D2/3 Recap: Bronson edges St. Mary in 5
November 15, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
It would make sense that Bronson’s most important win to date this season would come in Thursday’s Division 3 Semifinal at Kellogg Arena.
It’s also fair to assume that the No. 2-ranked Vikings’ comeback 3-2 win over No. 1 Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central will remain one of the program’s most memorable wins for years to come – regardless of whether Bronson adds to its streak of three straight MHSAA championships Saturday.
The Vikings will face No. 6 Unionville-Sebewaing in a noon championship match after twice coming back from one-set deficits against the Kestrels (45-4).
Bronson (57-6) won the fourth set Thursday 25-18 to even the match, and continued the breakaway 15-4 in the deciding set. Bronson had lost its only other match with St. Mary this season.
Junior Keona Salesman had a team-high 23 kills and team-best 26 digs for the Vikings, while sophomore Meagan Lasky had 47 assists.
Senior Abby Jackson had 28 digs to pace St. Mary, while sophomore Mikayla Haut had 18 kills and 18 digs and senior Jessica Long had 24 assists.
Division 3: Unionville-Sebewaing 3, Traverse City St. Francis 1
USA (44-4-4) earned its first Finals berth by holding off a Gladiators comeback attempt after the No. 6 Patriots won the first two sets.
St. Francis (34-14) bounced back from a 26-24 loss in the second set with a 25-18 win in the third as it made only four errors in 35 attacks that game.
But USA came back with just two errors in 38 attacks in the deciding fourth in downing the Gladiators 25-21.
Senior Rylee Zimmer had 27 kills and 14 digs, and senior Nichole Schember had 38 assists for the Patriots.
Senior Molly Mirabelli led No. 8 St. Francis with 22 kills and 28 digs, and sophomore Hannah Sidorowicz had 38 assists.
Division 2: Grand Rapids Christian 3, Lake Odessa Lakewood 0
Top-ranked Grand Rapids Christian (45-5) also will play in its first Final and for its first championship after sweeping the No. 3 Vikings, last season’s runner-up in the former Class B.
Sophomore Addie VanderWeide had 15 kills to lead the Eagles, and junior Jordyn Gates had 35 assists and three aces. Christian had a .349 kill percentage as a team.
Freshman Maradith O’Gorman had a team-high 10 kills for Lakewood, and sophomore Sophie Duits had 13 assists for the Vikings (46-8-2).
Division 2: Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 3, Corunna 0
The reigning Class B champion Irish will play for the first Division 2 championship after ending the longest tournament run in Corunna’s history.
Recently-named Miss Volleyball Award winner Maddy Chinn had 17 kills and three blocks to lead the No. 2-ranked Fighting Irish (64-5). Senior Maria Famularo had 22 assists.
Junior Elizabeth Norris led honorable mention Corunna (50-7-5) with 14 kills, and senior Alexa Mort had 22 assists.
PHOTO: Bronson celebrates during its comeback win over Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central on Thursday.
Bronson Resets After 1st, Reigns Again
November 18, 2017
By Perry A. Farrell
Special for Second Half
BATTLE CREEK – Laingsburg passed the eye test, but Bronson proved to be the real thing.
The Wolfpack stood out athletic and tall, and playing in the Class C volleyball championship match against two-time reigning champion Bronson didn’t seem to intimidate them Saturday afternoon at Kellogg Arena.
Once they hit the floor, Laingsburg started out great, winning the first game.
But after that it was the Vikings prevailing in four, 20-25, 25-18, 25-20, 25-19 to win a third straight title.
It was a dramatic change from the first game to the second for the champs, who finished the year 59-9-2.
“We didn’t really make any adjustments,’’ Bronson coach Jean LaClair said. “We just tried to focus on what we needed to do on our side of the net. I thought it was a pretty gutsy performance because Adyson (Lasky) tweaked her ankle and Keona (Salesman) hurt her thumb. I said, ‘You guys want to play or do you want me to put a sub in?’ They both wanted to stay on the court and play through that.’’
Salesman led the comeback with 19 kills, with Jolie Smoker adding 12 and Ashton Wronikowski 11.
“We got our mental game together,’’ said Salesman. “We reset our minds. We knew that we had to come out stronger than we did the first game. We came out thinking we got this.’’
The Vikings scored five of the first six points of the first set. Laingsburg responded by getting to within a point twice before tying the match on an ace by Maya Ferland.
Bronson scored the next five points with Salesman recording back-to-back aces to give her team a 13-8 lead. But the Wolfpack went on a run of their own to tie the game at 15-15, and took the lead on a kill by Ferland.
Imposing their will at the net with the 5-foot-10 Sophie Strieff (14 kills), 6-foot Ferland (14 kills) and 6-foot Alex Randall (16 kills), the Wolfpack looked the part. And they stunned the back-to-back champs, never trailing after tying the first game as the trio up front fired at the Vikings from all different angles.
“We never talk about the other titles. Each year is different,’’ LaClair said. But in the second game the Vikings played like they were champions, again scoring five of the first six points to set the tone. Lacking execution, the Wolfpack fell behind 15-9 with sloppy play at the net, and Bronson went on to tie the match.
The all-important third game saw the Vikings jump out to an 11-7 lead only to have the Wolfpack get to within 12-10. But from there, Bronson’s experience and poise took over as the defending champs kept Laingsburg off balance and got help from the Wolfpack’s unforced errors. Bronson led 20-14 before Laingsburg rallied to within 20-17 on a spike by Tanner Butler. But despite an anxious moment or two, Bronson prevailed to go up 2-1.
Laingsburg led just once in that second game, but took a 9-8 lead in the third when Bronson hit the ball into the net.
But after tying the score again 9-9, the Vikings charged ahead with nine of the next 11 points to take a commanding 18-11 lead with their third straight title now within reach.
Bronson senior Kiana Mayer, a Miss Volleyball candidate this fall, capped her career with 37 assists.
Laingsburg senior Grace Gregg had 40 assists as the Wolfpack (41-18-3) capped their first championship match with the best finish in program history. Laingsburg entered the postseason as only an honorable mention in the final Class C rankings.
“This was an incredible experience,’’ said Strieff. “It (was disappointing) that we lost, but it was great to get here.’’
PHOTOS: (Top) Bronson raises the Class C championship trophy for the third straight season Saturday at Kellogg Arena. (Middle) Laingsburg’s Maya Ferland puts down a kill past a pair of Bronson defenders.