All different levels: Basketball, hockey playoffs for Northern Michigan University, high schools in full force this week
Sean O'Connor, center, and his Marquette teammates celebrate their regional championship by holding the trophy up to the Redmen student fan section at the conclusion of the MHSAA Division 2 regional final played against Escanaba at Lakeview Arena in Marquette on Thursday. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)
MARQUETTE — A second straight week of high school winter sports tournaments in this first full week of March will be accompanied by tournaments going on at Northern Michigan University, too.
High school girls basketball teams step up for their district tournaments this week, while three area boys hoops teams who won district titles Friday advance to regional play.
And the Marquette Senior High School hockey team is already within three victories of a state title with a quarterfinal game scheduled in Gaylord on Tuesday.
The Wildcats’ women’s basketball team will host a GLIAC Tournament first-round quarterfinal game at 6 p.m. Tuesday against Ferris State.
The NMU women earned the game by finishing in the top four — in fact, fourth place — as Ferris was fifth. But at 15-5, Northern finished four games ahead of the Bulldogs, the next team in the league’s overall standings.
Negaunee's Chloe Norman, front left, works the ball away from the diving effort of Gwinn's Brooke Mannor in the first quarter of their high school girls basketball game played at Lakeview Memorial Gym in Negaunee on Saturday. Negaunee's Emilia Palomaki, back left, looks on. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)
A win there puts them in the league semifinals and finals this weekend, which will be hosted by the top remaining seed. Technically, that could be NMU, but only if No. 1 Grand Valley State, No. 2 Ashland and No. 3 Michigan Tech all are upset at home on Tuesday.
The men’s team is in a somewhat similar position, except they and Ferris State switch seeds to put their quarterfinal game in Big Rapids. No. 5 NMU (11-9) plays at No. 4 Ferris (12-8) at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Again, a win gets the Northern men to the semifinal and final rounds at the top remaining seed. And again, it could be at NMU if No. 1 Davenport, No. 2 Ashland and No. 3 Wisconsin-Parkside all lose at home on Tuesday.
The Wildcats hockey team locked up the No. 2 position in the WCHA over the weekend, guaranteeing them two rounds at home as long as they keep winning.
The first round of a best-of-three series starts Friday, with a game Saturday, and if necessary Sunday, at the Berry Events Center with Alaska-Fairbanks coming to town.
High school girls basketball begins district play tonight with 10 of the area’s 12 schools in action.
Marquette will play downstate in Division 1, while Westwood and Ishpeming entertain Negaunee and Manistique in a Division 3 district hosted by Gwinn.
Five more area teams are spread among three Division 4 districts tonight. Munising and Superior Central play each other in Rapid River, Republic-Michigamme is on the road in a North Dickinson-hosted district, and Baraga and L’Anse have separate opponents in a Chassell-hosted district.
In boys basketball regional semifinals to be played Tuesday, Marquette is in Division 1 at Gaylord, Negaunee in Division 2 at Marquette and Munising in Division 3 at Negaunee.
The Marquette hockey team plays in a Division 2 quarterfinal against Petoskey, also in Gaylord on Tuesday.
That leaves just two girls basketball teams who won’t get started until Wednesday with their postseasons — Gwinn at its own Division 3 district and Newberry at a district hosted by Engadine.
Boys basketball regional finals are set for Thursday, hockey semifinals are Thursday evening and girls basketball district finals will be Friday. The state hockey championship game in Division 2 is scheduled in Plymouth for 10 a.m. Saturday.
Here is this week’s schedule:
—————-
Today
GIRLS BASKETBALL DISTRICTS
Division 1, hosted by Traverse City Central (nontraditional) — Marquette at Alpena, 6 p.m.; Traverse City West at Gaylord, 7 p.m.
Division 3, hosted by Gwinn (nontraditional) — Negaunee at Westwood, 7 p.m.; Manistique at Ishpeming, 7 p.m.
Division 4, at Rapid River — Munising vs. Superior Central, 7 p.m.
Division 4, hosted by North Dickinson (nontraditional) — Republic-Michigamme at North Central, 7 p.m. EST; Carney-Nadeau at Forest Park, 7 p.m. EST
Division 4, hosted by Chassell (nontraditional) — Lake Linden-Hubbell at Baraga, 7 p.m.; L’Anse at Chassell, 7 p.m.
Division 4, at Engadine — Rudyard vs. Engadine, 6 p.m.
—————-
Tuesday
BOYS BASKETBALL REGIONALS
Division 1 semifinals — Marquette vs. Midland, at Gaylord, 7 p.m.; Saginaw vs. Grand Blanc, at Flushing, 6 p.m.
Division 3 semifinals — Negaunee vs. Iron Mountain, at Marquette, 6 p.m.; Charlevoix vs. Traverse City St. Francis, at East Jordan, 6:30 p.m.
Division 4 semifinals, at Negaunee — Munising vs. Dollar Bay, 6 p.m.; Forest Park vs. Bessemer, 8 p.m.
HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY
Division 2 quarterfinals, at Gaylord — Marquette vs. Petoskey, 7 p.m.
GLIAC BASKETBALL
Ferris State at NMU, women’s tournament quarterfinals, Berry Events Center, 6 p.m.
NMU at Ferris State, men’s tournament quarterfinals, Big Rapids, 7 p.m.
—————–
Wednesday
GIRLS BASKETBALL DISTRICTS
Division 1 (TC Central host) — Marquette-Alpena winner at TC Central, 6 p.m. (tentative); Petoskey at Gaylord-TC West winner, 7 p.m.
Division 3 (Gwinn host) — Ishpeming-Manistique winner at Gwinn, 7 p.m.; Bark River-Harris at Negaunee-Westwood winner, 7 p.m.
Division 4 (Rapid River host) — Mid Peninsula vs. Big Bay de Noc, 6 p.m.; Munising-SC winner vs. Rapid River, 7:30 p.m.
Division 4 (North Dickinson host) — R-M-North Central winner at North Dickinson, 7 p.m. EST; Stephenson at C-N-FP winner, 7 p.m. EST (tentative)
Division 4 (Chassell host) — Hancock at Baraga-LL-H winner, 7 p.m.; Dollar Bay at L’Anse-Chassell winner, 7 p.m.
Division 4 Engadine host) — Newberry vs. Ojibwe Charter, 6 p.m.; Brimley vs. Rudyard-Engadine winner, 7:30 p.m.
——————
Thursday
BOYS BASKETBALL REGIONALS
Division 1 championship, at Mount Pleasant — Marquette-Midland winner vs. Saginaw-Grand Blanc winner, 6 p.m.
Division 3 championship, at Sault Ste. Marie — Negaunee-IM winner vs. Charlevoix-TC St. Francis winner, 7 p.m.
Division 4 championship, at Negaunee — Munising-DB winner vs. FP-Bessemer winner, 7 p.m.
HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY
Division 2 semifinals, at Plymouth — Marquette-Petoskey winner vs. Livonia Stevenson-Trenton winner, 7:30 p.m.
———————-
Friday
GIRLS BASKETBALL DISTRICTS
Division 1 (TC Central host) — championship, at Marquette, Alpena or TC Central, 6 p.m.
Division 3 (Gwinn host) — championship, at Gwinn, Ishpeming or Manistique, 7 p.m.
Division 4 (Rapid River host) — championship, at Rapid River, 7 p.m.
Division 4 (North Dickinson host) — championship, at R-M, NC or ND, 7 p.m. EST (tentative)
Division 4 (Chassell host) — championship, at L’Anse, DB or Chassell, 7 p.m.
Division 4 (Engadine host) — championship, at Engadine, 7 p.m.
WCHA PLAYOFFS
Quarterfinals, best-of-3, Game 1 — Alaska-Fairbanks at NMU, 7:07 p.m., Berry Events Center
———————-
Saturday
HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY
Division 2 state championship, at Plymouth: teams TBA, 10 a.m.
GLIAC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS
Women’s tournament semifinals, at site of highest remaining seed — TBA
Men’s tournament semifinals, at site of highest remaining seed — TBA
WCHA PLAYOFFS
Quarterfinals, best-of-3, Game 2 — Alaska-Fairbanks at NMU, 7:07 p.m., Berry Events Center
———————–
Sunday
GLIAC BASKETBALL
-
- Sean O’Connor, center, and his Marquette teammates celebrate their regional championship by holding the trophy up to the Redmen student fan section at the conclusion of the MHSAA Division 2 regional final played against Escanaba at Lakeview Arena in Marquette on Thursday. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)
-
- Negaunee’s Chloe Norman, front left, works the ball away from the diving effort of Gwinn’s Brooke Mannor in the first quarter of their high school girls basketball game played at Lakeview Memorial Gym in Negaunee on Saturday. Negaunee’s Emilia Palomaki, back left, looks on. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)
Women’s tournament championship, at site of highest remaining seed — TBA
Men’s tournament championship, at site of highest remaining seed — TBA
WCHA PLAYOFFS
Quarterfinals, best-of-3, Game 3 (if necessary) — Alaska-Fairbanks at NMU, 7:07 p.m., Berry Events Center
Steve Brownlee can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.
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