Small Schools, Big Northern Lights Finish
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
February 29, 2016
HANNAHVILLE — Not too many high school conferences in Michigan have their own basketball tournament.
The Northern Lights League in the Upper Peninsula, however, is one of the exceptions to the rule.
Each year the league’s eight schools meet at Hannahville for their annual tourney.
“This is such a great tournament for our conference,” said Maplewood Baptist boys coach Steve May. “What an opportunity for small schools. These are the types of things these kids will never forget. This is their chance to shine. They get to experience March Madness, although it comes a little early.”
The tournament, traditionally held in late February, showcases all the talent these schools have to offer.
This year’s girls tourney featured the league’s first all-U.P. player in senior Hannah May, a second-team selection a year ago.
“This is really a nice tournament,” Hannah said. “All the small schools come together and make some new friendships. This is the highlight of the year. This gives us something to shoot for.”
Hannah May showed why she’s all-U.P. in the championship game Feb. 20, sinking a buzzer-beating 20-foot jumpshot from the right wing to force overtime in Maplewood’s 79-70 triumph over Wilson Nah Tah Wahsh.
She scored 35 points, and classmate Harmony Bailey added 24.
“We enjoy this tournament,” said Maplewood girls assistant coach Caroline May. “We look forward to it every year.”
Senior Selena Williams, looking to play ball at Gogebic Community College in Ironwood next season, led Hannahville with 26 points. Sophomore Cecilia Beaver added 23.
“I love our team,” said Beaver. “We all get along. We’re also real good friends with Maplewood Baptist, and we get along with the other teams. We’ve developed a lot of friendships.”
The Maplewood Baptist boys also captured the league tourney crown in a 73-54 conquest of Hannahville.
Senior Patrick Gomes scored 19 points for the Kinross-based school, which placed four in double-digits. Senior Cody Meshigaud paced the defending champs with 24.
The tournament provides plenty of opportunity for team bonding and camaraderie among all the teams.
“I like it and the kids enjoy it,” said Ojibwe Charter girls coach Ashley Bishop. “You see the upsets and victories. It’s nice to see all the teams get together. All the schools are very small, and I think the kids make better friends this way. At the motel we stayed at in Escanaba, we had kids and coaches from 4-5 schools hanging out together.”
Ojibwe boys coach Brandon Kerfoot believes the tournament is part of the learning process for a team with no seniors.
“I think being able to end the season with schools about our size is a big stepping stone for the kids,” he said. “It’s a different game once you hit the tournaments. Anything can happen once you reach this point.”
The Ojibwe boys started two juniors and a sophomore, freshman and eighth-grader in a 69-46 semifinal loss to Maplewood Baptist.
Ojibwe’s girls started two juniors, two sophomores and an eighth-grader in a 56-34 loss to Hannahville in the semifinals.
PHOTOS: (Top) A pair of Kinross Maplewood Baptist defenders surround a Wilson Nah Tah Wahsh player bringing the ball upcourt during the Northern Lights League Tournament. (Middle) A Maplewood defender works to wall off a Bay Mills Ojibwe Charter guard. (Photos by Paul Gerard.)
Freshman Quickly Finds Breslin Footing as Tecumseh Takes Next Step in Repeat Pursuit
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
March 20, 2026
EAST LANSING – Basketball might be a team sport, but this sure was a fun one-on-one duel between a Miss Basketball Award finalist this season and a freshman who could be a finalist for the award in 2029.
Throughout Friday’s first Division 2 Semifinal — and especially during the fourth quarter — Flint Powers Catholic senior Kendyl Smith and Tecumseh freshman Avery Zajac seemed to engage in a game of “anything you can do, I can do better.”
Ultimately, Smith won the scoring battle but Zajac’s team got the win, with Tecumseh holding off a late Powers rally to earn a 63-59 victory.
“They both had great games,” Tecumseh head coach Kristy Zajac said. “I mean, both are amazing players. There were a lot of great players on the floor today. And one player can’t make a team, right? Kendyl made a ton of shots, but doesn’t get those shots without those screens, and Avery doesn’t get those shots without someone else getting that pass.”
Tecumseh (26-2) will attempt to repeat as Division 2 champion Saturday evening, thanks in large part to Zajac continuing to play beyond her years.
She scored 25 points on 9 of 15 shooting and repeatedly made big baskets when Smith and Powers seemed poised to catch up.
Tecumseh carried a 51-40 lead into the fourth quarter, but Powers roared back, going on a 9-0 run to cut the margin to 51-49 with 5:19 remaining in the game after a 3-pointer by freshman Presley Schriner.
But Zajac came to the rescue, quelling the run with consecutive layups to put Tecumseh up 55-49 with 3:34 left.
Smith answered with a 3-pointer to make it 55-52 Tecumseh with 3:19 remaining, but Zajac responded with a 3-pointer of her own to push Tecumseh’s lead back to six at 58-52 with 3:07 left.
Smith hit another 3-pointer at 1:25 to bring Powers back within three at 60-57, but a Zajac free throw with 53.4 seconds to go put Tecumseh back up by two possessions at 61-57.
Single free throws by Reese Grounds with 42.3 seconds remaining and Delaney Brown with 18.8 seconds left gave Tecumseh a 63-57 lead before Smith rounded out the scoring on a layup with 10.6 seconds to play.
Tecumseh threw a successful inbounds pass down the court and then ran out the clock to preserve the win.
“I was a little nervous coming in because of the stage and the atmosphere,” Avery Zajac said. “But once I started hitting shots, my confidence got up.”
Playing in her last high school game before embarking on a college career at Liberty in Virginia, Smith led all scorers with 32 points on 11 of 27 shooting from the field.
“I don’t think we fell short,” Smith said. “I think we just didn’t have enough time because I think we fought until the end. It was nothing to be ashamed of. We did so well, we fought so hard, and we just played all together.”
Powers (24-4) was making its first Semifinal appearance since 2014.
“Overall, it’s a game of making shots, and they just made a few more than us down the stretch,” Powers head coach Ryan Trevithick said. “We were playing a little bit of catch-up. But I’m proud of our kids’ effort and proud of our kids’ fight.”
Both teams shot well all game. Tecumseh finished at 52.8 percent from the field (19 of 36), while Powers shot 48.8 percent (21 of 43).
PHOTOS Tecumseh’s Delaney Brown (1) looks to pass while Flint Powers’ Haleena Abueita defends. (Middle) Chloe Bullinger (10) works to get past Evah Smith. (Photos by Keionna Banks and John Castine/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)