Tabit Twins Drive Top-ranked Team in B
September 1, 2015
By Bill Khan
Special for Second Half
MOUNT MORRIS – In the heat of an intense volleyball match, it could be easy to get the wrong impression about Hannah and Sarah Tabit of Mount Morris.
A raised voice or a stern stare isn't an alarming indication of discord between the two. They're not mad at each other. They're not being mean. It's just two highly driven twins who have learned over the course of 17 years together which buttons to push without hurting each other's feelings.
"Their chemistry is great," Mount Morris coach Jim Pender said. "I sympathize with them sometimes, because I'm an identical twin, too. Joe and I, when we competed, we got on each other. It wasn't anything we can't handle.
"Sometimes it seems like they're yelling at each other. It's just a different thing with identical twins. The kids now understand they're not yelling at each other. They're so competitive. They want the best out of each other. That's how they get it out of each other."
The tough-love approach seems to work.
The Tabits have been an integral part of Mount Morris' success over the past three seasons and to their fast start and No. 1 ranking in Class B as seniors this year. Sarah is an outside hitter who was second-team all-state after registering a school-record 867 kills last season. Hannah, an outside hitter and setter, made third-team all-state despite being limited by an injury.
Both are committed to play next season at Saginaw Valley State University, a short trip up I-75 from their hometown. Starting next fall, a new set of teammates will have to get accustomed to the in-your-face manner in which the Tabit twins motivate each other on the court.
Between twins, nothing that happens in the midst of competition is taken personally when they head home.
"I feel like I can be a little more firm with her and it's not like she'll cry or something," Sarah said.
"It's just because we've been playing together for so long," Hannah added. "We have a lot of chemistry together. If we mess up, we've got to figure out what's wrong. We have to fix it."
The Tabits have played volleyball together for quite a while, but not for as long as some high school teammates.
They became enthralled with the sport in elementary school when they went to Mount Morris matches to watch their brother's girlfriend play for the Panthers.
They couldn't wait to play volleyball themselves – but they had to.
Their father, Mount Morris assistant coach Pat Tabit, has witnessed many cases of burnout among athletes who have been playing the same sport from a young age. He didn't want that to happen to his daughters.
"Our parents actually wouldn't let us play until we were in sixth grade," Hannah said. "We kept trying to ask if we could. They'd say, 'Not yet, just wait it out.' They finally let us play. My dad didn't want us to get tired of it too quick, because it happens to a lot of girls who play now and start in third or fourth grade. He didn't want us to die out of it."
The Tabits enter their senior season very much energized about volleyball. It helps that they are on a team that could deliver only the second MHSAA championship in school history in any sport. The 1984 softball team won the Class B title, one year after Pender graduated from the school.
Mount Morris has won five district titles over the last seven years and nine overall, but has never advanced beyond regionals. The Panthers were strong before the Tabits arrived, but the program is at a different level with the twins leading the way.
"People come into the gym now and ask, 'When are those two going to be seniors?'" Pender said. "It seems like they've been on the team forever. They're noticed in the gym. Sarah got MVP of the first tournament and Hannah was on the all-tournament team. I haven't had too many players who could be a dynamic player for anybody in the state of Michigan. They know what's at stake and bring their game every time."
The Panthers didn't even make it out of their district last year, but it was understandable -- they lost to eventual Class B champion North Branch in the District Final. The teams have typically met in the regionals, with North Branch eliminating Mount Morris in that round in 2009, 2012 and 2013.
The teams are again in the same district this season. It will be played Nov. 2-7 at North Branch, the seventh-ranked team in Class B.
It's a testament to Mount Morris' returning talent that it earned the No. 1 ranking, despite its early exit last season and its history of never making it out of regionals.
"We're very happy about it, but we've still got to work hard every day," Sarah Tabit said. "That way we can maintain that No. 1 spot the whole season."
Mount Morris is off to a 16-1 start after three tournaments that have featured some of the best teams in the state. The Panthers beat Chelsea (No. 8 in Class B) and Birmingham Marian (preseason No. 9 in Class A) to win the first of two tournaments in Brownstown. They lost to Lake Orion (No. 2 in Class A) in the semifinals of the second tournament in Brownstown.
In their own tournament last Saturday, the Panthers beat long-time nemesis North Branch 25-13, 25-19 in the championship match.
In addition to the Tabits, libero Lauren Gibbs received postseason honors last year by making the all-region team as a freshman. Gibbs was injured and unable to play in the district, leaving the Panthers shorthanded against a powerful North Branch team it beat during the regular season.
Junior Summer Bruce, junior Mahogany Malone, sophomore Linda Allen, senior Kayla Sorensen and senior Madeline Clarke are other key contributors from last year's team.
"In the last six years, we've been ranked in the top 10 because of the tournaments we've been playing in," Pender said. "We've been playing some strong competition and competing with them. We graduated only two seniors, and they were basically in the same spot. We beat some really good teams last year. It puts a little more pressure on me, though, when they say you're that good. You have to have the kids to do what you need to get ranked. Now we have to put everything together. It puts a little added pressure."
Bill Khan served as a sportswriter at The Flint Journal from 1981-2011 and currently contributes to the State Champs! Sports Network. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Bay, Arenac, Midland and Gladwin counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Hannah Tabit works to get a ball past two opponents at the net during a match last season. (Middle) Sarah Tabit connects earlier this fall. (Below) The Tabit twins, numbers 12 and 16, lead the top-ranked team in Class B. (Top and middle photos by Greg Tunnicliff/Genesee County Herald; bottom photo courtesy of Mount Morris athletic department.)
Block Party: 2025 Girls Volleyball Week 5 Report
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 24, 2025
Few sports dominate school-year weekends like girls volleyball does with its Saturday tournament schedules each fall.
This past week's again included several events, most notably the East vs. West Challenge (won by the East 11-9) at Brighton's Legacy Center. This weekend could be even bigger with teams from all four divisions locked up in elite competition; see below for plenty of notes referencing some of the best matchups to come.
Records and results are based on what is submitted to MHSAA.com for Michigan Power Ratings (MPR) that determine seeding of the top two teams in every District. 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. South Lyon East d. Rockford (25-22, 25-22) Although South Lyon East (21-5-1) did also lose to Jenison at the East vs. West Challenge, the Cougars made the biggest wave by handing Rockford (20-1-0) its lone loss this season – and moved up to No. 8 in Division 1 this week.
2. Flat Rock d. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 25-22, 15-11) Flat Rock (18-4-0) has won 15 of its last 16 matches and now owns its first win – ever – over Monroe St. Mary (13-2-1).
3. Farmington Hills Mercy d. Bloomfield Hills Marian (14-25, 25-22, 25-22, 27-25) These rivals should meet at least a few more times this fall, but Mercy (8-2-1) handed Marian (23-2-0) just its second match loss and despite falling in the first set.
4. East Grand Rapids d. Grand Rapids Christian (25-19, 25-20) The Pioneers (20-5-0) finished 5-0 at the Lake Odessa Lakewood Invitational, with this win over last week’s No. 2 team in Division 2 likely helping to jump them onto the Division 1 honorable mention list.
5. Brighton d. Northville (25-16, 25-22, 25-22) In a matchup of Division 1 honorable mentions, Brighton (18-3-0) defeated reigning champion Northville (6-6-0) for the first time since 2019.
Watch List
With an eye toward November, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Farmington Hills Mercy (8-2-0) The Marlins – Division 1 champions most recently in 2023 and ranked No. 3 this week – are again among the elite coming off a 2-1 run at the East vs. West Challenge. Mercy defeated Division 1 honorable mention Lowell and Muskegon Mona Shores and lost to top-ranked Rockford there, but its only other defeat came to Division 1 No. 2 Bloomfield Hills a month ago. Mercy opened last week with the big Marian victory noted above.
Jenison (19-2-0) A 4-0 run through the East vs. West Challenge included sweeps of Brighton, Northville, South Lyon East and Grosse Pointe South as Jenison moved up to No. 5 in Division 1. The Wildcats – Regional finalists last season – also have downed Division 1 honorable mention Byron Center and Division 2 No. 8 Grand Rapids South Christian and split with Division 1 No. 9 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, the other defeat coming to Division 2 No. 3 Grand Rapids Christian.
DIVISION 2
Lansing Catholic (13-1-1) The Cougars received an honorable mention in the Division 2 poll this week coming off a 4-0 run through the Mt. Morris Invitational. Lansing Catholic also went 3-0-1 at the Bay City Western Tournament to start the season – getting a win over Midland after previously tying the Chemics that day. Lansing Catholic suffered its first loss Tuesday, to Portland.
North Branch (21-2-0) The 2022 and 2023 Division 2 champion reached the Quarterfinals last year and is blasting through another tough schedule in preparation for another potentially big run. The Broncos moved up a spot to No. 2 in the rankings this week after defeating Mona Shores, Lowell and Grand Rapids Northview at the East/West, and their only losses this season were to Northville and Bloomfield Hills the weekend before. They’ve downed Division 2 No. 7 Frankenmuth and Division 3 top-ranked SMCC among several others.
DIVISION 3
Hanover-Horton (16-1-1) A 6-0 run through the weekend’s Spring Arbor University Invitational was topped off by the No. 7 Comets sweeping Division 2 honorable mention Parma Western in the clincher. That actually also avenged Hanover-Horton’s only loss, in three sets, during the season-opening Chelsea Invitational where the Comets went 2-1-1 against Division 1 and 2 teams. They also count a pair of wins over Division 4 Concord among their most notable.
Plymouth Christian Academy (18-5-0) The Eagles are holding steady at No. 3 in Division 3 coming off a 4-1 run against Division 1 and 2 opponents at the weekend’s Portage Northern Invitational. A Regional finalist as well a year ago, PCA opened this season with a championship at the Leland Invitational against a field that also included Division 2 honorable mention Marshall, and got more valuable matches against Division 1 and 2 opponents at two more tournaments.
DIVISION 4
Lake Linden-Hubbell (17-2-0) The Lakes have won the Copper Mountain Conference Preseason Tournament and finished second at the Baraga Invitational on the way to already approaching last season’s 22-12-0 record. The lone losses came to No. 10 Hancock in four sets and Chassell at the Baraga event, and they’re set to see both again at least once more – home against Chassell next Monday and at Hancock on Oct. 21. All three are in the same District as well.
Ubly (10-2-2) The Bearcats jumped three spots to No. 2 in Division 4 this week as they seek to build on last season’s 37-8-0 finish and Quarterfinal run. Ubly went 4-0-2 at the weekend’s Eaton Rapids Tournament, twice defeating then-No. 2 Fowler plus honorable mention Adrian Lenawee Christian, which jumped to No. 4 this week. The defeats this season were solid as well, both coming during the opening weekend at the Cadillac Invitational to the Division 2 Vikings and Division 3 No. 8 Traverse City St. Francis.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these matches and tournaments coming up:
Thursday – Onekama (12-4-0) at Suttons Bay (13-0-0) – Both are honorable mentions in Division 4, and the winner could push for a spot among the top 10.
Saturday – Motor City Power Series at UWM Sports Complex in Pontiac – A total of 28 teams will play as the Power Series reconvenes, including a pool with Division 1 No. 3 Mercy, No. 6 Utica Eisenhower, honorable mention Brighton, Traverse City Central and Division 2 No. 2 North Branch.
Saturday – D3 & D4 Showdown at Schoolcraft College in Livonia – This bracket will feature Division 3 No. 5 Pewamo-Westphalia and honorable mention Cass City, and Division 4 top-ranked Mendon and No. 2 Ubly among others.
Saturday – Battle Creek Lakeview Invitational – Division 2 No. 6 Grand Rapids Catholic Central might be the headliner, but host Lakeview, Detroit Renaissance, Otsego and Coldwater are among other intriguing teams in the field.
Tuesday – Hancock (14-2-2) at Negaunee (11-4-2) – These two split at the season-opening Kingsford Invitational, and this matchup will mean more with Western Peninsula Athletic Conference ramifications.
PHOTO Bloomfield Hills Marian and Farmington Hills Mercy faced off last week for the first time this season. (Photo by Kristina Sikora/KMS Photography.)