Ishpeming Standouts Close Magnificent Careers, Wild Week by Leading Team to 2nd Title
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
March 21, 2026
EAST LANSING – Mya Hemmer and Jenessa Eagle put on one final show in an Ishpeming uniform Saturday.
The Hematites seniors were dominant in leading their team to a 48-28 victory against Portland St. Patrick in the Division 4 Girls Basketball Final at the Breslin Center, winning their second title in three years.
“This is my last organized basketball game, which is really sad for me – this is my first sport, my first love,” said Hemmer, who will play volleyball at Baylor. “I just changed to volleyball freshman year, so it’s kind of a shock that I’m going to be done. It’s just such a great opportunity to be able to play, and that was just amazing. Who could have asked for a better end to their season? That’s the goal, right?”
Hemmer had 18 points, 17 rebounds, nine blocks and six steals, while Eagle had 19 points and 11 rebounds. It was a repeat of 2024, when Ishpeming won its only other championship with the then-sophomores leading the team in points and rebounds.
“I really wasn’t nervous this time around,” said Eagle, who will continue her career at Michigan Tech. “I remember the first time we came here, I was shaking, sweating, I was on the verge of tears the first time two years ago. Coming back here, it helped with our maturity, not being nervous and then helping other teammates who haven’t played here to be less nervous.”
This year’s road to the Final was a tough one, and not necessarily on the court. The Hematites (25-3) won all but one of their postseason games by double digits, with the Semifinal against Morenci the lone exception.
Much of the struggle was simply getting to East Lansing, as the Upper Peninsula was buried in several feet of snow earlier in the week, forcing Ishpeming to play its Quarterfinal on Wednesday and Semifinal on Thursday.
“We had a grueling stretch here,” Ishpeming coach Ryan Reichel said. “Leave on a Wednesday, four days in a hotel, snowstorms, lack of practice, some of the things you take for granted in the regular season. Us having two games basically starting within a 24-hour period at this high of a level is not easy, and they showed that UP grit, that Hematite grit in (the Semifinal). Then, this morning you got to see them do it with fresh legs and energy.”
Their classmates also got to see it, something they weren’t able to do Thursday because of the weather. Having them in attendance Saturday provided another boost for the Hematites.
“It was amazing. I love our fans,” Eagle said. “They’re amazing and they showed out today, leaving at 12:30 in the morning, that’s ridiculous. I think that proves how diehard the UP is.”
A 15-0 second quarter blew the game open for the Hematites, giving them a 29-13 lead at the half.
Ishpeming forced five turnovers and blocked four shots, and St. Patrick was 0-for-11 from the field in the quarter.
Hemmer had three of those blocks, as her mere presence in the paint was clearly affecting the Shamrocks. She had a double-double – 14 points, 10 rebounds – by halftime, along with five blocks and three steals.
“It’s hard, because you can see her coming and you don’t think she is that tall, but she is really tall and blocks you,” St. Patrick junior guard Gracelyn Rockey said. “It makes it harder, because we get a lot of rebounds and putbacks, so it was hard for us not to get those.”
St. Patrick went 10 minutes of game time without scoring, as Ishpeming’s run reached 20-0. When Rockey finished off a three-point play with 18 seconds to play in the first quarter, the score was 14-13. By the time Lily Sandborn hit a 3-pointer just under two minutes into the third quarter, it was Ishpeming 34-16.
“We struggled to make shots, and I think we tried to challenge them maybe a little more than we should have underneath the basket,” St. Patrick coach Michelle Smith said. “When we don’t make shots, it’s difficult for us to settle into our zone defense, which is what we hang our hats on. In the second quarter, they got a lot of long outlets which made it difficult for us to settle in defensively and created a number of open looks for them.”
Rockey had 10 points and six rebounds to lead the way for the Shamrocks (23-6), who were making their 13th Finals appearance, but first since 2006.
“It’s been a great journey,” said senior Mattie Honsowitz, who was lost to injury early in the season. “I think it’s 20 years since the last time we made it this far, and we just worked as a team this entire year – that was our goal. We rebound, we communicate, and that’s what led us here. We’re really proud of that.”
PHOTOS (Top) Ishpeming’s Jenessa Eagle (3) drives toward the lane while a teammate cuts to the basket during their Division 4 Final win over Portland St. Patrick at Breslin Center. (Middle) Mya Hemmer (14) and Brittanie Piotrowski (5) surround St. Patrick’s Gracelyn Rockey as she drives. (Photos by Keionna Banks and Lilanie Karunanayake/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
Breslin Bound: 2022-23 Girls Report Week 8
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 23, 2023
Of course, what matters most is ending the season with a win – and only four fortunate Michigan high school girls basketball teams do so every winter.
But as we cruise into the second half of this regular season, it’s notable to highlight the 18 teams that have played nearly two months without experiencing defeat.
We detail a few of those below, but the list in whole includes Farmington Hills Mercy, Detroit Renaissance, Temperance Bedford, North Farmington and Flint Carman-Ainsworth from Division 1; Escanaba, Grand Rapids West Catholic, Lake Fenton, Haslett, Vicksburg and Warren Fitzgerald in Division 2; Bronson and Detroit Osborn in Division 3, and Kingston, Morenci, Mackinaw City, Brethren and Norway in Division 4.
“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. Haslett 55, DeWitt 52 The Division 2 Vikings (12-0) won this nonleague matchup of undefeated teams, sending Division 1 DeWitt to 10-1.
2. Flint Carman-Ainsworth 45, Grand Blanc 43 The Cavaliers (10-0) remained undefeated overall and also in the Saginaw Valley League in handing the Bobcats (8-4) their first SVL loss.
3. East Grand Rapids 49, Lowell 40 The Pioneers (10-2) bounced back from defeat to hand Lowell (10-2) its first loss of the season.
4. Morenci 48, Petersburg Summerfield 41 Morenci (12-0) maintained an edge both locally in the Tri-County Conference and statewide in Division 4 with Summerfield (12-2) also among the elite.
5. Utica Eisenhower 47, Grosse Pointe North 46 After losing to North by 14 a month ago, Eisenhower (9-3) evened the season series with this close win over the Norsemen (11-2).
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Brighton (8-3) In finishing 17-8 and fourth last season in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association West, Brighton lost twice to Howell, Northville and Brighton. In leading the conference this winter, Brighton has defeated all three plus second-place Salem by 20 points. The Bulldogs are on an eight-game winning streak after opening 0-3 with two of those losses to teams still undefeated.
West Bloomfield (11-2) The reigning Division 1 champion Lakers also have won eight straight, with their only losses to reigning Division 3 champion Ypsilanti Arbor Prep (by four) and Indiana power South Bend Washington. Meanwhile, West Bloomfield has wins over South Lyon East, Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, Clarkston and Rochester – which all have won at least eight games – plus Detroit Cass Tech and Illinois power Chicago Kenwood.
DIVISION 2
Dearborn Divine Child (11-2) The Falcons opened the calendar year with a solid 63-62 win over Redford Westfield Prep, then had a brief bobble with losses to Warren Regina and Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard – but are right back in contention in the Detroit Catholic League Central with their first meeting with league leader Farmington Hills Mercy on Tuesday. Divine Child is coming off defeating eight-win Grosse Ile, and also has a nice victory over Salem and handed Dansville its only loss this winter.
Houghton (10-1) The Gremlins are coming off a 51-46 win over another Upper Peninsula contender in Calumet, and have won six straight since their lone defeat to West Iron County. Last season’s 18-4 finish included a split with the Copper Kings, a sweep by Hancock and a playoff loss to Negaunee. Houghton also has a win over Negaunee this season and sees Hancock for the first time Feb. 9. Six of 10 wins are against teams .500 or better, with a 14-point victory over 10-win Baraga another major highlight.
DIVISION 3
Elk Rapids (9-2) There may have been no better way to come back from a Jan. 13 loss to Traverse City St. Francis than Elk Rapids’ 51-42 win over Harbor Springs four days later, and those three teams all top the Lake Michigan Conference with one league loss apiece. Elk Rapids’ only other defeat was to Division 4 contender Maple City Glen Lake. The Elks won the LMC last season before losing to St. Francis in their District, and get the next chance to break that streak against the Gladiators on Feb. 9.
Ypsilanti Arbor Prep (6-4) The Gators always load their regular-season schedule in preparation for the postseason, and it paid off with another Division 3 title last winter. This season’s losses were to Division 2 Westfield Prep, Lake Fenton and Chelsea (two of those in overtime), and to Illinois power Chicago Butler. As noted above, Arbor Prep has defeated West Bloomfield, among four teams with double-digit wins – Tecumseh, Father Gabriel Richard and Madison Heights Bishop Foley are the others.
DIVISION 4
Gaylord St. Mary (9-2) The Snowbirds have won nine straight since opening with losses to still-undefeated Escanaba and New Lothrop. All nine of those wins have come by double digits as St. Mary has vaulted back to the top of the Ski Valley Conference after sharing the title in 2021 and winning it outright last season. Expectations should remain high again after last season’s playoff run ended in the Quarterfinals against eventual champion Fowler.
Pittsford (10-2) The Wildcats also have won nine straight, all by double digits as well, as they seek to build off last year’s 18-4 finish. The losses came early to Hudson and Sand Creek, who both have won at least eight games, and Pittsford also has avenged last season’s defeat to Athens – another eight-game winner so far this winter. Pittsford more recently defeated Hillsdale Academy, a nine-game winner, in a key Southern Central Athletic Association matchup.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Dearborn Divine Child (11-2) at Farmington Hills Mercy (12-0) – As noted above, this matches two of the top three in the Catholic League Central and after these two split last season’s two meetings.
Tuesday – Byron Center (10-3) at East Grand Rapids (10-2) – EGR has a Saturday matchup with undefeated Detroit Renaissance, but first up is a key Ottawa-Kent Conference White meeting with league leader Byron Center.
Friday – Escanaba (13-0) at Calumet (9-2) – Two of the best in the Upper Peninsula face off, and they’ll actually see each other a second time Feb. 10 when both could be on their ways to league titles.
Friday – Bay City Western (11-1) at Flint Carman-Ainsworth (10-0) – These are two of three still undefeated in the Saginaw Valley League, with the only loss between them Western’s to Big North Conference contender Traverse City Central.
Friday – Temperance Bedford (12-0) at Saline (11-1) – A Saline loss last week to Grass Lake kept this from being a matchup of undefeated squads, but these two top the Southeastern Conference Red and are among the highly-regarded statewide in Division 1.
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PHOTOS (Top) Dansville sets up to defend during last week's 38-28 win over Bath. (Middle) Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest's Aliyah Ozias (2) drives to the basket against Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood during a 62-32 victory. (Top photo by Click by Christine McCallister. Middle photo by Chris Mudd; click for more from National Photo Scout Action Photos.)