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.)
North Branch Class of '24 Finishes Decade Together with Finals Repeat
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
November 18, 2023
BATTLE CREEK – A decade’s worth of team volleyball came to an end Saturday afternoon for eight North Branch seniors.
So while the Broncos had just won their second-straight Division 2 title, the tinge of sadness to the tears streaming down their faces was understandable.
“All of us started, a majority of us eight seniors started when we were 8 years old in North Branch volleyball club,” Broncos senior Alana Deshetsky said. “No one, pretty much, left until they were in high school and played one or two years at a different club. We were all trained here and all played with each other since we were 8, so I think we have a deeper connection than most other teams.
“We pulled up a picture this weekend from our first year, and pretty much all of us girls were in it. It was really sad to see girls that I’d played with forever, and I won’t play with again. Most teams end on a low, but when you end on a high, you want it to keep going.”
While they won’t get to keep things going after the 25-18, 25-14, 25-18 win against Grand Rapids West Catholic at Kellogg Arena, this group has left a legacy that will never be forgotten at a program that was already considered one of the state’s elite.
For the first time in program history, North Branch won back-to-back titles. That came after a runner-up finish in 2021, giving a class that had been major contributors since they were freshmen three Finals appearances in four years.
And, as freshman, they lost in five sets to the eventual Division 2 champion, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep.
“I think it was something (coach Jim Fish) definitely saw the potential in us,” senior libero Hailey Green said. “We were freshmen. In that game our freshmen year, we were just trying to hang with Notre Dame Prep. I think our junior year it kind of hit us. Like, ‘Oh, we’re in the state finals.’ It definitely hit us last year.”
Fish definitely saw it early. When they were eighth graders, Fish coached them in a summer tournament in Ohio. It was a tournament that featured a varsity and JV division, and for the first time in his career, Fish chose to coach the JV group.
“(People) said, ‘Why are you coaching them?’ And I said, ‘Because I know what we’re going to be doing,’” Fish said. “We’ve been working with this group for a long time. As good of players as they are, they’re nicer kids. They’re team academic all-state, individual academic all-state. Phenomenal kids in the community.”
North Branch (56-4-1) spent the entire season ranked No. 1 in Division 2, and Fish scheduled the best competition he could find throughout the state – and even in some adjoining states – to keep his group sharp.
It worked, as did playing with a target on their backs the entire season.
“These teams scouted us very hard all season long,” Deshetsky said. “Our last tournament, I think we looked around and there were five cameras on our court scouting us for the postseason. This postseason was very difficult, because teams knew us as much as they could have, inside and out. They knew what we would do, because when you’re at the top, you’re the target, and everyone was coming for us.”
North Branch defeated the No. 2 team Grand Rapids Christian in Thursday’s Semifinal, but didn’t let down at all in the Final.
Aubree Deshetsky led the North Branch attack against West Catholic with 14 kills, while Clara Gyomory had nine. Adrienne Greschaw had 31 assists. The Deshetsky sisters led the defense, as Aubree had 19 digs and Alana had 13.
Brooke Tietz had seven kills to lead West Catholic, while Emma Tuttle had six. Alivia Mott had 11 assists, while Amelia Gagnon had 12 digs and Grace Steiner had 10.
“It was a great match – North Branch is a super good volleyball club,” West Catholic coach Megan Eversman said. “I think our kids gave a fight as hard as they could fight against that team. I’m just really proud of all of their efforts that they had.”
While North Branch had loads of experience at Kellogg Arena, West Catholic (38-10-6) was making its first Finals appearance.
“I’m just really proud that our team could get here,” Tuttle said. “I think we worked really hard this season to get here, and for our last season, I’m really proud.”
PHOTOS (Top) North Branch players celebrate their repeat Division 2 title win at Kellogg Arena. (Middle) Grand Rapids West Catholic's Mia Henne (4) sends a kill attempt into the block of Kaela Chingwa (10) and Clara Gyoromy (14). (Below) Adrienne Greschaw sets the Broncos' offense. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)