Volleyball: Fly like an Eagle
November 11, 2011
Nicole DeGrace knew that with her father Chip as Frankenmuth’s volleyball coach, the Eagles would go places.
But when he told them where he thought they were headed, she didn’t believe him.
At the end of tryouts in August, Chip DeGrace -- promoted this fall after more than a decade coaching at lower levels in the program -- told his new varsity players they'd finish this season at the MHSAA Finals in Battle Creek.
“I didn’t think much of it. He believed it, but we were like, ‘Are you serious?’” Nicole said. “I didn’t know how serious he was.”
Serious enough that the Eagles are one win from making his prediction come true.
Frankenmuth, by many accounts, is a basketball school when it comes to girls sports. But the Eagles are headed to the last week of the season after upsetting No. 4 North Branch in five games Thursday for a Class B Regional title at Mount Morris Junior High (25-19, 19-25, 18-25, 25-20, 15-7).
It was just one arguably unexpected result in what’s turned into a tournament full of them. Canton upset reigning Class A runner-up Farmington Hills Mercy to win its first Regional ever, and Macomb Dakota and Charlevoix also won Regionals for the first time. Tecumseh won its first since 1992, with Lake Orion and Livonia Stevenson also needing at least a few decades to recall their last Quarterfinal berth. Saginaw Valley Lutheran’s Regional championship was its first since 1983.
Thursday’s win gave Frankenmuth just its third Regional title in program history. All three have come during the last seven seasons, but the Eagles never have advanced further. And beating North Branch to get another shot made it arguably the best win in program history, adding to a season during which the Eagles (53-9-3) have set a school record for victories with four more than the previous best.
“Without a doubt, it’s the fact we have eight seniors on the team. That is the reason,” Chip DeGrace said, explaining why the program has taken such a big step this fall. “It’s (just) a coincidence my daughter is one of them. These kids came into high school as freshmen, and the combination of athletic talent, intelligence, competitiveness, and love for volleyball, you could see it.”
Granted, North Branch graduated significant contributors from last season’s Class B runner-up team. But the Broncos annually are considered a state powerhouse, with an MHSAA championship in 2009 and a Class A runner-up finish in 2007 helping boost that reputation.
Despite defeating the Broncos on Sept. 21 and eventually winning the Tri-Valley Conference East championship – the Eagles’ first league title since 2002 – Frankenmuth remained unranked and in the Broncos' shadow heading into Districts. North Branch closed the regular season by beating the Eagles at the all-division TVC Tournament, right after Frankenmuth lost senior libero Morgan Trinklein – who DeGrace called the best defensive specialist in program history – to a knee injury.
But there also was good news for the Eagles. Frankenmuth won its District, then beat No. 10 Mount Morris to open Regional play. Senior Emily Wee, an MHSAA hurdles champion, came back from an injury two-thirds of the way through the regular season and has provided reinforcement to a strong front line -- Nicole DeGrace’s 654 kills make the MHSAA record book list, as do junior Maddy Mertz’ 155 blocks. Three defensive specialists have upped their play in Trinklein's absence. And although senior Addie Loftus’ 839 assists fall a bit short of record book mention, they are all the more impressive considering the Eagles use two setters in their offense.
Thursday's victory also came near the end of a four-year string that included three coaches and the many system and position changes that come with turnover. When senior Olivia Shelton killed the final point Thursday, Nicole DeGrace said the feeling was a mix of validation and pride.
The Eagles will carry both into Tuesday’s Quarterfinal against another perennial power, Marysville, on North Branch’s home court.
“I think we’ve kinda learned it’s not as much about thinking. It’s more about just playing,” Nicole DeGrace said. “Most of the time in our huddle with my dad now, it’s ‘Stop thinking, just play.’ And when that happens, it’s crazy. It’s just awesome.”
Click for interactive brackets for all MHSAA classes.
Click for the Flint Journal story from Thursday's Frankenmuth/North Branch match.
PHOTOS
(Top) Frankenmuth celebrates its third Regional title ever after defeating North Branch in five games Thursday at Mount Morris High.
(Below) Senior Morgan Trinklein (10) injured her left knee in the final regular season match, but played a big part in the Eagles' TVC championship run.
(Photos courtesy of Frankenmuth volleyball.)
Block Party: 2025 Girls Volleyball Week 7 Report
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 8, 2025
With just more than three weeks left until the start of MHSAA District play, several teams are surging with the potential to peak when it matters most this season.
This week’s state polls voted on by the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association (MIVCA) saw four teams enter their respective top 10s across the four divisions and a new No. 1 in Division 3 as Roscommon took back the top spot it yielded with the Sept. 9 rankings.
Expect more maneuvers to come as teams finish off league championship and tournament schedules and the last of this season’s Saturday showcases.
As always, records, results and schedules below are those posted for teams on MHSAA.com. Rankings reflect the latest polls posted by MIVCA, with last week’s referenced in “Week in Review” and this week’s referenced thereafter.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Lowell d. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (25-15, 16-25, 15-9) The Red Arrows (23-7-2) – an honorable mention in Division 1 last week – finished 4-1-1 at the Jenison Tournament, losing early to Hudsonville and tying the host in two sets before finishing with three-set wins over Grand Rapids Christian and then No. 8 FHN (24-7-1).
2. Fowler d. Pewamo-Westphalia (21-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-21) The Division 4 No. 6 Eagles (18-5-1) took a major step in the Central Michigan Athletic Conference with this win over the Division 3 No. 5 Pirates (23-7-3).
3. Pewamo-Westphalia d. Plymouth Christian Academy (25-27, 25-18, 15-11) P-W headed to the Mt. Morris Tournament after suffering losses on successive days earlier in the week, but finished 5-0 on Saturday topped by this victory over No. 3 PCA (29-6-1).
4. Saginaw Swan Valley d. Frankenmuth (25-23, 28-26, 25-23) Coming off a five-set loss to Bay City John Glenn a week earlier, Swan Valley (18-9-1) stunned the Division 2 No. 10 Eagles (9-8-4) with this Tri-Valley Conference Red sweep by the leanest of margins.
5. Lake Odessa Lakewood d. Parma Western (25-23, 25-27, 25-22) Coming off six losses over its last seven matches, Lakewood (17-13-0) won a close one over Division 2 honorable mention Western (23-6-1) and also swept P-W at a home tri.
Watch List
With an eye toward November, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Hudsonville (20-6-1) The Eagles have jumped from the list of honorable mentions, moving up to No. 10 in the state rankings this week coming off a 4-1-1 run at the Jenison Tournament that included wins over then-No. 5 Jenison, now-No. 7 Lowell and Division 2 No. 3 Holland Christian. Hudsonville has played most of the best from the west side of the state, with the Lowell win avenging an early loss and a tie with Forest Hills Northern on Saturday also following an August defeat.
Utica Eisenhower (20-2-1) After reaching the Division 1 Quarterfinals last season – and winning the first set in that match before falling to Bloomfield Hills Marian – Eisenhower is building up to another potentially serious run. The Eagles have loaded the schedule, posting especially impressive wins over Lowell, Division 1 honorable mention Brighton and Division 2 No. 5 North Branch, and with losses to only Marian and Farmington Hills Mercy.
DIVISION 2
Edwardsburg (24-7-0) The Eddies have won 12 of their last 13 matches and moved up to No. 10 in the Division 2 rankings from honorable mention a week ago, coming off wins over Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, West Bloomfield and Birch Run over the weekend. Their only loss during that time was a 2-1 defeat against Division 1 honorable mention Byron Center in the championship match of BC’s tournament two weeks ago. It’s been an excellent rebound off last season’s sub-.500 finish.
Otsego (20-10-5) The Bulldogs also lost more than they won a year ago but have bounced back nicely even while taking on several of then best from the west side of the state as well. A 5-0-1 run through the Portage Northern Invitational on Sept. 20 served some notice – it included a win over Plymouth Christian Academy – and Otsego came off a 0-1-2 weekend at the Battle Creek Lakeview mini tournament (facing three Division 1 opponents) with a five-set win over Vicksburg last Thursday.
DIVISION 3
Calumet (13-9-1) The Copper Kings are again part of a strong set of Upper Peninsula contenders, coming off a run to the Regional Finals a year ago, and they’ve already shown this season what they can do downstate as well. Calumet opened with a win over current Division 3 honorable mention McBain at the Cadillac Invitational and went 3-2-1 at the Division 3-4 Showdown two weeks ago most notably defeating Division 4 No. 2 Ubly. Four of the team’s losses have come to Wisconsin opponents, and a fifth came to Division 4 No. 8 Hancock – with the rematch set for Oct. 28.
Manton (23-9-0) The Rangers are holding steady among honorable mentions in Division 3 as they’ve won nine straight matches with a 6-0 run at the Lake City Invitational over the weekend followed by a 3-1 comeback win Tuesday over No. 10 Beal City. With a little bit of help from the Aggies against top-ranked Roscommon, Manton might still have a chance at a title share in the Highland Conference – and then will almost surely see No. 4 Kingsley for the third time this fall, in District play. Two losses to the Stags are among five total defeats to opponents getting votes in state polls this week.
DIVISION 4
Adrian Lenawee Christian (16-6-2) The Cougars moved into the Division 4 top 10 three weeks ago and sit No. 5 this week after defeating Erie Mason coming off tough losses to Division 3 No. 7 Hanover-Horton and Ottawa Lake Whiteford. Lenawee Christian has a nice set of wins over Division 2 opponents including from a 4-2 run at the Eaton Rapids Tournament where the two defeats actually came to Division 4 No. 2 Ubly and No. 4 Battle Creek St. Philip. The Cougars will play next month for a potential fifth-straight District title and also have won their Regionals three of the last four seasons.
St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran (16-4-3) The Titans have played some of their toughest competition of the season over the last two weeks – losing twice to Division 2 Buchanan and once to Division 1 St. Joseph – but that’s sure to pay off once the postseason rolls around, and Michigan Lutheran also defeated Buchanan in the championship match at the Bridgman Invitational on Sept. 20. The only other loss came early to another solid Division 2 team in South Haven.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these matches and tournaments coming up:
Wednesday – Farmington Hills Mercy (15-2-0) vs. Bloomfield Hills Marian (29-2-0) at Oakland University – the Division 1 No. 3 Marlins and No. 4 Mustangs will meet for the second time this season, this time for the Catholic High School League Bishop Tournament championship.
Wednesday – Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (18-2-1) at Milan (12-4-0) – Miland joined the Division 2 honorable mentions this week and defeated honorable mention Flat Rock on Monday on the way to facing the Division 3 No. 2 Kestrels (18-2-1) in Huron League play.
Thursday – Tecumseh quad – Battle Creek Lakeview (26-5-5) and Clinton (20-3-1) are among those scheduled to play at Division 2 No. 7 Tecumseh (30-1-0).
Saturday – Beast of the East at Trinity Health Sports Center in Livonia – The lineup is loaded with four top 10-ranked teams and three honorable mentions spread across six pools.
Saturday – Karen Abbott Memorial Invitational at Hanover-Horton – The Division 3 No. 7 Comets (21-1-1) host Division 2 honorable mention Parma Western (23-6-1) among others.
PHOTO East Grand Rapids (left) and Forest Hills Northern players meet at the net during a match Sept. 23. (Photo by MI Sports Photo.)