Gladstone Off to Another Strong Start Led by All-Time Leading Scorer Johnson
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
January 15, 2026
GLADSTONE — So far, so good for the Gladstone girls basketball team.
The Braves, who are 8-2 overall, hope to make a deep postseason run after reaching the Division 3 Quarterfinal at Cheboygan a year ago where they dropped a 56-36 decision to Frankenmuth to finish 24-3.
They are led by 6-foot senior forward/center Lillie Johnson, who set the school’s all-time career scoring record during a 51-30 triumph over Ishpeming Westwood Jan. 6.
Johnson, who will play at Wisconsin-Green Bay next season, scored 27 points against the Patriots and added 30 in a 74-27 rout of Manistique on Friday, running her career total to 1,852.
“It was exciting to reach that and see all the support that came out,” she said. “It was definitely a relief to get the nerves out and help our team win.”
Gladstone has since defeated Marquette 64-52 and will host Menominee on Tuesday.
Johnson's total bested that scored by Reece Castor from 2016-19.
“I think personally, we started slow,” she said. “We lost two big players from last year’s team. It took a little time to get used to our roles.”
After winning its first three games, Gladstone dropped a 63-59 decision at Houghton on Dec. 19 despite a 47-point effort by Johnson, then fell at Ishpeming 54-44 three nights later.
“Lillie did everything at Houghton,” coach Andy Cretens said. “The other girls didn’t step up that night. We just need that second and third player to step up and help out with our scoring. (Houghton) had that one circled on their calendar. They wanted it. Those two games were important. Although, that could be a good thing. It could be a blessing in disguise. On defense, our rotation and communication needs to get better and we need to clean things up on offense. We’ve got some tough games coming up.”
Ishpeming is led by Baylor University volleyball recruit Mya Hemmer.
“Mya’s got the height and Houghton is a great team,” Johnson said. “Both teams are well-coached. I think we need to come out faster and get used to playing on the road.”
Junior Eva Pankonien, an outside shooting threat, sank three 3-pointers and scored a career-high 23 points against Manistique. Senior guard Addy Blowers, who plans to play volleyball at nearby Bay College next fall, often sets up the offense and scoring chances for her teammates.
Both filled roles off the bench earlier in their careers, with those experiences paying off now.
“That gave me confidence,” she added. “I’m sometimes the point guard. I just go out there and do what needs to be done. We really need to work on detailed stuff and taking care of the ball. The coaches are getting on us about leadership. We need to get back to the basics. I’m trying to be more of a defensive player this year. I’m excited for this next month.”
Pankonien also thrived in a similar situation early in her prep career.
“I was forced into a role I wasn’t used to in my freshman year,” she said. “It motivated me to work harder.”
Gladstone visits the Miners on Jan. 27 before hosting Calumet on Jan. 30 and Ishpeming on Feb. 3. Negaunee visits Gladstone for a rematch Feb. 26.
The Braves are entered in the Division 2 District Tournament in which Negaunee is the designated host. Gladstone defeated Negaunee in last season’s District Final after falling twice to the Miners during the regular season.
Johnson is naturally looking forward to her future at UWGB, but in the meantime there are great opportunities ahead for her and her teammates.
“Lillie is one of a kind,” Cretens said . “She can make anything happen. She draws attention from other teams which allows the other girls to be more comfortable.
“It has been a good start. We had some ups and downs. We’re still somewhat of a young team.”
John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
PHOTOS (Top ) Gladstone's Lillie Johnson (21) leads a fastbreak against Kingsford early this season. (Middle) Addy Blowers sets up for a free throw attempt. (Photos courtesy of the Gladstone athletic department.)
Breslin Bound: 2023-24 Girls Report Post-Break
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 8, 2024
A new year can allow for a fresh start as teams come back from holiday break.
But several of Michigan’s best girls basketball teams will want to remember what they accomplished during this season’s first month – and especially over these last few weeks.
Most have played anywhere from a quarter to nearly half of their regular-season schedules, and 43 teams enter this week still undefeated. Another 82 have only one loss.
A handful are highlighted below as “Breslin Bound” also begins again, 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. Detroit Edison 48, Parma Western 45 (OT) Edison (7-0) has played only three in-state opponents so far, and its scares over the last few seasons from Michigan teams have been fewer still, but the Pioneers handled this one to win the Parma Western Holiday Tournament over the host Panthers (4-5).
2. Goodrich 46, Hemlock 32 The Martians (8-0) haven’t lost since reaching the Division 2 Semifinals last season, and over the last month they’ve followed up avenging that Breslin loss to Frankenmuth on Dec. 19 with this win Dec. 29 over the reigning Division 3 champ Huskies (5-2) at the Michigan Hardwood Classic at Romulus.
3. Rockford 71, Grand Rapids West Catholic 57 This win to open the Cornerstone University Holiday Tournament Gold bracket over another 2023 Division 2 semifinalist in the Falcons (6-1) was sandwiched between wins over Frankenmuth and then Chelsea in the Gold championship game.
4. Niles Brandywine 45, Blissfield 43 The Bobcats (5-0) handed reigning Division 3 runner-up Blissfield (5-1) its lone loss of the season, also at the Hardwood Classic.
5. Ypsilanti Arbor Prep 51, Lowell 46 Arbor Prep (7-2) finished a successful holiday break run by handing Lowell (6-1) its lone loss, at the West Michigan Hoop Summit at Aquinas College.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Canton (7-0) Canton finished 11-13 a year ago, but that record may not have told the entire story; the team plays in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association West and finished sixth behind five teams that all won at least 14 games. Six losses by six or fewer points seem to be going the other way, as Canton has close wins over Macomb Dakota and Bloomfield Hills, the former Dakota’s only loss. A 49-41 win over Plymouth on Friday sent the Wildcats to 7-2.
Rockford (7-0) The reigning Division 1 champion has been nothing short of excellent during its encore with wins over Frankenmuth, West Catholic and Chelsea – see above – plus notable victories of more than 20 points over Byron Center and Muskegon. The West Catholic victory avenged last season’s lone loss, as Rockford now has won 30 straight games.
DIVISION 2
Goodrich (8-0) The Martians are rivaling Rockford’s impressiveness with the wins noted above against Frankenmuth and Hemlock plus a 10-pointer over Kingston – the Cardinals’ only loss – and wins on back-to-back nights last week by 20 over Farmington Hills Mercy and two over Grand Blanc. Lake Fenton dealt Goodrich three of its four losses last season, and they meet for the first time Jan. 19.
Negaunee (9-0) The Miners have hovered between Divisions 2 and 3 the last few seasons and moved back into Division 2 after reaching the Division 3 Regional Finals a year ago. Negaunee already has defeated all four opponents it lost to last season – Escanaba, Houghton, Hancock and Calumet – and the Miners won their Christmas Tournament by handing the only loss this season to Manton and then defeating reigning Division 4 runner-up Baraga 63-48.
DIVISION 3
Manton (8-1) As noted above, Manton’s only loss came at Negaunee 57-50 – and among its eight wins, four have come against teams that defeated Manton last season as the Rangers finished 7-14. They’ve also stormed out to a 5-0 start in the Highland Conference and play Roscommon on Friday for the league lead.
Sanford Meridian (5-0) After going 20-2 last season, but running into Hemlock in the District Final, Meridian is picking up where it left off. The Mustangs have won by an average margin of 36.2 points per game, including impressively over Jack Pine Conference opponents Clare and Beaverton (both 5-2). Meridian won the league last season, and reigning runner-up Farwell comes to Sanford on Thursday.
DIVISION 4
Fowler (6-1) The Eagles opened with a 55-47 loss to Division 1 Midland Dow, but haven’t lost since despite facing two of their biggest Central Michigan Athletic Conference rivals and a New Lothrop team expected to contend in the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference. Fowler reached the Division 4 Semifinals and has played at Breslin the last three seasons but is seeking its first league title since 2021; its first game with reigning CMAC champ Dansville is Jan. 24.
Martin (6-1) Handing Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep a 40-35 loss Dec. 12 no doubt was a plus; the Irish ended Martin’s 2022-23 in a District Final. But the best win so far arguably came 10 days later, 32-27 over Saugatuck, which is perhaps the biggest threat as Martin seeks to repeat in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Central.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Portland (7-0) at Lansing Catholic (3-3) – The eventual Division 2 champion Cougars were first and Portland second in the Capital Area Activities Conference White last season, with Lansing Catholic winning both meetings by more than 20 points.
Thursday – Michigan Center (8-0) at Grass Lake (6-2) – These two and Leslie look like early favorites in the Cascades Conference East. Grass Lake’s two losses are by a combined three points to Division 1 Saline and Division 2 Parma Western.
Friday – Salem (6-1) at Canton (7-0) – Salem won all three matchups with its neighbor last season, first earning the Kensington Lakes Activities Association West championship and with the last to claim a District title.
Friday – Lowell (6-1) at Byron Center (7-2) – Byron Center won 22 games and the Ottawa-Kent Conference White title last season, sweeping third-place Lowell – which still went on to win 18 games and a District title.
Friday – Ishpeming (5-0) at Negaunee (9-0) – Negaunee claimed last season’s meetings by nine and then one point on the way to finishing just ahead of the Hematites in the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference East.
MHSAA.com's weekly “Breslin Bound” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTOS (Top) Negaunee's Keira Waterman goes up for a shot while being defended by Ishpeming Westwood's Makayla Fisher (1) and Kaylin Doney (30) during a Dec. 21 win. (Middle) Marysville’s Avery Wolters passes to a teammate on the perimeter during her team’s loss to Davison at the Skippers Holiday Showcase on Dec. 28 at St. Clair County Community College. (Photos by Cara Kamps and Terry Lyons, respectively.)