Block Party: 2026 Girls Volleyball Week 5 Report
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 23, 2026
We’re a little more than a month into this high school girls volleyball season, and although we often know going in several teams which should emerge as contenders, we’re also in the midst of many more beginning to rise from the 700-school statewide pack.
League play is picking up, several major tournaments are behind us and many more are on the way, and this week’s report highlights not just some of the expected elite but also a handful of teams pushing into the rankings during this fall’s first half.
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. Jenison d. Farmington Hills Mercy (20-25, 25-21, 15-9) East defeated West 13-10 at the East vs. West Showdown on Saturday, but Division 1 honorable mention Jenison (17-7-1) made the day’s biggest wave by downing the top-ranked Marlins.
2. Essexville Garber d. Kingsley (26-24, 25-17) The Division 2 honorable mention Dukes (20-7-4) finished 4-1 at their invitational, also defeating No. 10 North Branch but with this win over the No. 5 Stags (26-3-1) getting the slight edge for the Garber highlight of the day.
3. Calumet d. Crystal Falls Forest Park (16-25, 25-18, 25-17, 25-10) The Copper Kings (9-7) lost the first set by a significant margin before coming back to win the next three by similarly notable scores over the Division 4 No. 7 Trojans (17-3-1).
4. Battle Creek Lakeview d. Battle Creek Harper Creek (25-23, 25-27, 15-9) Division 1 honorable mention Lakeview (21-3-2) finished a 6-0 day at the Battle Creek All-City Tournament with its only match to go three sets, defeating Harper Creek (20-9-1) for a second time to clinch the title.
5. Cass City d. Millington (28-26, 25-18, 26-24) This key Big Thumb Conference White victory didn’t come easily for Division 3 No. 6 Cass City (8-4-3) as the Cardinals (13-4) pushed the Red Hawks especially far in the first and third sets.
Watch List
With an eye toward November, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Bloomfield Hills Marian (21-3) The Mustangs remain ranked No. 2 in Division 1 coming off a 4-0 day at the East vs. West Showdown that included wins over No. 6 Hudsonville, No. 10 Lowell, honorable mention Jenison and Salem. Their only losses have been to Grand Rapids Christian and twice to Farmington Hills Mercy, the top-ranked teams in Divisions 2 and 1, respectively.
Zeeland East (18-2) The Chix are an honorable mention in Division 1 this week for the second straight with a pair of wins over Division 2 honorable mention Holland Christian and a single over Division 3 No. 8 Hart among most recent highlights. Zeeland East finished 22-10 two years ago, improved to 31-5 last season and is on pace to match and potentially surpass that win total with its only losses this fall to Allendale and No. 8 Grand Haven.
DIVISION 2
Kingsley (26-3-1) The Stags moved back into Division 2 this season after winning the Division 3 championship a year ago and sit No. 5 in the latest coaches poll after going 4-1-1 at Garber with a pair of wins over North Branch included. Last week they celebrated Jenna Middleton becoming the 34th player in MHSAA history to reach 2,000 career kills, and she’ll surely continue to be relied on as Kingsley faces multiple Division 3 contenders over the next month.
Macomb Lutheran North (19-1) The Mustangs have appeared on the verge of taking off the last few seasons, and they’ve been almost impossible to catch this fall with only Port Huron Northern in August dealing them a defeat. Lutheran North is up to No. 8 in Division 2 and succeeded in its toughest challenges to date with a five-set win over North Branch and four-setter over honorable mention Richmond.
DIVISION 3
Manton (13-7-1) The Rangers jumped from unranked last week to No. 7 in the latest poll after a close loss to Kingsley on Saturday and wins over Beaverton, Saginaw Swan Valley, Reed City and Lake City over those seven days. Manton fell to Roscommon in five sets Tuesday, the last two sets by two points apiece and could build on last year’s 32-12-2 finish – especially with Kingsley not lined up as a potential District stopper like a year ago.
Saginaw Valley Lutheran (25-4-1) The Chargers have been ranked No. 1 in Division 3 since the season’s start coming off their third-straight Regional title and a trip to the Semifinals last fall with the same roster. They’ve faced several larger opponents already this season, with their losses to Division 1 Plymouth, Division 2 Yale and North Branch and Division 4 No. 3 Traverse City Christian, and a notable win Saturday over Division 4 No. 4 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart.
DIVISION 4
Adrian Lenawee Christian (14-3) The Cougars brought a five-year District championship streak into this season and moved back into the No. 1 spot in Division 4 this week after one week at No. 2. The schedule has been filled almost completely with larger opponents and the losses have come to Division 1 Mason, Division 2 No. 4 Parma Western and over the weekend Division 3 No. 5 Clinton, and Lenawee Christian also has a win over Mason.
St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran (15-2-1) The Titans are another returning District champion and most recently went 6-0 at the Bridgman Invitational with a notable sweep of Three Oaks River Valley – which had defeated, lost to and tied Michigan Lutheran during the season’s first week. Only one other opponent, Division 2 South Haven, has taken a set off the Titans all season, doing so in dealing them their only other defeat.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these matches and tournaments coming up:
Wednesday – Marshall (17-5-1) at Parma Western (20-0) – This Interstate 8 Athletic Conference battle also features the No. 7 and No. 4 teams, respectively, in Division 2 statewide.
Wednesday – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (8-6-1) at Bloomfield Hills Marian (21-3) – St. Mary’s is an honorable mention this week and has been climbing the last few seasons and would love to take the next step as it attempts to avenge an opening-weekend loss to the Mustangs.
Thursday – Onekama (13-7) at Traverse City Christian (22-3) – Christian is ranked No. 3 in Division 4 and Onekama is an honorable mention, and Christian also won their Regional Final matchup last season.
Saturday – Hudsonville Tournament – The Division 1 No. 6 Eagles (15-2) host Division 2 No. 1 Grand Rapids Christian (16-1), No. 7 Marshall (17-5-1), South Lyon (14-8-1), Battle Creek Harper Creek (20-9-1), Vicksburg (14-8), Grand Rapids Northview (3-10), Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (8-13) and Hudsonville Unity Christian (6-9-1).
Saturday – Motor City Power Series at UWM Sports Complex – Arguably the most intriguing pool this weekend includes Division 1 honorable mention Bloomfield Hills (15-5), Canton (6-13-2), Division 2 honorable mentions Flat Rock (11-2-1) and Grand Rapids Catholic Central (15-5-1), and Ionia (9-6).
PHOTOS (Top) Allendale’s Josie Brose (6) winds up for a kill attempt while facing Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central at East Grand Rapids’ Rally on Reeds on Aug. 19. (Middle) DeWitt and Lansing Catholic face off during the Cougars’ Volley Turf Takeover on Aug. 20. (Allendale/FHC photo by Michigan Sports Photo. DeWitt/Lansing Catholic photo by TCP Photography.)
'Better' Plymouth Christian Becomes Best
November 19, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
BATTLE CREEK – “Better the ball” as a volleyball phrase means adding something to improve a volley with every touch.
But it also was appropriate as Plymouth Christian’s adopted rallying cry this fall.
The Eagles came to their second straight Class D Semifinals at Kellogg Arena this weekend ranked No. 1 for the second year in a row. Last year, they didn’t make it to Saturday. But this time Plymouth Christian did advance – and then “bettered” itself one more time on the final day of this season.
Facing a familiar foe in friendly league rival Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, the Eagles clinched an unexpected deciding match in their season series – and with it, their first MHSAA championship by a score of 3-1.
“Last year, it was kinda new and it was more stressful because we’d never been in this situation before. So this year, we knew coming into it how our attitudes should be – that we should just treat it like any other game and give our all on everything,” Plymouth Christian junior hitter Grace Kellogg said. “We just needed to side out on the key points and not fall down or get down in tough situations or (over) things that we mess up. Just stay strong and tough the whole time.”
Plymouth Christian (35-11-3) had played in a championship match once before, falling to Battle Creek St. Philip in the 2010 Class D Final. In fact, the Eagles on Saturday became the first other than St. Philip or Leland to win Class D since 2004.
Last season they fell in a four-set Semifinal to St. Philip, with three of those sets decided by two points each.
“Last year, that’s what we ran into: experience,” said Plymouth Christian coach D.J. Kellogg, who’s also the father of Grace and freshman middle Gabriella Kellogg. “Had we gotten three points to go a different way last year, the match was ours.
“It came down to serving, and tipping and playing not to lose. This year the focus was, knowing that, let’s not come back with the deer in the headlights (look). Let’s go out and be aggressive.”
That started with aggressive scheduling. Ten of the 11 losses came to Class A or B schools, including Class A No. 1 Novi and No. 2 Clarkston and Class B No. 3 North Branch (and the Eagles beat Class B No. 2 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep). All of that helped prepare them for a Class D tournament run that included wins over No. 2 Mendon, No. 4 Lansing Christian and No. 10 North Adams-Jerome.
“We knew technically we had what it took,” Kellogg added. “It’s going to be more having the slight edge and a mental edge; that was going to be the thing that would push us over.”
Oakland Christian (43-5-5), of course, was the only non-A or B opponent to deal the Eagles a loss. After falling to Plymouth Christian 3-1 in their first meeting, the Lancers took the second 3-2 to force a shared title in the Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Blue.
After Plymouth Christian won the first set 25-18 on Saturday, Oakland Christian tied it up by claiming the second 25-22. But the Eagles found their "edge" after that, winning the third and fourth sets by identical 25-19 scores.
“It’s a little bit intimidating, having the past with them. … I think we both came in a little nervous, but pretty confident overall,” Oakland Christian senior Alexandra Gudobba said. “We respect each other as a team, and if anyone had to win, I guess I’m happy it’s them.”
Part of that “edge” Kellogg spoke of was anticipating better the variety of shots Oakland Christian has used – Kellogg called the Lancers one of the smartest teams his has faced because of its ability to find corners and tips. Senior libero Divna Roi played the biggest part in foiling those well-placed shots, finishing the match with 24 digs, tied for sixth-most in MHSAA Finals history.
The Kelloggs – who got their training “breaking stuff for years around our house playing volleyball,” according to Dad – led the offensive attack. Grace had 21 kills and Gabriella 13 taking passes from senior Jessica Paulson (18 assists) and junior Abigail Pray (26).
Gudobba led the Lancers with 14 kills and 16 digs, and senior Samantha Morse had 28 assists.
Although not in victory, the match provided a successful end for longtime Oakland Christian coach Priscilla Larned, who will retire with a record of 989-459-81 over 32 seasons. She also coached basketball, softball and soccer at the school, with Saturday’s the first championship match ever for her volleyball team. Oakland Christian entered this tournament ranked No. 6 in Class D.
“I was thinking about all the Saturdays I’m going to sleep in,” Larned joked after. “I’m sorry. I’ve got to make a laugh here somehow.
"It’ll be different. I’m a coach who never got to play in high school, and it’s been a great time coaching. It’s been a great era to coach. But I see the need for me to go on, and somebody else come in and bring more enthusiasm and get it going again.”
After last season’s near-miss, Plymouth Christian tried hard to not make a return to Battle Creek the goal for this fall. Coach Kellogg reasoned that if the Class D title were the goal, his players could feel like it was slipping away if they hit a lull during the four-month season.
Instead they focused on the process – bettering the ball daily to be the best at the end.
“Every interaction we have with our team, every touch of the ball on the court or off the court, every contact that we have we should be adding value to each other and adding value to the game and to the team,” Kellogg said. “And this team’s done that.
“This is the by-product. … They’ve had each others' backs the entire time, and that’s the kind of team that wins.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Plymouth Christian hoists its first MHSAA volleyball championship trophy Saturday. (Middle) Grace Kellogg goes for a kill for the Eagles with Genna Castillo (13) and Samantha Morse (16) defending the net for Oakland Christian.