Volleyball: Fly like an Eagle
November 11, 2011
Nicole DeGrace knew that with her father Chip as Frankenmuth’s volleyball coach, the Eagles would go places.
But when he told them where he thought they were headed, she didn’t believe him.
At the end of tryouts in August, Chip DeGrace -- promoted this fall after more than a decade coaching at lower levels in the program -- told his new varsity players they'd finish this season at the MHSAA Finals in Battle Creek.
“I didn’t think much of it. He believed it, but we were like, ‘Are you serious?’” Nicole said. “I didn’t know how serious he was.”
Serious enough that the Eagles are one win from making his prediction come true.
Frankenmuth, by many accounts, is a basketball school when it comes to girls sports. But the Eagles are headed to the last week of the season after upsetting No. 4 North Branch in five games Thursday for a Class B Regional title at Mount Morris Junior High (25-19, 19-25, 18-25, 25-20, 15-7).
It was just one arguably unexpected result in what’s turned into a tournament full of them. Canton upset reigning Class A runner-up Farmington Hills Mercy to win its first Regional ever, and Macomb Dakota and Charlevoix also won Regionals for the first time. Tecumseh won its first since 1992, with Lake Orion and Livonia Stevenson also needing at least a few decades to recall their last Quarterfinal berth. Saginaw Valley Lutheran’s Regional championship was its first since 1983.
Thursday’s win gave Frankenmuth just its third Regional title in program history. All three have come during the last seven seasons, but the Eagles never have advanced further. And beating North Branch to get another shot made it arguably the best win in program history, adding to a season during which the Eagles (53-9-3) have set a school record for victories with four more than the previous best.
“Without a doubt, it’s the fact we have eight seniors on the team. That is the reason,” Chip DeGrace said, explaining why the program has taken such a big step this fall. “It’s (just) a coincidence my daughter is one of them. These kids came into high school as freshmen, and the combination of athletic talent, intelligence, competitiveness, and love for volleyball, you could see it.”
Granted, North Branch graduated significant contributors from last season’s Class B runner-up team. But the Broncos annually are considered a state powerhouse, with an MHSAA championship in 2009 and a Class A runner-up finish in 2007 helping boost that reputation.
Despite defeating the Broncos on Sept. 21 and eventually winning the Tri-Valley Conference East championship – the Eagles’ first league title since 2002 – Frankenmuth remained unranked and in the Broncos' shadow heading into Districts. North Branch closed the regular season by beating the Eagles at the all-division TVC Tournament, right after Frankenmuth lost senior libero Morgan Trinklein – who DeGrace called the best defensive specialist in program history – to a knee injury.
But there also was good news for the Eagles. Frankenmuth won its District, then beat No. 10 Mount Morris to open Regional play. Senior Emily Wee, an MHSAA hurdles champion, came back from an injury two-thirds of the way through the regular season and has provided reinforcement to a strong front line -- Nicole DeGrace’s 654 kills make the MHSAA record book list, as do junior Maddy Mertz’ 155 blocks. Three defensive specialists have upped their play in Trinklein's absence. And although senior Addie Loftus’ 839 assists fall a bit short of record book mention, they are all the more impressive considering the Eagles use two setters in their offense.
Thursday's victory also came near the end of a four-year string that included three coaches and the many system and position changes that come with turnover. When senior Olivia Shelton killed the final point Thursday, Nicole DeGrace said the feeling was a mix of validation and pride.
The Eagles will carry both into Tuesday’s Quarterfinal against another perennial power, Marysville, on North Branch’s home court.
“I think we’ve kinda learned it’s not as much about thinking. It’s more about just playing,” Nicole DeGrace said. “Most of the time in our huddle with my dad now, it’s ‘Stop thinking, just play.’ And when that happens, it’s crazy. It’s just awesome.”
Click for interactive brackets for all MHSAA classes.
Click for the Flint Journal story from Thursday's Frankenmuth/North Branch match.
PHOTOS
(Top) Frankenmuth celebrates its third Regional title ever after defeating North Branch in five games Thursday at Mount Morris High.
(Below) Senior Morgan Trinklein (10) injured her left knee in the final regular season match, but played a big part in the Eagles' TVC championship run.
(Photos courtesy of Frankenmuth volleyball.)
Team of the Month: Reese Girls Volleyball
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
December 10, 2021
Saturday will mark three weeks since Reese completed an almost astonishing comeback to win its first MHSAA Volleyball Finals championship.
But the Rockets are still riding high like it happened yesterday – and there’s no reason to end the celebration any time soon.
As volleyball coach Angie Compton looked into the crowd during Thursday’s girls basketball game, she saw a sea of Reese championship shirts – many worn by people she’s never seen before.
“I’ll see people out, and they’re still congratulating us. The girls (Thursday) are like, ‘Oh my God, everybody is wearing our championship shirts today – the town must have all gotten them,’” Compton said. “I think so many alumni are just super excited about it. The school is still so excited for us, and other students, they know it’s a really big deal. It’s really given us something fun, and some pride.”
Reese’s volleyball team – the MHSAA/Applebee’s “Team of the Month” for November – gave us an unforgettable comeback that likely will be brought up for years to come when discussing the tournament’s most extraordinary finishes.
It’s not that the Rockets won, but how:
For starters, the Finals championship was the school’s first since the boys cross country team’s title in 1964.
Reese was up against Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, which had won the previous two Division 3 championships and five titles total over the last 11 seasons.
The Rockets, meanwhile, had the day before played in their second Semifinal ever and first since 2010.
Reese then lost the first two sets to the Kestrels, 25-18 and 25-19.
And then – as the story was told – the Rockets broke into some unexpected song and dance, keeping things light, and won the next two sets 25-15 and 25-21 and then the final two points of the fifth to clinch at 16-14.
Learning to find the fun in those moments, even the toughest ones, had been part of the team’s mental preparation earlier in the season, and those lessons clearly paid off. The Rockets didn’t enter the match focusing on St. Mary’s past successes, and were able to bounce back midway through the match when it seemed this golden opportunity was all but lost.
“A few years ago, if my team was in this position, I would’ve had a totally different demeanor about it – get refocused, this is what we need to do … it would have been a different talk,” Compton said of climbing out of the 0-2 deficit. “It’s because of this team, and what they respond to. … I think it’s amazing.”
Senior Maddi Osantowski’s 34 kills were the fourth-most in a championship match, senior Josie Johnson’s 29 digs tied for fourth, and senior Sarah Gray also made that digs list with 21. Senior Aydan Dalak – Compton’s daughter – just missed the list for most assists in a Final with 42.
Osantowski was named to the all-state first team after the season, while Dalak made the second and Johnson earned an honorable mention.
Eight seniors total anchored the team, which finished 35-5-1.
Past Teams of the Month, 2021-22
October: Birmingham Groves boys tennis - Read