Block Party: 2026 Girls Volleyball Week 7 Report
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 7, 2026
Just as the girls volleyball regular season begins speeding toward its conclusion, clicks on our Michigan Power Ratings (MPR) page are sure to accelerate over the next three weeks.
District play begins Nov. 2, and brackets will be announced eight days earlier on Oct. 25. MPR is used to seed the top two teams in every District, and although there’s only one example below, references to how teams stack up on those lists will become more prevalent in our weekly reports as we close in on the start of the playoffs.
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. Saginaw Valley Lutheran d. Plymouth Christian Academy (25-21, 25-17) The Division 3 top-ranked Chargers (36-4-1) finished 6-0 at the D3/D4 Showcase, with this win arguably the most notable as Valley Lutheran remains No. 1 statewide this week but PCA (21-6-4) bumped up from honorable mention to No. 2.
2. Grand Rapids Christian d. Hudsonville (25-19, 25-19) Division 2 top-ranked Christian (22-3) avenged a pool play loss to Division 1 No. 5 Hudsonville (26-3) at the Jenison Invitational to win this rematch in the championship round.
3. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s d. Detroit Country Day (25-19, 25-16, 25-23) The Division 1 honorable mention Eaglets (13-8-1) continued their climb with a sweep of the two-time reigning Division 2 champion and current No. 2 Yellowjackets (12-6-1).
4. Kingsley d. Elk Rapids (25-15, 25-17, 25-11) This Northern Shores Conference matchup saw a pair of ranked teams face off and the Division 2 No. 5 Stags (29-3-1) prevail over the Division 3 No. 5 Elks (13-7-3).
5. Muskegon Western Michigan Christian d. Hart (24-26, 27-25, 25-18) While Division 3 No. 3 WMC went on to defeat Fruitport and Muskegon Mona Shores to win the latter’s Best of the West tournament, this win over No. 10 Hart (19-10-3) sticks out as well as the Warriors (23-2) came back after losing the first set.
Watch List
With an eye toward November, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (22-8) The honorable mention Huskies opened this week with a notable four-set victory over honorable mention East Grand Rapids, which is listed ahead of FHN in Division 1 MPR. Six of Forest Hills Northern’s losses have come against top-10 teams in Division 1, and six wins have come against opponents ranked or honorable mentions in Divisions 1 or 2, including Division 1 No. 4 Byron Center.
Hudsonville (26-3) The No. 5 Eagles were runners-up at the Jenison Invitational thanks to a split with Division 2 top-ranked Grand Rapids Christian, but that championship match defeat broke a 13-match winning streak. The Eagles’ only other losses have come versus Brighton and Division 1 No. 2 Bloomfield Hills Marian, and Hudsonville has defeated No. 8 Lowell, honorable mention Forest Hills Northern twice, No. 4 Byron Center, No. 9 Grand Haven, No. 7 South Lyon East, honorable mention South Lyon twice and GR Christian another time as well.
DIVISION 2
Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard (25-3-2) The Irish are an honorable mention in Division 2 and finished second in the Catholic High School League AA to Dearborn Divine Child, thanks to early-September back-to-back league losses to the Falcons and Jackson Lumen Christi. FGR’s only other defeat came to No. 3 Parma Western during opening weekend, and the Irish have won 16 straight matches and their last three tournaments.
Edwardsburg (21-5) The No. 7 Eddies defeated honorable mention Marshall and Division 1 honorable mention Zeeland East over four wins to claim the Portage Central Tournament title on Saturday, and their win over the host Mustangs also avenged Edwardsburg’s most recent loss from Sept. 19. A championship at the Gull Lake Invitational to start this season included a win over Niles, which ended the Eddies’ 2025.
DIVISION 3
Calumet (14-9-1) After opening the season 0-4 at the Cadillac Invitational – which included defeats against Division 1 honorable mention Zeeland East, Division 3 No. 8 Cass City and honorable mention Manton – the honorable mention Copper Kings are 8-2-1 against in-state opponents. They’ve defeated Division 4 No. 7 Crystal Falls Forest Park and went five sets before losing to Division 4 No. 9 Hancock, and they saw more of the state’s best taking a loss but also tying Division 3 No. 2 Plymouth Christian Academy at the D3/D4 Showdown.
Plymouth Christian Academy (21-6-4) The Eagles returned to the Quarterfinals a year ago and are in the midst of an 8-1-1 surge this fall that’s sent them back up to No. 2 in the weekly coaches poll. Their D3/D4 Showdown weekend included the above-noted loss to No. 1 Valley Lutheran but also wins over No. 5 Clinton, No. 8 Cass City and honorable mention Calumet among others. Only two other losses this season came to Division 3 or 4 opponents.
DIVISION 4
Crystal Falls Forest Park (26-3-1) The Trojans reached the Semifinals last season for the third time in four years and haven’t slowed down, falling only to No. 4 Traverse City Christian, No. 9 Hancock and Division 3 honorable mention Calumet. They’re up to No. 7 in the Division 4 rankings while riding a 14-match winning streak and coming off a 6-0 day at the Escanaba Invitational. An opening-weekend trip downstate included the loss to TC Christian but also a win over No. 10 Onekama and tie versus No. 3 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart.
Traverse City Christian (23-5) The No. 4-ranked Sabres have strung together two straight trips to the Quarterfinals and won their first 10 matches this fall including a three-setter over Division 3 top-ranked Saginaw Valley Lutheran. The losses are pretty impressive as well, to Division 3 No. 3 Roscommon, twice to Division 3 No. 7 Traverse City St. Francis, and then to Division 4 No. 3 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart and No. 10 Onekama. A home match against Division 3 No. 5 Elk Rapids on Oct. 15 will be another important test.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these matches and tournaments coming up:
Thursday – Baraga (19-0) at Hancock (17-2-1) – The undefeated Vikings have an opportunity to establish themselves among Division 4 teams to watch with this trip to meet the No. 9 Bulldogs.
Saturday – Motor City Power Series Championship at UWM Sports Complex – The finale of this season’s series begins with power brackets, and the most intriguing includes Division 1 No. 6 Utica Eisenhower, honorable mention Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, Rochester Adams and Division 2 No. 9 North Branch.
Saturday – Hanover-Horton Invitational – An impressive field of 12 teams includes Division 2 No. 3 Parma Western, Division 3 No. 2 Plymouth Christian Academy, No. 6 Grass Lake, No. 7 Traverse City St. Francis and the honorable mention Comets, and Division 4 top-ranked Adrian Lenawee Christian and No. 2 Battle Creek St. Philip.
Monday – Roscommon Quad – Mount Pleasant (20-8-2), Essexville Garber (22-11-4) and Division 3 No. 7 Traverse City St. Francis (21-9-1) will join the No. 3-ranked Bucks (26-6-5) for a high-powered night.
Monday – Midland Dow Quad – Another impressive group will visit the Chargers (31-4-4), with Bay City Central, Division 2 No. 4 Frankenmuth (17-0) and Division 3 No. 1 Saginaw Valley Lutheran (36-4-1) taking the court.
PHOTOS (Top) Detroit Country Day’s Sienna Musachio (14) gets positioned to play the ball during her team’s sweep of Macomb L’Anse Creuse North on Monday. (Middle) A pair of Mount Pleasant blockers rise above the net during an outdoor match against Alma this fall. (Country Day photo by TCP Photography. Mount Pleasant/Alma photo by High School Sports Scene.)
Byron Center All-Stater Johnson Set to Represent US at Pan American Cup
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
August 26, 2026
BYRON CENTER – Byron Center volleyball coach Missy Ritz-Johnson had known for a while that her daughter, Mallory Johnson, possessed all of the attributes and intangibles to become a top-notch libero.
It became obvious at a young age.
“I would say when she was young that she often knew where the hitters were going to hit the ball better than, sometimes, they did,” Ritz-Johnson said. “She has had an ability to read hitters and anticipate what they are going to do, which makes her a really good defender. A lot of natural ability to read and understand the game, and she’s been thriving at that position.
“She’s really athletic and really competitive, and that's a good combination to have at that position.
Johnson, a 5-foot-6 senior, has blossomed into one of the top liberos in the country and was recently named to the U23 USA Volleyball Pan American Cup roster.
She traveled to Colorado Springs, Colo., earlier this week to train with the team at the United States Olympic Training Center before leaving for Managua, Nicaragua, to compete September 1-6.
“It’s a great opportunity, and every time I step in this gym at this training center (in Colorado) it’s crazy to think that I'm even here,” Johnson said. “But the girls are amazing. They are great people, great athletes and great competitors. It's really fun, and I learn every time I come here and grow as an athlete and as a person.”
Johnson made the team after spending a week at the training center in mid-July.
“Obviously I was so grateful to be selected to try out, and when I made the team I was speechless and overwhelmed with joy,” Johnson said. “I called my mom right away and tried to gauge what was even going on. I really didn’t know what to expect going into it, but it was super competitive.”
After leading the state-ranked Bulldogs to an 8-0 start with four wins at both the Cornerstone Showcase and Traverse City West Invitational, Johnson will take a brief hiatus from her high school team and return on Sept. 7.
“I have talked a lot with my teammates about my absence, and they are all cool with it and doing great,” Johnson said. “I talk to them almost every day and ask them how practice went. They are all set and more than capable of handling business without me. For me, I think competing in these games will only make me grow and get out of my comfort zone. Hopefully I’ll bring my talents back to high school and see what we can do this year.”
Johnson, who first started playing club volleyball when she was 8, is one of nine returners for a talented Bulldogs’ squad that lost a thrilling match (3-2) during last season’s Division 1 Semifinals to eventual champion Farmington Hills Mercy.
That heartbreaking defeat has provided motivation for this year’s group.
“That loss hurt,” said Johnson, who made the Division 1 all-state team last fall as an outside hitter. “I know, personally, I have changed so much from that loss, and I’ve learned so much. I know that it sucked for the other eight returners, too. There’s been a mood switch with this team, and I know we all want it really bad this year.”
Johnson's personality and leadership fit well for her libero position, and she has embraced it fully.
“I’ve known nothing else, and I find myself just loving my position as a libero,” she said. “I love being in charge of the backcourt, getting to celebrate with my teammates and putting them in good positions to make plays.”
Ritz-Johnson said her daughter has been involved with the Olympic Developmental Program since she was in seventh grade and has worked hard to achieve her goals.
“She’s worked really hard to earn these opportunities,” Ritz-Johnson said. “She has a love for the game and has never complained about going to practice. She loves to practice and compete, and her favorite sport is one she is best at, which is not always the case.”
Last June, Johnson committed to a collegiate powerhouse, the University of Nebraska, after receiving interest from about 30 programs.
“It was pretty surreal, and I just remember watching them on TV when I was in sixth grade, and obviously Nebraska is a very big deal,” Johnson said. “I watched them and was thinking, ’Holy cow, I want to go here. I want to play at this level, and I want to be involved in this atmosphere.’”
“I’ve been to camps there since seventh grade and been out to campus every year since then. Every time I went there I loved it, and it felt like home. I knew I wanted to be there, and it wasn't a super-hard decision for me.”
Ritz-Johnson is excited for her daughter to play at such a high-profile program.
“There’s no place like Nebraska, as they say,” she said. “They’ve had attendance records and sell out when they travel and just the way the team is treated. The coaching staff is really special.”
Dean Holzwarth has covered primarily high school sports for Grand Rapids-based WOOD-TV for five years after serving at the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years along with shorter stints at the Ionia Sentinel and WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Mallory Johnson (2) serves during last season’s Division 1 Semifinal against Farmington Hills Mercy. (Middle) Johnson huddles for a moment during that match with her teammates including, from left, Kinsley Whitfield, Lainey VanTol and Caitlin Hartson.