Standout underclassmen from Division 3/Division 4 finals

The championship contenders in Division 3 and Division 4 weren’t overly loaded with many underclassmen in Battle Creek, but there were still some young names to keep an eye on.

Here’s a look at the impact underclassmen from D3 and D4.

Division 3

Schoolcraft

Schoolcraft used a pair of sophomore outside hitters to compliment their talented middles in the Division 3 championship.

Allison Bailey and Camden Bruner each had seven swings in the final and are likely to be focal points of the offense in 2021. They also combined for eight digs, showcasing the ability to play in the front or back row.

Beaverton

The Beavers had a veteran squad get them back to Battle Creek this season, but still brought in a few underclassmen contributors.

Sophomore outside Faith Danielak had five kills against SMCC, finishing second on the team for the match.

Fellow sophomore Leiyah Mungin had a couple of kills while adding in eight digs. Both should be taking on a bigger role in the years to come.

Division 4

Battle Creek St. Philip

The Fighting Tigers were a pretty young team, but still managed to collect the state championship this season. Among the roster for finals week was four underclassmen.

Two big contributors came in the back row in freshman Rylee Altman and sophomore Kate Doyle. The two combined for 18 digs in the semifinal vs. Mesick, then had 26 digs in the championship. Doyle alone recorded 20 digs in the final. Altman would add three aces on the weekend as well.

At the net, sophomore middle Maddie Hoelscher was a force. She had seven kills and six blocks over the two matches. Her presence created problems for opposing hitters.

Freshman OPP Makenzee Grimm also saw some action. He had one kill and two digs over the two matches.

Oakland Christian

The Lancers had eight on their finals roster, including freshman Abigail Franey. She was asked to step up in finals week and did just that. The defensive specialist had four aces and 14 digs for Oakland Christian in the semifinal. She followed that up with 12 digs in the five-set championship match with St. Philip.

Carney-Nadeau

Like the Lancers, the Wolves had just one underclassmen on the roster. That was freshman OPP Samantha Kedsch. She tallied a kills and five digs in the semifinal with Oakland Christian. She is the next in line for the Kedsch family, which has made a great impact on the Carney-Nadeau program.

Mesick

Sophomore middle hitter Kelsey Quiggin was a big part of the offensive focus in the D4 semifinal with St. Philip. She was second on the team in total attacks and finished with three kills. She also had eight digs and two blocks.

Freshmen Emma Shermak and Harmony Harris also saw some time on the court. Shermak is an outside, while Harris is a setter.