 aces, 339 digs); Anna Schuppel, 6-1 sr. M (311 kills, .502 hitting %, 122 blocks); Allie Goldschmeding, 5-8 sr. OH (187 kills, .305 hitting %, 70 aces, 350 digs).
Finals forecast: Schoolcraft has run its streak of league titles under Erin Onken to all nine of her seasons leading the program, along with eight District titles, five Regional titles and a second-straight trip to the Semifinals during her tenure. Last season also saw the Eagles finish runner-up for the second time over those first eight seasons as they fell in a five-set Final to SMCC. Four of six starters are back from last season’s championship match, and those are four of five who earned all-state honors this fall. Morris and Kayla Onken made the first team, Schuppel made the second, and Allie Goldschmeding and senior libero Kelby Goldschmeding (536 digs, 60 aces) made the third team.
Division 4
AUBURN HILLS OAKLAND CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 26-4, No. 9
Coach: Brian Theut, first season (26-4)
League finish: First in Michigan Independent Athletic Conference
Championship history: Class D runner-up 2016.
Best wins: 3-1 over honorable mention Ubly in Quarterfinal, 3-0 over No. 8 Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes in District Final, 2-0, 2-0 and 3-0 (Regional Semifinal) over Southfield Christian, 3-0 over Plymouth Christian Academy.
Players to watch: Katie Hopkins, 5-6 sr. S (623 assists, 167 digs); Anna Frazee, 5-9 jr. MB (181 kills, 41 aces); Kaylee Page, 5-7 sr. OH (200 kills, 158 digs); Micah Tison, jr. OH (183 kills, 38 aces, 209 digs).
Finals forecast: Oakland Christian had won six straight shutouts before Ubly took a set in the Quarterfinals, and in fact the Lancers won 23 matches this fall by shutout. All four of their losses this season were to larger schools. Hopkins was named to the all-state first team this fall, while Page made the second team and Frazee made the third. Theut previously was head varsity coach at White Lake Lakeland and Salem before taking over the Oakland Christian program.
BATTLE CREEK ST. PHILIP
Record/rank: 21-13, honorable mention
Coach: Vicky Groat, 23rd season (1,177-294-79)
League finish: First in South Central Athletic Association West
Championship history: 20 MHSAA titles (most recent 2014), nine runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 3-2 over No. 5 Lansing Christian in Quarterfinal, 3-1 over No. 7 New Buffalo in Regional Semifinal, 3-1 over No. 4 Camden-Frontier.
Players to watch: Rachel Myers, 5-7 jr. OH (946 assists, 71 aces, 205 digs); Harleen Deol, 5-7 sr. M (143 kills, 46 aces); Brooke Dzwik, 5-9 jr. OH (549 kills, 50 aces, 339 digs); Baily Fancher, 5-5 jr. L (54 aces, 417 digs).
Finals forecast: St. Philip has twice as many championships and more than twice as many championship match appearances as any other program in the state. But this will be a first-time experience for this team as the Tigers are back at the Semifinals for the first time since 2014. It could be the first of another few as Deol is the only senior. All but three losses this fall came to larger schools, and St. Philip avenged one with the win over Lansing Christian on Tuesday. Dzwik was named to the all-state first team this season, and Fancher made the third team.
CARNEY-NADEAU
Record/rank: 23-1, No. 10
Coach: Steve Kedsch, 19th season (331-203-42)
League finish: First in Skyline Central Conference Central
Championship history: Has never played in a championship match.
Best wins: 3-1 over Rudyard in Quarterfinal, 3-0 over Chassell in Regional Final, 2-0 over Kingsford.
Players to watch: Taylor Kedsch, 5-8 sr. OH (256 kills, .370 hitting %, 35 aces); Haley Ernest, 5-5 sr. S (541 assists, 37 aces); Liana Blahnik, 5-11 sr. MB (218 kills, .330 hitting %, 54 aces); Malorie Baumler, 5-7 jr. OH (69 aces)
Finals forecast: Rudyard on Tuesday became the only in-state opponent to take a set from Carney-Nadeau this season. The only other sets surrendered by the Wolves to any opponent came in the lone loss, to Peshtigo, Wis. Carney-Nadeau will be making its second Semifinal appearance in three seasons, having been stopped by Rudyard in the Quarterfinals a year ago. Kedsch is one of seven seniors on a roster of 11, and she made the all-state third team while Blahnik earned honorable mention.
MESICK
Record/rank: 24-2, unranked
Coach: Stacy Quiggin, fifth season (63-89-13)
League finish: First in West Michigan D League
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 3-2 over honorable mention Fowler in Quarterfinal, 3-1 over Gaylord St. Mary in Regional Semifinal, 3-2 over Manton.
Players to watch: Lexy Abraham, 5-8 jr. S (276 assists, 58 aces); Kelsey Quiggin, 5-9 soph. MH (160 kills, 56 aces, 186 digs); Grace Quiggin, 5-11 sr. OH (156 kills, 54 aces); Kaylee O’Neill, 5-1 sr. L (300 digs).
Finals forecast: Mesick is the lone unranked team making the trip to Kellogg Arena this weekend, but the program is on the map after improving at least a win each of the last four seasons and reaching the Semifinals for the first time. The only losses came to No. 2 Traverse City Christian and Division 3 Maple City Glen Lake, and Mesick has lost only 10 sets all season.
PHOTO: Lakewood’s Aubrey O’Gorman tips the ball over the net during her team’s Regional Final win over Lansing Catholic. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
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Oakland Standing Tall Among State's Elite
By
Tom Markowski
Special for Second Half
October 11, 2018
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep capped the first fall volleyball season in MHSAA history in 2007 with a Class B championship – the first won in any class by an Oakland County high school. Bloomfield Hills Marian in Class A and Birmingham Roeper in Class D also reached Finals that fall.
Before that season, teams from the county had reached title matches just six times since 1975-76, when the MHSAA began sponsoring a postseason tournament for the sport. (Volleyball began as a winter sport and moved to fall for the 2007-08 school year.) But since Notre Dame won its 2007 title, Oakland County teams have won seven more MHSAA championships: Notre Dame Prep two more in Class B, Marian two in Class A, and Novi – led by 2017 Miss Volleyball Award winner Erin O’Leary – won the last three Class A titles.
Which leads us to this season. Of the 10 nominees for Miss Volleyball, an unprecedented five are from Oakland County: Lake Orion’s Paige Briggs, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep’s Maddy Chinn and Natalie Risi, Bloomfield Hills Marian’s Madison Dowd and Troy’s Jessica Robinson. Of the top four vote-getters for last season’s award, three were from Oakland County.
Chinn and Risi’s coach, Betty Wroubel, who is third on the all-time list for coaching victories (1,422 before this season), said there are a number of reasons why teams in her county are competing at a higher level recently.
“For a long time the programs on the west side were way ahead of us,” Wroubel said. “Some of it is travel (teams). But much of it is competition. In July we do a camp to get the players in the area more involved. Marian led the way for so long, and others are catching up. Also, the kids are getting taller. They’re stronger. Schools in the area offer more conditioning for the players.”
Before this season, Notre Dame Prep had three past candidates for Miss Volleyball. In the fall of 2007, Molly (Coldren) Campbell finished second in the voting to Kyndra Abron of Livonia Churchill. Four years ago, Katherine Carlson became the first and only Notre Dame Prep player to win the award.
Wroubel said both Chinn and Risi stack up well when compared to the other fine players who have come through her program.
“(Maddy) has something going,” Wroubel said. “In those big moments, when your team needs it, she thrives. When the game is on the line, she’s there. She understands the game, like a coach does. What she’s improved on is hitting a variety of shots. She can put the ball down. Even as a freshman, she had that ability.”
At 6-foot-3, Chinn, an outside hitter, is a dominant player at the net. Risi’s versatility sets her apart from the competition. At 6 foot, she also is positioned as an outside hitter – and this season she’s also become one of the team’s top setters.
“Natalie is a calming force,” Wroubel said. “She could be a setter on any team. She’s quiet. You won’t notice her on the court sometimes. When you do take notice, you can’t take your eyes off of her. She’s so smooth.
“I feel bad that they’re in the same class. I don’t know who I’m going to vote for.”
Statistically, Chinn has impressed with 446 kills and 96 blocks. Risi has 140 aces with a .430 hitting percentage. Risi’s aces already make the MHSAA single-season record book list in that category, and Chinn is on pace to make the kills list.
Mayssa Cook is in her first season as head coach at Marian and her setter, Madison Dowd, is a nominee. Cook played volleyball at Dearborn High before graduating in 2003 and playing four years in college, the last two at Wayne State. Cook began coaching the freshmen team at Dearborn a year after graduating from high school. She built the program at Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard as she guided the Irish to a District title in 2013, her first season as head coach, and the school’s first Regional title the next season – before Gabriel Richard then won the Class B title in 2015 with a perfect 42-0 record. Cook (her maiden name is Bazzi) left Gabriel Richard after 2016 and took off from coaching as she gave birth to her first child.
Cook has seen the game change dramatically since the early 2000s. She was a three-sport athlete for the Pioneers, and even though she was a fine player, she said she’s not sure she would make varsity now with the skill set she possessed then.
“Look at the 10 nominees,” she said. “All 10 play travel. You don’t get to be a top-10 player by playing three months. I played three sports (in high school). I played travel soccer. I played travel volleyball but I didn’t play 11 months of volleyball.
“Ten years ago, many schools on this side of the state would go to the west side to get competition. It’s a lot more balanced now. There are still great teams over there, but we don’t have to travel three hours to play the good teams. We can go 10 minutes.”
Dowd, a four-year varsity player and a two-year captain, typifies a well-rounded student-athlete. She has a 4.2 grade-point average, and on the court not only is she a fine player but a valuable teammate. She has 808 assists and 217 digs, and her 1,531 assists as a junior rank ninth in MHSAA history.
“A lot of it has to do with her personality,” Cook said. “She’s not the loudest person on the court. She has a calming presence. She leads by example and is that player who makes her teammates better.”
Dowd has received a number of scholarship offers for volleyball but has yet to decide where she will go after this school year is done.
Over the years Marian has had a host of players nominated for Miss Volleyball, which was created in 2003. That season Erin Poglits was the first Marian player to make the list. Alexandra Cocklin was named Miss Volleyball in 2009 and her teammate, Rachel Charles, was second in the voting. The next season Marian’s Alexandra Lovell finished second and her teammate, Alessandra Dietz, was fourth. Before this season, somewhat surprisingly, the last Marian player to make the top 10 was Jessie Kopmeyer in 2013.
Jessica Robinson (6-2) from Troy and Paige Briggs (5-10) from Lake Orion also are accomplished outside hitters.
Robinson is the first player from Troy to be a nominee and entering this season she had 1,174 kills and 588 digs for her career. She had 740 kills as a junior to rank among the most successful single-season hitters in state volleyball history.
“In college (Robinson has committed to University of Michigan), she’ll be a middle hitter,” said Troy coach Tom Vigilant. “But for us, we have her on the outside. She plays all around. If I need an attacker on the back, I can go to her. But she does what she does best, and that’s at the net.”
Lake Orion’s only other nominee, Courtney Wightman, came in 2015. Lake Orion is one of those Oakland County programs that has made significant strides in the past decade. Its 2011 team reached the Class A Final before losing to Rockford.
Briggs suffered a back injury last season, which limited her effectiveness. Lake Orion coach Tony Scavarda said she has fully recovered and helped make the Dragons one of the top teams in the county.
“She’s made a huge impact for us,” he said. “She passes from the back row, plays good defense and she’s got good leaping ability. She does everything well. At 5-10, she jumps really well and is smart with the ball. We have other players her size who can’t do what she does.”
Briggs is close behind Chinn with 444 kills and is among the leaders in digs with 340. She’s also on pace to make the single-season kills record book list.
Lake Orion lost to Clarkston in the District last season, but with a healthy Briggs the Dragons are off to a 41-4 start and looking for their first District title since 2015.
Scavarda, in his fifth season as head coach, said it is a bit surprising to have five players from the same county in the running for Miss Volleyball, but adds that it is another indication of how strong the level of play has been in Oakland County over the last decade.
“Oakland County is always pretty strong,” he said. “Clarkston is always good, and they might be a little down this season but not by much. Marian and (Farmington Hills) Mercy are always good, too.”
Tom Markowski is a contributing writer for the State Champs! Sports Network. He previously covered primarily high school sports for the The Detroit News from 1984-2014, focusing on the Detroit area and contributing to statewide coverage of football and basketball. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Oakland County’s five Miss Volleyball candidates, from left: Lake Orion’s Paige Briggs, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep’s Maddy Chinn, Bloomfield Hills Marian’s Madison Dowd, Notre Dame Prep’s Natalie Risi and Troy’s Jessica Robinson. (Middle) Head shots: Chinn and Risi, Dowd, Robinson and Briggs. (Robinson action photo courtesy of C&G Newspapers; Briggs action photo courtesy of State Champs! Sports Network).