Hancock Riding Impressive Streak as Championship Pursuit Begins Second Week
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
November 10, 2026
BARAGA — Hancock carried a two-month winning streak into last week’s Division 4 District Tournament at Baraga and defeated the host Vikings on Thursday to overcome a major obstacle as they work to extend that undefeated run deep into November.
The Bulldogs (30-2-1) – who also won the Copper Mountain Conference title this fall – are 28-2 after the 25-11, 25-16, 25-20 sweep of Baraga and heading into tonight’s Regional Semifinal against host Ishpeming (18-8-2).
Baraga was an honorable mention in the final coaches Division 4 poll heading into the postseason, and its only losses this season were to Hancock. The Bulldogs entered the MHSAA Tournament ranked No. 5 and secured the league title by defeating Division 3 honorable mention Calumet in five sets Oct. 27. They also beat the Copper Kings 3-2 on their floor Sept. 15.
“That was a big win,” Hancock junior Romey Koskela said. “I think that was the first time in many years we won up there. It’s a great environment to be in. We were pretty excited after that. I think that set the tone for us. They’re a young team, but they’re tough to beat up there. They also gave us a tough match on our floor. Winning that match was big momentum for us going into the District.”
A victory tonight would enable the Bulldogs to return to Ishpeming for the Regional Final on Thursday to face the winner of No. 9 Crystal Falls Forest Park and Ewen-Trout Creek. Hancock defeated Forest Park in their regular-season meeting Sept. 12, after falling to the Trojans in a Regional Semifinal last fall. The Bulldogs defeated Forest Park in a 2024 Regional Final on the way to making the Division 4 Semifinals in Battle Creek.
“Forest Park would be a tough match,” Hancock senior Briell L’Esperance said. “Ishpeming also has a good team. You can’t underestimate anyone. You’ve got to give it your all in every match. I’m proud of the girls on our team. We work hard every day.”
Baraga challenged Hancock in the third set of Thursday’s District Final. The Vikings led 20-19 before a block by Koskela tied the score and gave the Bulldogs a side-out.
Hancock then scored the last five points, securing the decision on a kill by Koskela.
The Bulldogs run a 6-2 offense, which both L’Esperance and Hancock coach Brian Lamppa noted has been a great fit for their lineup.
Junior outside hitter Azura Aho, Koskela and junior libero Chloe Bastian recently were named to the WestPAC all-conference first team, while junior right-side hitter Vaeda Brooks and junior setter Tatum Sporalski made the second team and senior middle Bria Koski earned special mention. Lamppa was named league Coach of the Year.
“Romey is definitely leading us at the net and with her serving,” Lamppa said. “We’ve been working on our blocking. We’re being aggressive at the net.”
The Regional champion advances to the Quarterfinal on Nov. 17 at Manistique.
The two losses this season came against Division 2 Kingsford, which is coming off a District title as well.
“Our setters were getting some great passes to us (against Baraga),” L’Esperance said. “It all starts with them. It’s hard to defend against Azura Aho. If we can play like that, we’ll go far.
“We played a lot of bigger schools which I think will help us if we go downstate, although Forest Park has been a great team for many years. That would be a good match if we win Tuesday.”
John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
(Photo courtesy of the Hancock athletic booster club.)
Cadillac Hopes to Add #1 to Incredible Run
November 17, 2015
By Dennis Chase
Special for Second Half
CADILLAC – The numbers tell the story – 10 consecutive District titles, nine of 10 Regional crowns, three MHSAA Semifinal appearances.
It's been quite a run for coach Michelle Brines and her Cadillac Vikings volleyball program.
Cadillac is in the Elite Eight once again, this time with one of its most well-rounded teams in Brines' 16 years as head coach.
Optimism is high as the Vikings begin this week with their ultimate tournament goal still in play – to reach Saturday’s MHSAA Class B Final, which would be a program first.
The Vikings know it will not be easy. Cadillac faces defending champion North Branch in a Quarterfinal rematch tonight. The Broncos ousted Cadillac 3-0 a year ago.
The Vikings enter the match ranked No. 5 in the latest coaches poll, North Branch No. 8. The Broncos upset No. 2 Mount Morris in the District.
“They’re a good team, but they graduated seven seniors last year,” Brines said of North Branch. “I told the girls, ‘Forget about what it says on their jerseys. This is not the same team that beat us in three last year.’ Yes, they’re good, they have a history, but I like our chances. We just have to go out and perform, play the way we’re capable of playing.”
Brines, who has close to 650 career wins, has an experienced squad with senior outside hitter Morgan Briggs, junior setter Ali Finch, junior middle hitter Kylie Christensen and sophomore outside hitter Gabby Kapuscinski among the key returnees from last year.
Brines is hoping that experience will pay dividends in helping her players deal with the pressure.
Briggs thinks it will.
“We hold ourselves to a high standard so pressure is a good thing, in my point of view,” she said.
Briggs, who will play at Lake Erie College next season, leads the team in kills and also plays the middle on serve-receive. It’s her passing in that role that often starts the offense.
Finch, meanwhile, is the main distributor, although she can put it down, too.
“She jumps sets,” Brines said. “She’s 6-foot and really attacks the ball. The defenders are never sure if she's going up to hit or set – and where she’s setting to.”
Christensen is second to Briggs in kills.
Seniors Gabby Hoaglund (middle hitter), Hanna Liptak (libero), Nicole Kleinsorge (defensive specialist) and Megan Alworden (defensive specialist) and junior Liz Pyles (right side hitter) round out the rotation.
The Vikings, who are 45-4, shared the Big North Conference title with Traverse City West, which competes in the Class A Quarterfinals tonight. The two teams split matches during the season. Cadillac’s only other losses are to Grand Rapids Christian, another Class A quarterfinalist, Temperance-Bedford and Mount Morris.
“We played more tournaments downstate, played some harder teams, and I think we made a name (statewide) for ourselves,” Briggs said.
Cadillac already had that name recognition in the north. It's been fostered by years of success with the tradition carried on by this year's team.
In its last three matches, Cadillac beat Kingsley in the District Final and swept Big Rapids and Houghton in the Regional.
"They play really good defense,” Kingsley coach Dave Hall said. “And they don't make mistakes, they don’t beat themselves. They put a ton of pressure on you by just keeping the ball in play. They keep coming at you and don't give you points.
“I don't think anyone scored more than 13 on them in the Regional,” he added. “I felt pretty good we got to 22 and 15 in two of the games.”
Brines credits several factors for Cadillac’s continued success – introducing girls to volleyball as early as second grade, continuity in the coaching staff, and dedicated players who put the work in during the offseason.
“I’m fortunate that my players are willing to put extra time in during the summer because they play other sports, too,” she said. “I try to be realistic because I don't want to dominate their time. We have a lot of two- and three-sport athletes.”
Playing multiple sports keeps some of the girls out of club volleyball during the offseason, but Brines is fine with it.
“Our school needs our kids (to play multiple sports),” she said. “I’m a firm believer in that. I feel that every sport they play makes them better on my team, and playing on my team makes them better in other sports.”
Repeated success in volleyball helps generate enthusiasm for the program throughout the school – even at the elementary level, where high school players coach and mentor girls in a winter program for grades 2-6.
“We used to start (girls) in fourth grade,” Brines said. “But they play basketball that young (second and third grade) so why not volleyball? We like to get them introduced to it because it's not (a sport) that most kids play outside at home like basketball.”
Briggs is one of those players who became hooked on the sport early. Then again, there were family ties. Her older sister, Taylor, played. Taylor went on to become a floor captain and all-state player, graduating in 2012. Now Morgan is following in her footsteps.
There’s one thing Morgan Briggs is hoping to change, though. Taylor’s last game was a Quarterfinal loss to eventual Class B champion Fruitport in 2011. Morgan would like to extend her senior season a little longer than that.
“We always focus on one game at a time – we don't look (past) anybody – but our goal is to be in the Final Four and make it to Saturday,” she said.
If it doesn’t happen, however, Briggs said she feels fortunate to be part of this team.
“No matter if we win or lose, I have the best girls I could ask for (as teammates),” she said. “They have the same mentality to win as I do. I'm really lucky that I can go through this playing next to my best friends.”
Dennis Chase worked 32 years as a sportswriter at the Traverse City Record-Eagle, including as sports editor from 2000-14. 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: (Top) Kylie Christensen (10) and Morgan Briggs put up a block during a match this season. (Middle) Ali Finch (5) sets as Christensen prepares to hit. (Photos by Susan Baker.)