Block Party: 2026 Girls Volleyball Week 9 Report
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 21, 2026
It’s always tournament season for Michigan’s high school girls volleyball teams, but this moment in time seems to especially stand out.
This past Saturday, a total of 257 teams – almost 37 percent of the state’s varsities – played at least one match, the majority as part of multi-team events.
And this Sunday, Oct. 25, this season’s District brackets will be announced, including the top two seeds in each as determined by Michigan Power Ratings (MPR).
Below are highlights from the past week with more to come as the final calculations are made to set those postseason matchups.
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. Byron Center d. Grand Rapids Christian (25-12, 25-12) The No. 3-ranked Bulldogs (34-4) continued to cement themselves as contenders in Division 1 with the championship at the prestigious Beast of the East, sweeping Division 2 top-ranked Grand Rapids Christian (24-4) to finish a 6-1 day.
2. Traverse City Christian d. Kingsley (25-21, 25-21) Division 4 No. 3 Traverse City Christian finished 4-1 at the McBain Invitational, losing only to the host Ramblers but also becoming just the fifth team to defeat the Division 2 No. 8 Stags (40-5-1).
3. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern d. Bloomfield Hills Marian (25-22, 25-23) Division 1 No. 6 FHN (28-9) finished 3-1 at Beast of the East with a win as well over honorable mention Grand Haven but this one over formerly top-ranked-now-No. 2 Marian (31-4) was the most notable.
4. Tecumseh d. Adrian Lenawee Christian (17-25, 25-21, 15-10) Division 2 honorable mention Tecumseh (31-6-2) finished 6-0 at the Lenawee County Tournament, with Division 4 top-ranked Lenawee Christian (34-5) the only team to take a set during those matches.
5. Saginaw Valley Lutheran d. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (25-16, 25-20) Division 3 top-ranked Valley Lutheran (44-6-2) went 6-0-1 at the M3 Invitational, with this the only loss taken on the day by the Division 4 No. 2 Irish (30-7-3).
Watch List
With an eye toward November, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Bloomfield Hills (28-9) The Black Hawks graduated Miss Volleyball Kayla Nwabueze after last season, but have navigated some tough competition to remain among the highly-regarded. They are an honorable mention in the Division 1 poll and coming off a 3-1 day at the Novi Wildcat Showcase with a win there over No. 9 Clarkston. Bloomfield Hills followed that up Tuesday by downing Division 2 No. 2 Detroit Country Day 3-0.
Brighton (23-9-1) A four-set win over honorable mention Orchard Lake St. Mary’s last week was the latest boost for the also-honorable mention Bulldogs, who have won eight straight matches. Five losses and the tie have come against ranked or honorable mention teams in Divisions 1 and 2, and a 2-1 win over Division 1 No. 7 Hudsonville at the East vs. West Showdown on Sept. 19 was memorable as well.
DIVISION 2
Kingsford (21-3-2) The Flivvers nearly have matched last season’s 22-3 record thanks in part to a 3-0 Saturday at the Clash of the Divisions where they defeated Division 1 Marquette, Division 3 honorable mention Calumet and Division 4 No. 9 Crystal Falls Forest Park after finishing 1-2 against that group a year ago. The Calumet win avenged a Sept. 10 loss, and the other two defeats this season came during a 2-2 day at the Cadillac Fall Tournament.
North Branch (28-9-3) The Broncos have maintained their usual place among the Division 2 top 10 all season, but after multiple weeks in the No. 10 slot have built back up to No. 7 thanks to a 10-2 run that’s included wins over Division 1 No. 7 Hudsonville and Division 2 honorable mention Flat Rock. Earlier triumphs over Division 1 honorable mention South Lyon, Division 3 No. 1 Saginaw Valley Lutheran and Division 4 No. 2 Sacred Heart also pop off the page.
DIVISION 3
Hanover-Horton (26-8-5) The Comets climbed to No. 9 in Division 3 this week and have downed No. 5 Clinton, No. 7 Grass Lake and No. 3 Plymouth Christian Academy and tied Division 4 No. 4 Battle Creek St. Philip over the last two weeks. The Clinton and Grass Lake victories avenged earlier losses, and Hanover-Horton could see one of them again in Regional play next month.
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (24-2) Another annual contender – and Division 3 champion most recently in 2024 – St. Mary sits No. 8 in the coaches poll with its only losses both to Division 1 honorable mention South Lyon. SMCC finished 4-1 at Beast of the East after last week also finishing a sweep of Division 2 honorable mention Flat Rock amid a perfect run through the Huron League.
DIVISION 4
Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (30-7-3) The Irish have reached at least the Regional Finals the last six seasons and could be headed back to Battle Creek with all of its losses coming to ranked or honorable mention teams in Divisions 2 and 3. The Irish are ranked No. 2 in Division 4 with wins over No. 3 Traverse City Christian, No. 7 Ubly and Division 3 honorable mention Morley Stanwood.
Onekama (24-6-1) The Portagers went 3-5 in August and have been on a 21-1-1 tear since with only three sets lost over their last 20 matches. They’ll see Division 3 honorable mention Manton on Saturday as they tune up for the postseason, where they’ll attempt to add to a string of six straight District championships.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these matches and tournaments coming up:
Thursday – Hillsdale Academy (21-6) at Battle Creek St. Philip (28-12-4) – This Southern Central Athletic Association crossover game features the Division 4 No. 4 Tigers facing honorable mention Hillsdale Academy.
Thursday – Detroit Country Day (14-7-1) at South Lyon East (29-6) – The Division 1 No. 4 Cougars host Division 2 No. 2 Country Day in what should be an excellent postseason prep match for both.
Thursday – Auburn Hills Oakland Christian (26-8) at Plymouth Christian Academy (26-11-5) – The Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Blue is topped by this pair of ranked teams, PCA at No. 3 in Division 3 and Oakland Christian at No. 5 in Division 4.
Saturday – East vs. West Challenge at Lowell – The field includes No. 1 Farmington Hills Mercy, No. 2 Bloomfield Hills Marian and No. 3 Byron Center among six top-10 Division 1 teams, five more Division 1 honorable mentions, and Division 2 top-ranked Grand Rapids Christian.
Saturday – Frankenmuth Invitational – Another impressive field includes the Division 2 No. 6 Eagles and Division 3 top-ranked Saginaw Valley Lutheran, No. 2 Roscommon and honorable mention Manton.
PHOTOS (Top) A Bath hitter puts the ball over the net during a match against Lansing Christian this season. (Middle) Rockford’s Kendall Anderson (12) sets during a match against Grandville. (Bath/Lansing Christian photo by Click by Christine McCallister. Rockford/Grandville photo by Michigan Sports Media.)
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.)