Weekend Recap: Which teams opened the season with tournament titles?

It was a big opening weekend of the 2019 MHSAA volleyball season, as it seemed nearly every team was in action. Here’s a look at some results from around the state and which players led their teams to a championship. <a href="http://bit.ly/31ZMmRP">RELATED: Mercy tops Saline to win Lake Orion Tournament</a> Grand Rapids Christian impresses Grand Rapids Christian continued where it left off from the 2018 season by not dropping a set in Saturday’s Portage Central Tournament. The Eagles swept the likes of Niles, Marshall, Rockford, Portage Central and Bedford on the day. Addie VanderWeide led GRC with 33 kills while Ayva Kooistra had 21. Jordyn Gates (Arkansas) had 96 assists, eight aces and 14 kills as well. Lowell wins Lakeshore Classic Lowell was a team we told you to watch out for in the state picture this year and the Red Arrows showed why this weekend by winning the Lakeshore Classic in Grand Haven on Saturday with a 6-0 record. Lowell bested East Kentwood, Grandville, Novi, Byron Center, Hudsonville and the host Grand Haven on the day. The Arrows dropped just one set, which came against Novi. Jenna Reitsma led Lowell in the championship run. Marian gets past Stoney Creek The Marian volleyball team is another to watch out in Division 1 this season. The Mustangs are young, but talented and hoping to give Mercy all it can handle in the CHSL and D1 race this year. Marian made a nice statement to open the season by winning the Dakota Invitational. The Mustangs got past South Lyon East, Fraser, Anchor Bay, Walled Lake Central and Utica before topping a solid Stoney Creek squad in the final, 25-22, 25-18. Walled Lake Central was the only team to put a dent in Marian on Saturday, taking one set from the Mustangs, 25-22. St. Philip takes Carrie Adams Memorial In a tournament featuring some of the best Division 3 and Division 4 programs in the state, Battle Creek St. Philip won the Carrie Adams Memorial Tournament on Saturday. The Fighting Tigers took down Centreville in the final in three sets, 25-18, 21-25, 15-10. Abby Austin led the way for St. Philip with 131 assists and 27 kills while Brooke Dzwik added 47 kills. The runner-up finish was a great showing for Centreville as well, as it finished ahead of Leland (3rd) and Bronson (4th). Leland was the D4 runner-up in 2018 while Bronson has won four consecutive state championships in Class C/Division 3. Joanna Larson posted 55 kills, 26 digs and eight blocks to lead Centreville while Kenleigh West-Wing had 16 aces and 42 assists. Regina goes national The Regina volleyball team got national recognition this weekend as the Saddelites won the Warren Woods Tower Tournament and earned the No. 3 play on ESPN Sportscenter’s Top 10 plays of the day, as Jenna O’Brien made an incredible dig to keep a point alive (<a href="https://x.com/RHSwarren/status/1165446227225448448">video here</a>) and the Saddelites then wrapped up the match. Regina was 5-0 on the day with wins over Utica Ford (twice), New Haven, Lake Shore and Woods Tower. O’Brien had a great day. Along with the highlight, she recorded 53 kills, 14 aces and 32 digs. DeWitt rolls DeWitt cruised to the championship in the Mt. Morris Invite on Saturday, going 6-0 without dropping a set or allowing an opponent to get to 20 points. The Panthers defeated Montrose, Bay City Western, Kearsley, Dundee, Potterville and Chelsea. Megan Pozsgai had 31 kills and eight blocks to lead the team while Cassie Sustrich added 101 assists with 12 aces. Notre Dame still in the mix The Notre Dame Prep volleyball graduated three key seniors and a lot of talent in 2018, but the Irish started 2019 off strong by winning the Linden Tournament on Saturday. The Irish picked up wins over Pinckney, Milan, Stevenson (twice), Lake Fenton and Davison. NDP graduated Miss Volleyball winner Madeline Chinn and Miss Volleyball finalist Natalie Risi on the outsides, but they have promising sophomore Alyssa Borellis to lead the offense while junior Olivia Kowalkowski and sophomore Josie Bloom make a strong back row. Other winners <ul> <li>Flat Rock went 6-0 in Saturday’s Hatchet Invitational in Bad Axe. The Lady Rams defeated Westland John Glenn in the championship.</li> <li>West Bloomfield put up a 6-0 record in its own invitational on Saturday, topping South Lyon in three sets to win the championship.</li> <li>St. Mary’s Catholic Central, a 2018 D3 semifinalist, opened its season by winning Saturday’s Clinton Invitational.</li> <li>Stockbridge came out as winners of the Olivet Invitational on Saturday, besting Springport in the final.</li> <li>Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest took a competitive Oakland Christian Invitational on Saturday, besting the host Lancers in the final in three sets, 16-25, 25-19, 15-11.</li> <li>Maple Valley was the champion in Saturday’s WMVOA Officials For Kids Tournament. The Lions defeated Lansing Christian in the final with a pair of 25-13 set victories.</li> </ul> NOTE: Keep in touch with Prep Dig with your results from the season. You can tag us on Twitter @PrepDigMI, or email <a href="mailto:drewaellis1982@gmail.com">drewaellis1982@gmail.com</a> with your results and stats. We want to hear from you!!!