Talented Multiples Multiplying Success at Elk Rapids, Petoskey
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
March 4, 2022
Big North and Lake Michigan Conference girls basketball players have been suffering from double and triple vision the last couple of years.
It’s not a medical condition. There’s no need to see a doctor for treatment. Players, coaches, referees and announcers just need to focus on the numbers.
No more double vision is anticipated in the Lake Michigan Conference when Elk Rapids steps on the court next winter a third-straight league championship. But there will be triple vision in the Big North Conference though as Petoskey seeks a second-straight title. And, the double and triple vision may continue this spring on the soccer pitch.
The double vision caused by the Elks stems from numbers 4 and 5. The triple vision some suffer further north is the results of numbers 11, 20 and 23.
Twin seniors Monika and Mary Gregorski wore the 4 and 5, respectively, as Elk Rapids picked up its second-straight LMC championship this winter. The Big North champion, Petoskey, had junior triplets Grayson, Eva and Caroline sporting the 11, 20 and 23, respectively.
The soccer rosters this spring may make opponents believe they have vision problems. The twins and the triplets helped their squads make strong showings in the league and postseason last spring.
At one point this basketball season the Gregorskis and the Guys were playing together on the same court as the Elks slipped past the Northmen 41-39 at home.
“It was kind of cool that when Mary and I were on the court at the same time and they (Caroline, Eva and Grayson) were all on the court at the same time, half of the players on the court were twins or triplets,” said Monika Gregorski, who was the Elks’ 3-point specialist. “It was two different families but it made up half of the teams.”
Fans and opponents looking closely at the Elks on the court may be able to differentiate between the twins by their playing. Monika buried 24 3-point shots during the regular season. Mary is the defensive stalwart, earnings an all-conference honor last year with her tenacity.
“They are different players on the floor and different off the floor,” said Elks coach Mike Brown, who had the twins all four years on the varsity. “But they have their togetherness.
“Every shooting drill they’re attached at the hip,” he continued. “They’re both such good two-way players, and they do everything whether it’s rebounding or steals.”
Elk Rapids’ season ended Wednesday night with a loss to Traverse City St. Francis in a Division 3 District Semifinal. The Elks finished 18-3. They were 16-2 last year, falling to powerhouse Glen Lake in the District Final.
Petoskey saw its championship season end Monday night with a loss to league rival Traverse City West. The Guy triplets, who moved from Ohio to Petoskey at the start of the 2020-21 school year, played a huge role in the Northmen’s 14-7 season.
Petoskey coach Bryan Shaw benefitted from the triplets’ move north last season, along with then-senior sister Gabriella.
“It is something to have a transfer or two, but four is a whole different story,” the seventh-year coach said. “Coaching the triplets has been fun.
“As close as they are, they are all their own individual,” he continued. “They have fit right in with teammates, and while coaching we don't really see them as triplets but try to maximize the skill each brings to the game.”
Caroline contributed eight points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.4 blocks per game this season. Grayson added 5.5 points and four rebounds, while Eva averaged nearly three points and more than two rebounds per game.
“All of them are competitive and work hard,” Shaw said of the Guy triplets. “Carol is more of a perimeter player, handles the ball well and shoots it well.
“Grayson is more of the swing-type player from the baseline or wing, but can also post up,” he continued. “Eva is steady. … She handles it when we need her to, defends well and hits open shots.”
Eva is turning her attention to soccer as she prepares for another season as a midfielder for the Northmen. Caroline and Grayson may not play soccer, perhaps choosing to focus on offseason basketball opportunities and conditioning.
The triplets don’t play a high school fall sport, and all list basketball as their favorite.
“It’s a lot of fun because we have that bond and connection,” said Eva. “We have been playing together literally since birth. Like right when we picked up a basketball, we all wanted to play and pursue our dreams together.”
With the Guy triplets on the soccer pitch a year ago, the Northmen dropped a tough decision to TC West in their final regular-season game. A win would have given Petoskey the league title. The score was 0-0 at halftime.
“I have been fortunate to not only have had the opportunity to work with all the girls on the soccer field, but also in my economics courses,” said Zach Jonker, veteran Petoskey boys and girls soccer coach and teacher. “The leadership qualities they have developed in their athletic endeavors are also on display in the classroom.
“They each epitomize what it means to be a student-athlete,” Jonker continued. “Each of the sisters has a distinct positive personality, and collectively they have elevated both the culture of our program and the school climate.”
Elk Rapids girls soccer and boys tennis coach Andrea Krakow, like Brown, also had the pleasure of coaching the twins’ older sisters, Megan and Molly. Megan is the current JV girls basketball coach.
Krakow said she takes the same approach with the twins as she does with any soccer player.
“As far as coaching twins, I have coached them as I would any other players — as individuals,” she said. “Soccer and doubles tennis are both team sports, so all players need to work together.”
“They each have their own personality and are different in several ways, thus I treated them and coached them as individuals.”
Regardless of sport, the twins and triplets believe having siblings on the team is an advantage as they know their teammates’ games inside and out. They all indicate a special joy from playing with their sisters.
“It is really fun playing with her (Monica) because we have, I want to say, is twin telepathy,” Mary Gregorski said. “We always know where each other are on the court.”
Grayson Guy believes it boosts team chemistry.
“I feel like a lot of troubles on teams is chemistry,” she said. “With the three of us going in, we automatically have so much chemistry.
“We saw each other grow as players and as people,” she continued. “It is super nice to get on the court and see a familiar face.”
Caroline Guy points to personal and team growth over the past seasons coming from having triplets on the team.
“It definitely made us connect a lot more over the years – especially this last year,” she said. “Our connection together — and everyone around us on our team — has definitely grown.
“Getting that closer relationship really helps us both inside and outside the sport.”
Elk Rapids and Petoskey are slated to meet on the Northmen’s soccer field April 7. The Elks won 2-0 at home last spring.
Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS (1) From left, Grayson, Eva and Caroline Guy with Petoskey girls basketball coach Bryan Shaw. (2) From left, Monika Gregorski, Elks soccer and tennis coach Andrea Krakow, Megan and Mary Gregorski. (3) Monika and Mary chat with Elk Rapids basketball coach Mike Brown. (4) From left, Caroline, Eva and Grayson Guy exit the bus for a basketball game at Traverse City West. (Photos by Tom Spencer.)
Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Girls Report Post-Break
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 6, 2025
There’s really no such thing as a holiday “break” for many of the state’s basketball teams – and instead of slowing down, several seemed to move closer to top speed with impressive runs over the last three weeks.
Today’s “Breslin Bound” covers that final week of the full schedule before school let out to finish December and the two weeks of break that rolled us into January and a few strides closer to the midpoint of this season.
“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. Detroit Renaissance 50, Detroit Edison 48 The Phoenix (9-0) began a 4-0 run through the break by avenging last season’s eight-point loss to the reigning Division 2 champion Pioneers (6-2).
2. Belleville 46, Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard 45 The Tigers (7-0) claimed arguably their most impressive win yet this winter over last year’s Division 2 runner-up Irish (8-1) at the Michigan Winter Hoopfest at Wayne Memorial.
3. Pewamo-Westphalia 53, Flint Powers Catholic 50 The Pirates (7-0) have impressed winning four games this season by three points or fewer, claiming this one over a Powers team (5-2) coming off a run to the Division 2 Quarterfinals last year.
4. Rockford 52, Howell 35 Two days after Howell (4-3) made some impressive noise with a win over Saginaw Heritage, the Rams (7-1) showed again they are still one of the teams to chase with this victory at the Michigan Winter Hoopfest.
5. Greenville 54, Kent City 35 Greenville (7-1) tied its win total from last year (six) with this Cornerstone Holiday Classic victory over Kent City (6-2), then surpassed last season’s success by defeating Grand Rapids Covenant Christian two days later.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Belleville (7-0) The Tigers are coming off a drive to the Division 1 Semifinals last season and haven’t slowed a step. They added a 3-0 run at Metro Detroit events over the break to an impressive start, downing Parma Western and East Kentwood in addition to the win over Father Gabriel Richard noted above – with the wins over Western and FGR those teams’ only losses this season. All this season but the FGR victory have come by at least 15 points, including as well impressive showings against Muskegon and reigning Division 1 champion West Bloomfield.
Midland (6-1) The Chemics welcomed back past coach Elaine Mahabir after seven seasons away and three straight sub-.500 finishes, and they already are approaching last season’s nine wins coming off defeating rival Dow 55-52 and Northville 65-63 in overtime to close December. Midland’s 42-37 win over Flint Hamady to open this winter remains Hamady’s only loss, and the Chemics’ lone defeat came to one-loss Grand Haven. The win over the Chargers broke an 11-game losing streak against Midland’s rival going back to the 2019-20 season.
DIVISION 2
Negaunee (9-0) A Division 2 semifinalist last season, Negaunee has made at least the Regional Finals the last three years and is keeping to that high standard again. The Miners’ performance at their Irontown Holiday Bash at the end of December especially sticks out – Negaunee handed previously-undefeated Ewen-Trout Creek a 47-30 defeat before downing Ludington 50-41 in a rematch of last year’s Regional championship game. On Friday, the Miners will play their first of two games against reigning Division 4 champion Ishpeming, the only team to defeat Negaunee during the 2023-24 regular season as they split matchups and shared the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference East title.
Sault Ste. Marie (6-1) The Blue Devils have run into Negaunee in the postseason two of the last three, and they may be on a collision course again especially given the Sault’s great start which has included wins over St. Ignace and Harbor Springs and the only loss to still-undefeated Chelsea at Aquinas College. The 57-41 Harbor Springs win Friday avenged a loss from a year ago, and the 50-49 win over the Saints on Dec. 13 remains St. Ignace’s only defeat with a rematch coming up Friday. Sault Ste. Marie finished 14-7 a year ago and won the Straits Area Conference but is playing as an independent this season and has a remaining schedule loaded primarily with Division 1 opponents.
DIVISION 3
Blissfield (7-1) A loss in another well-planned test against undefeated Division 2 Tecumseh left the only flaw on an otherwise perfect record so far as the Royals look to build on seasons of 27 and 22 victories, respectively. Blissfield’s start also has included a 43-35 defeat of Brooklyn Columbia Central – avenging last year’s Regional Semifinal loss – and most recently a 45-43 close call against Leslie. The Royals have won two straight Lenawee County Athletic Association titles and this time should face some serious competition from undefeated Ida and Adrian Madison (also 7-1). The first matchup with Ida is Thursday.
Sandusky (7-0) A 38-14 win over Deckerville at Little Caesars Arena was the latest for this undefeated contender and the state’s all-time winningest girls basketball coach Al DeMott. The Wolves reached the Division 3 Quarterfinals a year ago with their only regular-season loss coming in the first of two meetings with league rival Harbor Beach – which Sandusky plays for the first time this season Thursday as both seek to win the first-year Big Thumb Conference Black. Caro and Unionville-Sebewaing, with 11-point losses, have come closest to approaching Sandusky so far.
DIVISION 4
Munising (6-0) The Mustangs could be on the verge of equaling their 8-0 start from last season, when they went on to finish 21-5. But to do so, they must begin this week Tuesday with a win over Bark River-Harris, which finished just ahead of Munising for the Skyline Central Conference Large-school division title last winter. The Mustangs should be ready to give it a go; they’ve defeated four teams that are 4-2 so far and have won all but one of their games by at least 16 points.
Onekama (6-0) The Portagers have jumped from three to five to eight to 14 wins over the last four seasons, respectively, and could add to that run this winter after a start that’s included a pair of victories over Maple City Glen Lake – after splitting with the eventual Northwest Conference co-champion last season – plus single wins over Traverse City St. Francis and Elk Rapids. Onekama will have two more chances to avenge 2023-24 losses this week, Thursday against Benzie Central and Saturday against Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Detroit Country Day (8-0) at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (7-0) – Both own notable wins from the first five weeks, but whichever comes out on top will have its best victory yet this winter.
Thursday – Ewen-Trout Creek (7-1) at Lake Linden-Hubbell (7-0) – There’s intense recent history here as LL-H was second and E-TC third in the Copper Mountain Conference last year, with E-TC then ending the Lakes’ 23-2 season in the Regional Semifinals.
Thursday – Chelsea (6-0) at Tecumseh (6-0) – The Southeastern Conference White may come down to these two again after they split last season’s two meetings – and the championship.
Friday – Grand Rapids West Catholic (6-1) at Grand Rapids South Christian (7-1) – The Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold has five teams at 5-3 or better, and these two look to be among top contenders with West Catholic coming off winning the O-K Blue last year.
Saturday – Tecumseh (6-0) at Rockford (7-1) – Two days after the Chelsea matchup, Division 2 title hopeful Tecumseh will test itself against a Division 1 championship contender.
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PHOTOS (Top) Belleville's Paisley Stephens (4) gets to the basket during a win over Parma Western on Dec. 21 at Detroit Renaissance. (Middle) Tecumseh's Faith Wiedyk (2) drives the baseline against West Bloomfield also at the Lady Phoenix Shootout. (Photos by Team Arreguin Photos.)