Story in Photos: 2023 Volleyball Division 1 & 4 Semifinals
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 17, 2023
All four MHSAA Girls Volleyball Finals are set as Division 4 and 1 title contenders locked up the final spots in the championship lineup with Semifinals victories Friday.
All four title matches, including the Division 2 and 3 finales determined Thursday, will conclude this season at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena.
10 a.m. – Division 4 – Clarkston Everest Collegiate (31-4-2) vs. Leland (41-16-2)
Noon – Division 1 – Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (45-7-1) vs. Farmington Hills Mercy (31-15-3)
2:30 p.m. – Division 2 – Grand Rapids West Catholic (38-9-6) vs. North Branch (55-4-1)
4:30 p.m. – Division 3 – Kalamazoo Christian (42-6-3) vs. Traverse City St. Francis (38-9-1)
Hockey Weekly Action Photos captured the following from Friday’s Semifinals:
Forest Hills Northern senior Kendall Hopewell (9) attempts to send a kill through the block of Northville juniors Mallory (10) and Molly Reck (8) in Division 1. Hopewell had nine kills in the 22-25, 25-11, 25-23, 25-19 win for the Huskies (45-7-1), while the Recks both had 14 kills for No. 2 Northville.
Elana Erickson (12) connects for No. 5 FHN, while Ella Craggs (9) and Ashley Krahe (14) put up a block. Erickson had 19 kills and 20 digs, while Craggs had 34 assists and 16 digs for the Mustangs (49-3).
Farmington Hills Mercy junior Campbell Flynn (28) sets to her oncoming teammates during the Marlins’ 25-23, 25-13, 25-20 Semifinal win over No. 3 Clarkston (34-4). Flynn had 23 assists, eight kills and nine digs for Mercy, which entered the postseason an honorable mention in Division 1.
Sophomore Ava Fitzgerald (39) and senior Angie Butler (11) set up to block a Clarkston kill attempt. The Marlins (31-15-3) finished with 10 blocks.
The No. 10-ranked Mountaineers (31-4-2) get over the net with a block during their Division 4 Semifinal win over the top-ranked Cougars 17-25, 19-25, 25-19, 25-16, 15-11.
Everest Collegiate junior Erica Walker (6) sets to her teammates while Lenawee Christian seniors Whitney Lilly (2) and Allyson Day (4) await the attack. Walker had 45 assists, while Lilly had 10 kills and eight digs and Day had 24 digs for the Cougars (46-6-1).
Senior Kelsey Allen (6) and junior Kally Sluiter (10) put up a block for Leland (41-16-2) as Forest Park’s Ema Stepien goes for a kill in the Comets’ 25-17, 17-25, 25-18, 21-25, 15-9 victory in Division 4. Stepien had 12 kills and 18 digs for the No. 9 Trojans (34-3), while Allen had 15 kills and Sluiter had 11 digs for No. 4 Leland.
TOP PHOTO Leland celebrates its five-set win over Crystal Falls Forest Park on Friday at Kellogg Arena.
Bronson Resets After 1st, Reigns Again
November 18, 2017
By Perry A. Farrell
Special for Second Half
BATTLE CREEK – Laingsburg passed the eye test, but Bronson proved to be the real thing.
The Wolfpack stood out athletic and tall, and playing in the Class C volleyball championship match against two-time reigning champion Bronson didn’t seem to intimidate them Saturday afternoon at Kellogg Arena.
Once they hit the floor, Laingsburg started out great, winning the first game.
But after that it was the Vikings prevailing in four, 20-25, 25-18, 25-20, 25-19 to win a third straight title.
It was a dramatic change from the first game to the second for the champs, who finished the year 59-9-2.
“We didn’t really make any adjustments,’’ Bronson coach Jean LaClair said. “We just tried to focus on what we needed to do on our side of the net. I thought it was a pretty gutsy performance because Adyson (Lasky) tweaked her ankle and Keona (Salesman) hurt her thumb. I said, ‘You guys want to play or do you want me to put a sub in?’ They both wanted to stay on the court and play through that.’’
Salesman led the comeback with 19 kills, with Jolie Smoker adding 12 and Ashton Wronikowski 11.
“We got our mental game together,’’ said Salesman. “We reset our minds. We knew that we had to come out stronger than we did the first game. We came out thinking we got this.’’
The Vikings scored five of the first six points of the first set. Laingsburg responded by getting to within a point twice before tying the match on an ace by Maya Ferland.
Bronson scored the next five points with Salesman recording back-to-back aces to give her team a 13-8 lead. But the Wolfpack went on a run of their own to tie the game at 15-15, and took the lead on a kill by Ferland.
Imposing their will at the net with the 5-foot-10 Sophie Strieff (14 kills), 6-foot Ferland (14 kills) and 6-foot Alex Randall (16 kills), the Wolfpack looked the part. And they stunned the back-to-back champs, never trailing after tying the first game as the trio up front fired at the Vikings from all different angles.
“We never talk about the other titles. Each year is different,’’ LaClair said. But in the second game the Vikings played like they were champions, again scoring five of the first six points to set the tone. Lacking execution, the Wolfpack fell behind 15-9 with sloppy play at the net, and Bronson went on to tie the match.
The all-important third game saw the Vikings jump out to an 11-7 lead only to have the Wolfpack get to within 12-10. But from there, Bronson’s experience and poise took over as the defending champs kept Laingsburg off balance and got help from the Wolfpack’s unforced errors. Bronson led 20-14 before Laingsburg rallied to within 20-17 on a spike by Tanner Butler. But despite an anxious moment or two, Bronson prevailed to go up 2-1.
Laingsburg led just once in that second game, but took a 9-8 lead in the third when Bronson hit the ball into the net.
But after tying the score again 9-9, the Vikings charged ahead with nine of the next 11 points to take a commanding 18-11 lead with their third straight title now within reach.
Bronson senior Kiana Mayer, a Miss Volleyball candidate this fall, capped her career with 37 assists.
Laingsburg senior Grace Gregg had 40 assists as the Wolfpack (41-18-3) capped their first championship match with the best finish in program history. Laingsburg entered the postseason as only an honorable mention in the final Class C rankings.
“This was an incredible experience,’’ said Strieff. “It (was disappointing) that we lost, but it was great to get here.’’
PHOTOS: (Top) Bronson raises the Class C championship trophy for the third straight season Saturday at Kellogg Arena. (Middle) Laingsburg’s Maya Ferland puts down a kill past a pair of Bronson defenders.