Big Hitter Now Chelsea Show-Stopper
By
Chip Mundy
Special for Second Half
October 8, 2015
By Chip Mundy
Special for Second Half
CHELSEA – Emma Hess has spent much of her young life chasing dreams and overcoming odds.
Too young to be involved with the volleyball team? She became a ball girl and manager for the Chelsea High School varsity as a fifth-grader.
Too inexperienced to get a part in a movie? She has been in three movies and moved to California for a year to pursue acting before she decided to return to Chelsea.
Too short to be an outside hitter on the varsity volleyball team? She played on a club volleyball team, took jump training to help elevate her leaping ability and made the Class B all-state team as a junior outside hitter.
Now a senior, the 5-foot-8 Hess is leading Chelsea to another fine season. The Bulldogs are 20-8 and ranked No. 7 in the latest Class B state poll.
Learning the game
Being the daughter of a former setter at Ohio University, Hess was introduced to volleyball at a young age and had the passion to play. Mary Jo Hess, Emma’s mother, was the seventh-grade coach, so Emma had a chance to be manager as a third-grader.
Two years later, she was doing the same thing for Chelsea coach Laura Cleveland’s varsity team.
Cleveland wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the little girl with a big smile when they first met.
“I saw a small little kid, but the biggest thing I saw in Emma – she had a great smile – was that she had a great attitude for learning,” Cleveland said. “When she came in when I was coaching, she would listen to what I was saying, and she would watch the girls and watch the demonstrations and then she would go over and practice it.
“She has a love for the game, and she has an attitude for learning. I think she always had a passion for it since she was little. She made the decision to pursue the passion, and it’s really turned out terrific for her in terms of being able to enjoy playing and playing at a high level because she has put in so much work.”
Hess began playing organized volleyball in the seventh grade, but at the same time she had another dream. After watching several movies on the Disney Channel, Hess told her mother that she wanted to become an actress.
In front of the camera
Sam and Mary Jo Hess listened to their daughter and decided to help her achieve her dream.
“I didn’t they took me seriously, but my mother found me an agent in Michigan, and I got a couple of jobs,” Hess said.
Mary Jo Hess conceded that there was some apprehension about letting Emma pursue acting at such a young age.
“I never would have pursued it for her if I hadn’t gone and seen about getting an agent and heard from some real professionals in the business that were saying, ‘This is really something you should do,’ ” Mary Jo Hess said. “I wanted her to play volleyball since she was a little girl, so when the acting thing came along, I wasn’t expecting that at all.
“We wanted to make sure if this was something she would pursue later, we wanted to know the right people and have her in the right place and make sure she would be taken care of. The worst thing that could have happened is, if we hadn’t done that, when she graduates high school she leaves and you hear about a lot of people who get manipulated.”
In a short amount of time, Hess was able to get three movie credits: “Smooch,” “James and Jenna” and “Home Run Showdown” were filmed in 2011 and 2012. She was credited as Emma-Lee Hess.
“She had a ton of success early,” Mary Jo Hess said. “I had heard a quote that said, ‘It’s typically 45 auditions before you book something,’ and by her fifth audition she had booked something that was a good gig for a commercial.”
Perhaps the largest hurdle of the three movies was landing the role in “Home Run Showdown,” which had more than 1,000 kids audition for parts – and Hess was the only girl on a story surrounding a Little League baseball team. It was filmed mostly in the Michigan towns of Milford and Taylor and also in Toledo, Ohio, and the cast was headlined by recognizable actors Dean Cain and Matthew Lillard.
“It wasn’t really big, but it paid money,” Hess said. “It was an experience, and it was really fun. I spent my whole summer with about 30 guys playing baseball and was the only girl.
“I also did a Hallmark movie called ‘Smooch,’ which plays on Valentine’s Day normally, and I also did a short film called ‘James and Jenna.’ I got to meet some really cool people on that.”
So, in the eighth grade, Hess moved to California to pursue acting, but she soon discovered that the business side of it was extremely tough, and she returned home after a year.
“I really wanted to pursue the TV aspect of it, but there was so much rejection out there, and I guess I wanted to do something where I would be rewarded,” Hess said. “I wanted people to know my name in acting, and because it wasn’t happening at the pace that I wanted, I decided to focus on something else, so volleyball became my motivation.
“Being in a town like this, people know me for the movies a little bit, but being known for volleyball is really important to me. Volleyball became my motivation.”
Above the net
In the ninth grade, Hess returned to Chelsea and returned to volleyball. She made the junior varsity team, but she was an outside hitter and not a setter as her mother had hoped.
“Mom wanted to raise a setter, but she has her daddy’s leaps, so I had to let that go,” said Mary Jo Hess, who is an assistant coach on the varsity. “When she was a freshman and setting on the JV, a short time afterward Coach Cleveland moved her, and that was OK, and of course I defer to her for everything.”
Cleveland saw something special in Hess despite being a few inches shorter than ideal for an outside hitter.
“As a freshman, we tried her as a setter, but then I thought, ‘No, that one’s a hitter,’” Cleveland said. “The thing about volleyball is that height would be great, but really it’s speed, and Emma has speed. If you’re fast and jump well and are faster than the block, those are things you really want.”
Although Hess is able to elevate above the net and delivers some powerful kills, her game is not all about speed and power. She has excellent vision and often will place the ball in a vacant spot on the court with a softer hit for a kill.
“I have a height disadvantage, especially being on the outside where most sets go to,” she said. “I really try to beat people at their own game, so if you’re not going to be on the line, I’m going to shoot it there.
“I try to read beforehand and pick out things that I know they’re not going to be able to pick up. That’s a big part. Being able to tip smart is really important. I have to go up and jump really high, and I use everything I’ve got to get up, and I swing hard. I don’t want them to be able to touch it because that’s the best feeling, getting a kill.”
Hess made varsity as a sophomore, and last year she made all-state as a junior.
“I love hitting a ball that no one touches, and even if there is a block, knowing that at my height and at that disadvantage, to take advantage of another team like that is great,” Hess said. “You get so excited, and the crowd pushes you so much.”
Never satisfied, Hess then set another goal for this season.
“This year, I want to run the defense and have the most kills,” she said.
Cleveland confirmed that the latest challenge is another win for Hess.
“She really is reading well and is in the right positions, and that is one of her biggest assets,” Cleveland said. “That’s both offensively and defensively.”
Hess wants to continue playing volleyball in college and has talked with Ferris State, Northwood and Eastern Michigan. She has a 3.977 grade point average, so academics won’t be a problem. Ambition won’t be a problem, either.
“I definitely want to do something in political and social studies and maybe major in political science,” Hess said. “And then I want to go to law school.”
It might not be wise to bet against her.
Chip Mundy served as sports editor at the Brooklyn Exponent and Albion Recorder from 1980-86, and then as a reporter and later copy editor at the Jackson Citizen-Patriot from 1986-2011. He also co-authored Michigan Sports Trivia. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Chelsea's Emma Hess hits during a match this season. (Middle) Hess played a prominent role in the 2012 film "Home Run Showdown." (Below) Hess goes high over the net on a kill attempt. (Photos courtesy of the Hess family.)
VIDEOS: Below are a video of Hess' highlights and also the trailer for "Home Run Showdown." Hess plays the role of Fassi.
Preview: Top-Ranked Aiming to Finish #1
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 20, 2019
State poll voters have been right on with their favorites for this weekend's MHSAA Volleyball Finals at Battle Creek's Kellogg Arena, as all four top-ranked teams will be making the trip.
What's more, Division 1 No. 1 Farmington Hills Mercy is one of seven contenders this weekend seeking to finish as a Finals champion for the first time.
Below is this weekend’s schedule:
Division 1 Semifinals – Thursday
Lake Orion vs. Lowell, 4:30 p.m.
Ann Arbor Skyline vs. Farmington Hills Mercy, 6:30 p.m.
Division 2 Semifinals - Friday
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs. Lake Odessa Lakewood, 4:30 p.m.
Kingsley vs. Grand Rapids Christian, 6:30 p.m.
Division 3 Semifinals – Friday
Saginaw Valley Lutheran vs. Schoolcraft, Noon
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central vs. Beaverton, 2 p.m.
Division 4 Semifinals - Thursday
Mendon vs. Southfield Christian, Noon
Rudyard vs. Leland, 2 p.m.
Finals – Saturday
Division 1, 2 p.m.
Division 2, 4 p.m.
Division 3, Noon
Division 4, 10 a.m.
Click for links to all results from this season’s tournament plus ticket information and details on live broadcasts of all 12 matches this weekend on MHSAA.tv and MHSAANetwork.com. Below is a glance at all 16 contenders, with statistics through last week's Regional Finals unless noted.
Division 1
ANN ARBOR SKYLINE
Record/rank: 54-8, unranked
Coach: Chris Cristian, third season (111-31-6)
League finish: First in Southeastern Conference Red
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 3-0 over honorable mention Novi in Regional Final, 3-0 (District Final) 3-0, 2-0 and 2-1 over honorable mention Saline, 2-0 over honorable mention Brighton, 2-0 over honorable mention Oxford.
Players to watch: Kendall Murray, 6-2 sr. OH (656 kills, .420 kill %, 367 digs); Harper Murray, 6-1 fr. OH (657 kills, .492 kill %, 151 aces, 446 digs); Stacie Warner, 5-5 sr. S (1,297 assists, 74 aces).
Finals forecast: Skyline won its first Regional title last week powered by a Miss Volleyball finalist in Kendall Murray and a star just getting started on her high school career in Harper Murray. The Eagles haven’t dropped a set during the MHSAA Tournament, nor in 12 of their last 13 matches. Skyline also has defeated a number of top teams from other divisions, including Division 2 honorable mention Ida, Division 3 No. 4 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, No. 3 Kalamazoo Christian and No. 10 Saginaw Valley Lutheran; and Division 4 No. 3 Battle Creek St. Philip and No. 4 Southfield Christian. Kendall Murray will continue her career at University of Michigan.
FARMINGTON HILLS MERCY
Record/rank: 56-1, No. 1
Coach: Loretta Vogel, 11th season (record N/A)
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League Central
Championship history: Class A runner-up 2010.
Best wins: 3-2 (Regional Semifinal), 3-0, 2-0, 3-0 and 3-0 over No. 7 Bloomfield Hills Marian; 2-1 over No. 3 Mattawan, 2-0 over No. 2 Lowell, 2-0, 2-1 and 3-0 over No. 9 Rochester Hills Stoney Creek; 2-0 over No. 10 Bloomfield Hills, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0 and 2-0 over honorable mention Saline; 2-0 over honorable mention Novi, 2-0 and 2-0 over honorable mention Oxford, 2-0 over honorable mention Brighton, 2-0 over Ann Arbor Skyline.
Players to watch: Jess Mruzik, 6-2 sr. OH (415 kills, .534 hitting %); Julia Bishop, 6-0 jr. S (1,459 assists, 75 aces, 288 digs); Ellen Tisko, 6-2 jr. MB (340 kills, .500 hitting %, 68.5 blocks); Charli Atiemo, 6-1 jr. MB (398 kills, .506 hitting %, 85 blocks).
Finals forecast: Mercy and Miss Volleyball winner Mruzik will attempt to win Vogel her first MHSAA Finals championship over more than four decades of coaching that has included bringing nine teams to at least the Semifinals, including last year’s team – which fell to eventual champion Lake Orion in a five-set semi. Mruzik, who also will continue at U-M, spent the beginning of the season playing for the U.S. U-18 national team in Egypt, and yet Mercy lost this season only to Lowell (while Mruzik was away). Bishop also made the all-state first team last season, while Atiemo made the third.
LAKE ORION
Record/rank: 39-15-2, honorable mention
Coach: Tony Scavarda, sixth season (317-63-5)
League finish: Third in Oakland Activities Association Red
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2018, Class A runner-up 2011.
Best wins: 3-2 over No. 9 Rochester Hills Stoney Creek in Regional Semifinal, 3-2 (District Final) and 3-0 over honorable mention Oxford, 3-1 (District Quarterfinal) and 2-0 over No. 6 Clarkston, 2-0 over honorable mention Brighton, 2-0 over honorable mention Saline, 2-0 over Ann Arbor Skyline.
Players to watch: Nina Horning, 6-2 fr. OH (394 kills, 107 aces); Lauren Staruch, 6-0 jr. OH (361 kills, 61 blocks); Reagan Goeke, 6-2 jr. MH (201 kills, .337 hitting %, 167 blocks).
Finals forecast: Lake Orion is 9-0-2 over its last 11 matches and defeated two top-10 teams on the way back to Battle Creek. Junior middle Kendall Robertson (250 kills, .331 hitting %) started last season’s championship match against Rockford but is the only player on this year’s roster to see the floor that day, making the Dragons’ return even more impressive. Kylie Andras (559 assists) and sophomore Jaina Macaulay (623) have split much of the setting, with Andras one of only three seniors on the team.
LOWELL
Record/rank: 54-3, No. 2
Coach: Jordan Drake, second season (92-7-2)
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference White
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 3-1 (Quarterfinal) and 2-1 over No. 3 Mattawan, 3-1 (Regional Final) and 2-0 over No. 4 Hudsonville, 3-0 (Regional Semifinal) and 2-0 over No. 5 Byron Center, 3-0 (District Final) and 3-1 over honorable mention Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 2-0 over No. 7 Bloomfield Hills Marian, 2-0 over No. 10 Bloomfield Hills, 2-0 over No. 1 Farmington Hills Mercy, 2-0 over No. 8 Grand Haven, 2-0 over honorable mention Novi, 2-0 and 2-0 over honorable mention Lake Orion, 2-0 over Division 2 No. 1 Grand Rapids Christian.
Players to watch: Sophia Powell, 5-8 jr. S (1,446 assists, .390 hitting %); Jenna Reitsma, 5-11 jr. OH (795 kills, .357 hitting %, 82 aces, 379 digs); Meghan Meyer, 6-1 sr. MH/RH (438 kills, .381 hitting %, 76 blocks).
Finals forecast: Lowell’s longest tournament run has included its first Regional title won last week and has seen the Red Arrows eliminate top-10 teams in three straight matches. Total, Lowell has defeated seven of the final top 10 in Division 1, plus the top-ranked teams in Division 2 (Grand Rapids Christian) and 3 (Schoolcraft). The Red Arrows have dropped only 14 sets this season including four to Hudsonville over two losses before avenging those defeats at the Regional. Reitsma made the all-state second team last season, and Meyer made the third team.
Division 2
GRAND RAPIDS CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 44-3, No. 1
Coach: Tiffannie Gates, ninth season (424-82)
League finish: First in O-K Gold
Championship history: Division 2 champion 2018.
Best wins: 3-0 over No. 4 Hamilton in Quarterfinal, 3-2 over No. 3 Coopersville in Regional Final, 2-0 over No. 8 Detroit Country Day, 2-0 over No. 9 Holland Christian, 3-0 and 2-0 over Division 1 No. 5 Byron Center, 2-0 over Division 1 No. 3 Mattawan, 2-0 over Division 1 No. 4 Hudsonville, 2-0 and 2-0 over Division 3 No. 1 Schoolcraft.
Players to watch: Jordyn Gates, 5-10 sr. S (1,099 assists, .309 hitting %, 378 digs); Addison VanderWeide, 6-0 jr. OH (495 kills, .305 hitting %, 59 aces, 345 digs); Evelyn Doezema, 6-3 soph. OH (326 kills, 63 blocks).
Finals forecast: Grand Rapids Christian rolled to its first championship last season with a pair of sweeps at Kellogg, and has just kept marching. The Eagles’ only losses this fall were to Division 1 Lowell and Hudsonville (twice), and they’ve dropped only 10 sets all season. Senior middle Ayva Kooistra (195 kills) joined Jordyn Gates, Doezema and VanderWeide in the starting lineup for last season’s Final, and junior libero Lauren Peal and junior defensive specialist Elizabeth Rupp both saw time in the championship match. Gates and VanderWeide both made the all-state first team in 2018, and Gates was a Miss Volleyball finalist this fall and will continue her career at Arkansas.
LAKE ODESSA LAKEWOOD
Record/rank: 39-12, No. 2
Coach: Cameron Rowland, second season (85-21-2)
League finish: First in Greater Lansing Activities Conference
Championship history: Class B champion 2012, four runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 3-0 over honorable mention Ida in Quarterfinal, 3-2 over No. 7 Parma Western in Regional Final, 3-0 (Regional Final) and 2-0 over honorable mention Marshall, 2-1 over No. 9 Holland Christian, 2-1 over Division 3 No. 1 Schoolcraft.
Players to watch: Maradith O’Gorman, 6-2 soph. RS (506 kills, .361 hitting %, 86 aces, 360 digs); Aubrey O’Gorman, 6-3 jr. MB (480 kills, .424 hitting %, 151 blocks); Skylar Bump, 5-6 fr. S (1,209 assists, 88 aces).
Finals forecast: Lakewood has played in four championship matches over the last seven seasons, finishing Class B runner-up in 2014, 2016 and 2017. The Vikings fell to Grand Rapids Christian in last season’s Semifinal, and have won 10 of their last 11 matches heading back to Battle Creek. They’ll be prepared, thanks as well to impressive losses to Hudsonville, Lowell, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central and Byron Center this fall. Maradith O’Gorman made the all-state first team last season as just a freshman, while Aubrey O’Gorman was selected as only a sophomore.
KINGSLEY
Record/rank: 58-7-3, No. 6
Coach: David Hall, 21st season (982-231-92)
League finish: First in Northwest Conference
Championship history: Class C runner-up 2004.
Best wins: 3-2 over honorable mention Cadillac in Regional Final, 2-0 over honorable mention Corunna, 3-0 and 2-0 over Division 4 No. 5 Leland, 2-0 over Division 3 No. 4 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, 2-0 and 2-0 over Division 3 honorable mention Traverse City St. Francis.
Players to watch: Brittany Bowman, 5-4 sr. OH (501 kills, 68 aces, 621 digs); Maddie Bies, 5-0 sr. S (1,489 assists, 343 digs); Austyn DeWeese, 6-2 sr. MH (529 kills, .397 hitting %, 143 blocks).
Finals forecast: Kingsley is returning to the Semifinals for the first time since that 2004 Class C run, and following a senior-laden lineup with five starters and the team’s libero all looking to finish their high school careers by making more history this weekend. The Stags can go to multiple scoring options, with senior outside hitter Sidny Hessem (458 kills) also making the most of many opportunities this fall. Kingsley has won 19 straight matches since taking a loss to Division 1 Temperance Bedford, and also saw Lake Orion and No. 3 Coopersville (the latter twice) in defeats.
PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP
Record/rank: 48-10-2, No. 7
Coach: Betty A. Wroubel, 26th season (1,106-231-96)
League finish: Does not compete in a league.
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2017), Division 2 runner-up 2018.
Best wins: 3-0 over No. 8 Detroit Country Day in District Final, 2-0 over No. 10 Onsted, 2-0 over honorable mention Cadillac, 2-1 over Division 1 honorable mention Oxford, 2-0 over Division 4 No. 3 Battle Creek St. Philip, 2-0 over Division 3 No. 8 Centreville.
Players to watch: Aly Borellis, 5-10 soph. S/RS (564 kills, 96 blocks, 96 aces, 722 assists); Josie Bloom, 5-6 soph. DS/L (90 aces, 491 digs); Sophia Sudzina, 5-7 soph. S/OH (364 kills) (Only partial season stats available).
Finals forecast: Notre Dame Prep played in its second-straight MHSAA Final last fall, and appears the team to watch for the next two seasons too after making another run to finish this one. Borellis made the all-state third team last fall as just a freshman and has done some of everything for the Irish this fall. Bloom, senior middle Emily Mohr and sophomore middle Bianca Giglio also started in last year’s championship match, and junior libero Livy Kowalkowski played a significant role. Mohr (53 blocks, 60 aces) and middle Theresa Carrier (265 kills off the bench) are the team’s only seniors.
Division 3
BEAVERTON
Record/rank: 46-1-1, No. 7
Coach: Steve Evans, 11th season (332-154-4)
League finish: First in Jack Pine Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 2-1 over No. 5 Bronson, 3-0 over honorable mention Traverse City St. Francis in Quarterfinal, 2-0 over honorable mention Beal City, 2-0 over Freeland, 2-0 over Mount Pleasant, 2-1 over Division 4 honorable mention Saginaw Nouvel.
Players to watch: Molly Gerow, 5-9 jr. OH (631 kills, 369 digs); Mady Pahl, 5-7 jr. S (1,103 assists, 64 aces, 333 digs); Macie Jerome, 5-4 sr. L (83 aces, 584 digs).
Finals forecast: Beaverton has increased its win total every season over the last three and will play in its first Semifinal after winning its first Regional title last week. The team’s only loss this fall came to Freeland, a quarterfinalist in Division 2, and the Beavers later avenged that defeat and have dropped only eight sets all season. They come to Battle Creek on a 37-match winning streak with sweeps in 21 of their last 22. Gerow made the all-state third team last season, and Jerome and defensive specialist Averie Bassage are the team’s only seniors.
MONROE ST. MARY CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Record/rank: 48-2, No. 2
Coach: Karen O’Brien, fifth season (199-42-3)
League finish: First in Huron League
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2014), three runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 3-1 (Regional Final), 2-1 and 2-0 over No. 6 Brighton Charyl Stockwell Prep, 2-0 over No. 5 Bronson, 2-0 and 2-1 over Division 2 honorable mention Ida, 2-0 over Division 2 honorable mention Marshall, 2-0 over Division 4 No. 5 Leland, 2-1 over Ann Arbor Skyline.
Players to watch: Mikayla Haut, 5-11 jr. OH (446 kills, 73 aces, 75 blocks, 390 digs); Abbie Costlow, 5-10 jr. RS/OH (287 kills, .392 hitting %, 96 blocks); Sarah Reicker, 5-5 sr. S (835 assists, 50 aces).
Finals forecast: Monroe St. Mary is a pair of two-set losses to Division 1 No. 6 Clarkston and Division 2 No. 3 Coopersville from undefeated this fall as it returns to the Semifinals for the sixth time this decade and second-straight season. Haut, Costlow, junior outside hitter Anna Dean (327 kills) and senior right side Samantha Michael (191) all started in last year’s five-set Semifinal defeat to eventual champion Bronson, and Haut went on to make the all-state first team for the second time. Senior libero Payton Osborne had totaled a team-high 562 digs and 73 aces entering this week.
SAGINAW VALLEY LUTHERAN
Record/rank: 40-8-5, No. 10
Coach: Jon Frank, 13th season (476-224-65)
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference West
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 2-1 over honorable mention Beal City, 3-1 over Brown City in Regional Final, 2-1 over Freeland, 2-0 over Saginaw Swan Valley, 3-1 over Division 4 honorable mention Saginaw Nouvel, 2-0 over Division 4 honorable mention Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart.
Players to watch: Peyton Bartnikowski, 5-7 jr. OH (443 kills, 69 aces, 334 digs); Sydney Krause, 5-9 jr. S (1,123 assists); Carly Pomaville, 5-7 sr. MH (201 kills, 65 blocks).
Finals forecast: Valley Lutheran won its first Regional title since 2011 and is back at the Semifinals for the first time since 1983. The Chargers have had a lot of success at the local levels with four more league and three more District titles over the last five seasons, and they are taking the next steps with a mix of seniors and talented players who should have the team in contention again next season as well. Valley Lutheran faced a number of larger opponents throughout the fall and also earned a draw with No. 3 Kalamazoo Christian. Senior libero Kelsy Vittitow (61 aces, 646 digs) earned all-state honorable mention last season
SCHOOLCRAFT
Record/rank: 47-6-1, No. 1
Coach: Erin Onken, eighth season (319-95-15)
League finish: First in Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley
Championship history: Class C champion 2008, runner-up 2014.
Best wins: 3-0 (Quarterfinal) and 2-0 over No. 4 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, 3-0 over No. 5 Bronson in Regional Semifinal, 3-0 (District Final), 3-0 and 2-0 over No. 3 Kalamazoo Christian, 2-0 over honorable mention Traverse City St. Francis, 2-1 over Division 1 No. 3 Mattawan, 2-0 over Division 1 No. 10 Bloomfield Hills, 2-0 over Division 1 honorable mention Lake Orion, 2-0 over Division 2 No. 2 Lake Odessa Lakewood, 2-0 over Division 2 No. 5 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 2-0 and 2-0 over Division 2 honorable mention Edwardsburg.
Players to watch: Andelyn Simkins, 5-10 sr. OH (692 kills, .505 hitting %, 84 aces, 490 digs); Kayla Onken, 5-8 jr. S (1,352 assists, 80 aces, 305 digs), Anna Schuppel, 6-1 jr. M (252 kills, .475 hitting %, 147 blocks); Maggie Morris, 6-0 jr. M (268 kills, .444 hitting %, 108 blocks).
Finals forecast: Schoolcraft has one of the most impressive sets of results in the state this fall, given that it’s a Division 3 school and has wins over three teams at Battle Creek in either Division 1 or 2 – not to mention against a number of other now-eliminated contenders. Simkins was a Miss Volleyball finalist and will continue next season at Western Michigan. But she and outside hitter Madi Ballett are the only senior starters, which should make next season one with high hopes as well. This will be the Eagles’ first Semifinal trip since the 2014 run, but they’ve stayed in the mix; they’ve won league titles every season under Erin Onken and District titles every season but one.
Division 4
LELAND
Record/rank: 43-14-3, No. 5
Coach: Laurie Glass, 25th season (1,006-296-95)
League finish: Second in Northwest Conference
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2015), seven runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 3-0 over No. 6 Merrill in Quarterfinal, 3-1 (Regional Final) and 2-0 over honorable mention Traverse City Christian, 2-0 over Division 3 honorable mention Traverse City St. Francis, 2-0 over Saginaw Swan Valley.
Players to watch: Olivia Lowe, 5-9 jr. OH (338 kills, 77 aces, 333 digs); Tatum Kareck, 5-8 jr. OH (338 kills, 83 aces, 364 digs); Jana Molby, 5-5 jr. S (757 assists, 62 aces).
Finals forecast: Leland is another regular at Kellogg Arena for the season’s final weekend, with this its sixth trip to the Semifinals over the last seven seasons. And there’s some additional intrigue this time, as every player on the roster is a junior except for freshman setter Alexis Luce. Kareck and 6-0 junior middle Sarah Elwell (250 kills, 91 blocks) were in the starting lineup for last season’s championship match, and junior libero Mia Osorio is a returning Division 4 all-state second teamer. Leland again loaded its schedule to prepare for this point. The Comets played only 13 Division 4 opponents before the playoffs and at one point stood 6-9-2 before locking in to win 37 of their next 43 matches.
MENDON
Record/rank: 38-9-6, No. 1
Coach: Heather Bowers, second season (87-15-9)
League finish: Second in Southwest 10 Conference
Championship history: Four MHSAA titles (most recent 2018).
Best wins: 3-1 over No. 2 Camden-Frontier in Quarterfinal, 3-0 over No. 3 Battle Creek St. Philip in Regional Final, 2-0 over Division 2 honorable mention Hopkins, 3-0 over Sturgis.
Players to watch: Anna Smith, 5-9 jr. OH (660 kills, .380 hitting %, 104 aces, 73 blocks, 304 digs); Taylor Heitkamp, 5-8 sr. MB (263 kills, 105 aces); Gracie Russell, 5-3 sr. S (1,224 assists, 276 digs).
Finals forecast: Mendon has lost just one set over six postseason matches despite facing the Nos. 2 and 3 teams over the last two rounds, and another championship would give former Hornets’ standout Bowers her second in two seasons to begin her head coaching career. Smith and junior middle Andrea Hoffman (210 kills, 71 blocks) are the only starters back from last season’s Final, but they’re significant. Smith made the all-state third team as a freshman before moving up to the first team last fall. Mendon did finish second in its league, but to Division 3 No. 8 Centreville.
RUDYARD
Record/rank: 35-4-3, No. 10
Coach: Ellen Perry, 27th season (630-414-155)
League finishes: First in Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference and second in Straits Area Conference
Championship history: Upper Peninsula Class A-B-C champion 1996, runner-up 1995 and 1997.
Best wins: 3-1 over honorable mention Carney-Nadeau in the Quarterfinal, 3-1 over Onaway in the Regional Final, 3-1 over Division 3 honorable mention Manistique.
Players to watch: Nina Alpers, 6-0 sr. MH (360 kills, 84 aces, 63 blocks, 318 digs); Sara Beelen, 5-9 jr. OH (251 kills, 546 digs, 116 aces); Brooklynn Besteman, 5-9 soph. M (222 kills, 75 aces).
Finals forecast: Rudyard won its first Regional title in 2017 and has taken the next step by earning its first Semifinal appearance despite graduating three players this spring who earned all-state recognition last year. (The Regional title and Semifinal berth are the first since the Upper and Lower Peninsulas joined for a combined MHSAA Tournament in 2000). The Bulldogs have lost just 19 sets this season and only two over five postseason matches. This is another team that could be in this mix for a few seasons; Alpers is the only senior. Junior Chesney Molina (603 assists) has handled most of the setting.
SOUTHFIELD CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 29-7-4, No. 4
Coach: Mike Van Dyke, ninth season (176-134-18)
League finish: Tied for first in Michigan Independent Athletic Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 3-0 (District Final), 3-0 and 3-0 over No. 9 Plymouth Christian Academy; 3-1 over No. 7 Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, 3-2 over Division 3 No. 6 Brighton Charyl Stockwell Prep, 3-0 and 3-0 over Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, 2-0 over Detroit Cass Tech.
Players to watch: Emily Van Dyke