Block Party: 2026 Girls Volleyball Week 4 Report
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 16, 2026
Let the Party begin again.
Welcome back to Block Party, our weekly reports following our MHSAA-member teams as they navigate the regular season – with a hoped-for final destination of Finals weekend at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena.
Every week from here out we’ll look at matches from the previous week that caught our eye, a pair of teams in every playoff division making moves and upcoming matches or tournaments of particular interest.
Records below are those reported and tracked on this website, and rankings referred to below reflect the latest polls posted by the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association (MIVCA).
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Utica Eisenhower d. South Lyon East (25-23, 22-25, 15-11) This win over Division 1 then-ranked No. 6 East was perhaps the most notable of No. 7 (now No. 6) Eisenhower’s 6-0 day to win its Program Cup, which also included victories over Dexter, Troy, South Lyon, Macomb Dakota and honorable mention Lowell.
2. Macomb Lutheran North d. North Branch (22-25, 26-28, 25-23, 25-19, 15-12) Lutheran North jumped from honorable mention to No. 8 in Division 2 this week, with this comeback win over the previously-No. 5 Broncos sure to have made an impact.
3. Farmington Hills Mercy d. Bloomfield Hills Marian (25-21, 27-25, 25-21) This was the second time in two weeks the top-ranked Marlins faced No. 2 Marian, and the second time they won although this time in a sweep.
4. Elk Rapids d. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (27-25, 25-18) The Division 3 No. 5 Elks finished 3-0 at their invitational, with this sweep of the Division 4 No. 5 Irish likely a reason they moved up a spot in their ranking.
5. Ishpeming d. Negaunee (25-16, 19-25, 25-18, 8-25, 15-12) These rivals went to five sets for the second-straight season, but this time the Hematites bounced back from a rough fourth game to finish the victory.
Watch List
With an eye toward November, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Battle Creek Lakeview (14-3-2) Lakeview is an honorable mention in Division 1 this week after finishing 4-0-1 at its invitational, which included victories over Big Rapids, DeWitt, Division 4 top-ranked Battle Creek St. Philip and Battle Creek Harper Creek and a split with Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep. The Spartans are perfect in September and building on a 9-0-1 streak since their most recent defeat, which came in three sets to Division 2 No. 7 Marshall on Aug. 29.
Byron Center (17-3-0) A perfect run at Caledonia’s Macayla Kohn Memorial Invitational on Saturday included victories over Division 1 honorable mention Mattawan, Cadillac, Portage Central, the Fighting Scots and Division 2 No. 6 Edwardsburg, with only one set lost on the day. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 4 in Division 1, with wins over No. 10 Lowell and Division 2 No. 2 Grand Rapids South Christian among additional headliners during the early going.
DIVISION 2
Grand Rapids Christian (15-0-0) The Eagles are ranked No. 1 in Division 2 coming off last season’s run to the Semifinals, and pairs of wins over Utica Eisenhower, Lowell and singles over Division 1 No. 2 Bloomfield Hills Marian and Division 2 No. 2 Grand Rapids South Christian are more than enough to back that up. The Eagles have lost only six sets all season while also facing Division 1 No. 8 Grand Haven and multiple honorable mention earners.
Parma Western (13-0-0) The Panthers have lost only two sets to open this season and Thursday swept Tecumseh, avenging a pair of losses from last fall including its season-ender in the Regional Final. Western also defeated Division 3 No. 6 Clinton and Ida at Tecumseh and sits No. 5 in Division 2 with a perfect run at the Chelsea Invitational last month and a victory over Division 4 No. 2 Adrian Lenawee Christian among highlights.
DIVISION 3
Clinton (14-5-1) The Redwolves have strung together a pair of outstanding seasons and tested themselves out of the gate this fall defeating Division 1 Midland Dow, Division 2 Petoskey and Division 3 No. 3 Roscommon but also falling to Division 2 No. 4 Kingsley and honorable mention Tecumseh, and the next weekend to Division 2 No. 7 Marshall with a tie against Battle Creek Lakeview. They’re keeping up that pace – falling to Tecumseh and Parma Western last week – and that level of competition no doubt will pay off as this season continues.
Roscommon (14-5-2) Coming off last year’s 45-3 run, stopped only by eventual champion Kingsley in the Regional Finals, Roscommon has loaded up the schedule again with four of these losses coming opening week at their own round robin where they defeated Petoskey but lost to Tecumseh, Midland Dow, Kingsley and Clinton. The Bucks are 13-1-2 since with the ties to Division 1 and 2 teams and the other loss also to Dow.
DIVISION 4
Bellaire (9-0-1) The Eagles have won three straight District titles and are nearly perfect through the first month of the regular season, with only a tie against Charlevoix during opening weekend – and Bellaire also defeated Charlevoix that weekend at the Pellston Tournament. The Eagles have lost only two sets all season, the other to Mancelona before coming back to win in three during the Battle of M-88.
Hancock (12-2-1) A 2-1 win over No. 4 Crystal Falls Forest Park on Saturday at The Rock at Gladstone certainly was the highlight of a 4-0-1 day that saw the tie come against the Division 2 host Braves. Forest Park and Hancock have met in Regionals both of the last two seasons, so keep in mind that potential rematch as the season progresses. Both Hancock losses came during opening weekend at the Kingsford Invite against the Division 2 Flivvers.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these matches and tournaments coming up:
Thursday – Traverse City St. Francis (14-6) at Elk Rapids (9-1-2) – This will be the first of two matches over the next two weeks between the Division 3 No. 5 Elks and honorable mention Gladiators, who also saw each other in last season’s District Final, won by St. Francis.
Saturday – Battle Creek All-City Tournament at Lakeview – Battle Creek Pennfield (7-3-1), St. Philip (11-4-2), Central (0-5), Harper Creek (12-7-1) and the Spartans (14-3-2) will compete in this annual event, with Lakeview the reigning champion.
Saturday – Lake Odessa Lakewood Tournament – A notable field includes Division 2 top-ranked Grand Rapids Christian (16-0) plus East Grand Rapids (5-3), Big Rapids (11-3-3), Caledonia (9-7), Delton Kellogg (10-1), Petoskey (3-10) and Cedar Springs (2-10-2).
Saturday – Byron Center Invitational – The Bulldogs welcome an impressive group including Grand Rapids West Catholic (5-1-2), Mattawan (8-10), Edwardsburg (9-3), Fruitport (12-2-2), East Kentwood (1-14), Portage Central (14-4), Kalamazoo Central (11-8-2) and Wayland (4-11-2).
Saturday – Mount Pleasant Oiler Invitational – The Oilers (10-5) will welcome Freeland (8-7-2), Elk Rapids, Roscommon and Grand Ledge (10-2).
PHOTOS (Top) Bloomfield Hills Marian puts up a block during its match against Farmington Hills Mercy last week. (Middle) Bath’s Kyria Pairolero (10) elevates to get her hand on a ball against Portland St. Patrick. (Marian/Mercy photo by KMS Photography. Bath/St. Patrick photo by John Johnson.)
Amid Loss, Marian Closes Out Inspired Win
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
January 16, 2021
BATTLE CREEK – One of the great moments at the end of any MHSAA Final is the winning coach hoisting the trophy aloft and joining their players in celebration.
On Saturday, Bloomfield Hills Marian volleyball coach Mayssa Cook passed on that moment, and in the process made it even more special for all involved.
Cook handed the honor off to Jacqui Feldman, the daughter of Dave Feldman, the Marian athletic director who died Thursday after a long battle with COVID-19.
“It was so special,” Marian junior outside hitter Ava Brizard said. “Me, Sara Sylvester and Sophie Treder played with her our freshman year, so we know the Feldman family really well. It was so devastating to hear that he passed away the night before we were supposed to go to Battle Creek, because he was just as competitive as we were the whole season. He loved volleyball so much, and we know that. It was just kind of more fuel to our fire to win a state championship, as if we didn’t have enough already, to win it for him and win it for her. It was just so special for her to give us that trophy, because we were like, ‘We did it for your dad.’”
The players had Feldman in their hearts as they defeated Lowell 25-17, 25-20, 25-19 in the Division 1 Final at Kellogg Arena. It’s the Mustangs’ third title, and first since 2010.
“I think this whole season, it was just about resilience,” Brizard said. “Starting off in August, we didn’t get to start right away and we had to practice in the muddy water on the beach and the grass. We just dealt with all the punches that came our way this season, so to finally get here to Battle Creek and win the whole thing and play the way we did out there and play so amazing, it feels like all of our hard work paid off. Especially with Mr. Feldman passing, we feel so grateful that we can win it for him, and we know he’s definitely smiling and jumping around up in heaven, cheering us on.”
Marian (35-5) was solid in all phases, but Brizard’s dominance at the net was too much for Lowell to contain. She finished with 29 kills compared to just four errors on 52 attacks. Her last three kills provided the final three points of the match.
“We do call her our finisher, our closer,” Cook said. “It’s one of those things they know that if she’s in the front row, we’re going to fight to keep her in the front row. Obviously, we have capable hitters all around. It’s nice, because she’s probably hitting close to .500 on the season, so at the end of the day, the odds are that one out of two balls is likely to be a kill. Let’s just play those odds.”
Brizard was fed by Ava Sarafa, who finished the match with 39 assists. Ella Schomer added eight kills and 11 digs for the Mustangs, while Lauren Heming had 15 digs.
Marian’s entire roster is eligible to come back next season, and while that’s nice to think about now, it was something that drove Cook and her team all season.
“A reporter was already talking about next year, and I said, ‘I don’t know why you’re talking about next year. This year’s not over, and we have a mission, we have a goal,’” Cook said. “I went back to the team and said, ‘This is what this reporter said, can you believe it?’ We grab little things as coaches, and we use it as fuel to push them to go beyond their comfort zone.”
Lowell (35-5) was led by Jenna Reitsma, who had 22 kills, while Emily Struckmeyer had 10. Sophie Powell finished with 32 assists, and Emma Hall had 17 digs.
“(Reitsma) is phenomenal; she’s special,” Lowell coach Jordan Drake said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever coach a hitter like her again. She’s the best of the best. At the same time, she doesn’t get the kills she does without a good pass. She doesn’t get the kills she does without a good set. These three (seniors Reitsma, Powell and Hall) are like sisters, and it’s not just Jenna, it’s the whole team.”
It was the second straight Finals appearance for Lowell, and while neither ended with a title, that success has elevated the program to a new level.
“It’s just really cool to see the support from our community,” Reitsma said. “And all of the younger girls that we can have an impression on, and see how they grow up to be, and just how they watch us. It’s going to be amazing to come back and watch the program over the years to see what an impact we had, because all the little girls out there that watch us play have big dreams to do what we do, too. It’s really cool, and I’m hoping they can keep that legacy going.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Bloomfield Hills Marian’s Ava Brizard sends a kill attempt during Saturday’s Division 1 Final. (Middle) Lowell’s Jenna Reitsma controls possession. (Click for more from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)