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.)
Breslin Bound: 2025-26 Girls Report Week 5
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 12, 2026
As we start this sixth week of the 2025-26 girls basketball season, 37 teams across Michigan remain undefeated.
The list is guaranteed to be at least a little shorter as quickly as Tuesday night.
Several high-profile matchups headline the schedule as league play continues to ramp up. We take a look at a few below – but with several more candidates to be included in the “Review” portion of next week’s report.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Grand Rapids South Christian 73, Grand Rapids West Catholic 62 South Christian (8-0) avenged last season’s Quarterfinal loss to the Falcons (7-2), but they’ll meet again Feb. 3 and also split the Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold title last season.
2. Negaunee 54, Ishpeming 44 The Miners (9-0) took a significant step in the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference East with this win over the rival Hematites (6-1), who they’ll see again Feb. 6.
3. Flint Powers Catholic 54, Pewamo-Westphalia 43 The Chargers (8-1) started off a three-win week by handing the Pirates (6-1) their lone defeat of the winter.
4. Freeland 46, Frankenmuth 42 The latest chapter in this rivalry saw the Falcons (5-2) avenge last season’s Regional Semifinal loss to the Eagles (3-4) after they also had split regular-season meetings and the Tri-Valley Conference Red title.
5. McBain 56, Evart 32 The Ramblers (6-0) moved a key step ahead of their Highland Conference rival after Evart (6-1) edged them for the league championship a year ago.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
New Baltimore Anchor Bay (6-0) The Tars have started their encore well after improving four wins to 17-5 last season while winning the Macomb Area Conference White title. Friday’s 59-53 victory over Macomb Dakota was their first by fewer than 15 points, and that next-closest victory came 47-32 as they handed St. Clair its only loss this season. Five of the six wins have come against opponents currently .500 or better.
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (7-1) A 47-43 win over Warren Regina last week sent St. Mary’s into first place alone in the Catholic High School League Central West, a lead they also own thanks to a 45-33 win over Farmington Hills Mercy on Jan. 2; St. Mary’s and Mercy shared the league championship last season. A 24-point win over Clarkston also jumps out, and the only loss came to Saginaw Heritage over the break.
DIVISION 2
Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (7-0) The Chargers already have equaled last season’s 7-15 finish, avenging last-winter losses to Lowell, Big Rapids and Muskegon Western Michigan Christian and navigating three victories by six points or fewer. A 34-30 nail-biter over Kent City was arguably the most notable of the impressive opening run, and there are plenty of opportunities to shine in the near-future as they jump into the second half of an eight-game road trip.
Haslett (6-0) The Vikings have enjoyed plenty of success over the first half of this decade, finishing 22-4 a year ago, and they’re on the right track again despite playing four of their first six games on the road. A 62-56 win at Frankenmuth made a nice statement, as did a 57-36 victory over Williamston in Capital Area Activities Conference Red play Friday. They’ll hope to roll that momentum into Tuesday’s matchup against DeWitt, one of the few to down the Vikings a year ago.
DIVISION 3
New Lothrop (5-0) The Hornets also finished 22-4 a year ago and are back on the same track with all five of their victories this winter by 11 or more points – including one apiece over St. Charles and Ovid-Elsie, which have both begun 6-2. New Lothrop has reached 20 wins two seasons in a row and made the Regional Finals last winter, and the Hornets will prep for another run in part with games at Division 2 Freeland and Division 1 Midland.
Shelby (5-0) The Tigers went from 8-17 two seasons ago to 19-5 last winter, and they’re on the move again with five double-digit wins – including 49-38 over Hart, which defeated Shelby three times in 2024-25 including in their District matchup. Shelby’s first game this s season against Ravenna, scheduled for Dec. 19, was postponed, but they’ll meet twice and are the only two teams without a loss in the West Michigan Conference Rivers.
DIVISION 4
Concord (7-1) The Yellowjackets reached the Division 4 Semifinals last season at Breslin Center and finished 22-5, and they’re dominating once again. They actually opened with a loss to Morenci, but haven’t fallen since – and all but one of those victories have come by 16 or more points. The lone single-digit win came as Concord handed Adrian Lenawee Christian its only defeat, 64-55.
Morenci (6-0) As noted above, Morenci started this season in a big way by downing Concord 58-25, and they closed last week by handing Petersburg Summerfield its only loss as well, 44-20. The Bulldogs have reached the Division 4 Quarterfinals the last two seasons and will face several Division 3 opponents this winter as they prep for another run – with a 38-30 win already as well over Division 1 Temperance Bedford.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Haslett (6-0) at DeWitt (7-1) These longtime rivals are again among mid-Michigan’s elite and have split their last four games, with DeWitt winning last year’s 62-50.
Tuesday – Baraga (9-0) at Ewen-Trout Creek (5-1) – E-TC finished first and Baraga second in the overall Copper Mountain Conference standings last season with the Panthers winning their lone meeting.
Tuesday – McBain (6-0) at Roscommon (7-0) – For the second-straight week, McBain will take on another undefeated Highland Conference contender.
Tuesday – Grand Rapids South Christian (8-0) at Wayland (7-0) – The Wildcats could make a move in the O-K Gold after finishing third a year ago, and that might start against one of the reigning co-champions.
Friday – Belleville (7-0) at Wayne Memorial (7-0) – Belleville has a big week ahead as it pursues another Kensington Lakes Activities Association East title, taking on undefeated Livonia Stevenson on Tuesday before this first matchup with the reigning co-champion Zebras.
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PHOTOS (Top) Gwinn's Alayna Soyring passes the ball around Ishpeming' Jenessa Eagle (left) and Ava Jo Hares (right) during their teams’ matchup Jan. 6 at Northern Michigan University. (Middle) Hemlock senior guard Victoria Hauffe (21) drives through the Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central defense during the first quarter Friday. (Gwinn/Ishpeming photo by Cara Kamps. Hemlock/Nouvel photo by Kolleth Photo.)