GWINN — Gwinn split a pair of volleyball matches on Tuesday and Wednesday nights but the win on the first night was good enough to clinch the Mid-Peninsula Conference regular season championship for the Modeltowners.

Gwinn 3, Ishpeming 0

At Ishpeming on Tuesday, the Modeltowners prevailed 25-22, 25-21, 25-10 to wrap up their first M-PC title since 2013.

“We are super excited to have earned this title this year and we are hoping to use the excitement to carry us through districts next week,” GHS coach Toni Roberts said.

Both teams along with Westwood will go to Negaunee for a Class C district tournament starting Tuesday.

Roberts said injuries have wreaked havoc’s with her teams consistency and intensity.

“The first two games we struggled with intensity,” she said. “The difference for the third set for us was energy and talking. We finally started moving as a team and getting into our normal groove.”

She also credited the Hematites for being much improved from the first time Gwinn played them, pointing out Ishpeming’s good servers.

Brooke Mannor and Tierra Taylor were cited by Roberts for their play. Mannor had eight kills and four digs while Taylor added six kills, seven digs and two solo blocks.

Teammate Brenna Bruce added five kills, 12 set assists, seven digs and two service aces, while Trisha McGuire had three kills, 12 assists, 10 digs and two aces; and Heidi Eden added in 21 digs, a kill and an ace.

Westwood 3, Gwinn 0

At Gwinn on Wednesday, the Modeltowners suffered a blow when McGuire went out with a concussion during warmups when she took an Ishpeming practice ball to the head.

Sydney St. Clair stepped up to take her place on Senior Night for Gwinn.

“I am proud of my team for doing the best they could in a rotation we have never been in,” Roberts said.

The Patriots won the match in three straight sets, 25-12, 25-20, 25-21.

Patriots coach Heather Salmi was of course pleased with pulling off the upset of Gwinn, which finished 12-2 overall and 10-2 in the M-PC.

“We came out ready to play and our intensity was great,” Salmi said. “There were several hard hit ball from Gwinn that we dug up and got back over.

“It was exciting to see a team that has worked so hard over the past two years to come out and beat one of the top teams in our conference.”

Pacing Westwood was Elizabeth Farley with 19 kills, 19 digs, two blocks and an ace. Teammate Sarah Rautio added in 12 assists, 16 digs and three aces, while Kaitlin Ackland had 20 digs.

In addition for the Patriots, Aidan Reath had 13 digs and an ace, Katie Wiljanen five kills and five digs, Alina Jones 12 digs and a kill and Aliya Leach 20 digs and two aces.

For Gwinn, Mannor led the offense with eight kills and added 16 digs and two blocks; Taylor had six kills, three aces and two digs; St. Clair had 17 digs, a block, a kill and an ace; and Bruce made four kills, 19 assists and two digs.

Superior Central 3, Rapid River 2

At Eben on Wednesday, Emma Rondeau had a big night for the Cougars as she served for 18 points with service aces while chalking up 27 kills and 11 digs in SC’s 22-25, 27-25, 23-25, 25-17, 15-13 Skyline Central Conference victory.

“Emma was on fire,” Cougars’ coach Kris Bray said. “She was not giving them anything. It was a very back-and-forth match. It was a matter of who could keep the momentum the longest.”

Teammate Mollie Lancour served the final three points that helped SC overcome a 13-12 deficit in the fifth set.

Lancour finished with 11 kills, three aces and seven blocks, while Sydney Emard added 10 kills and four blocks and Taylor Silta collected 38 assists.

“We were struggling a little with our passing, but we made a few adjustments and our setter was able to get to the ball,” Bray said. “We were super, super aggressive at the net. There were some long volleys.”

Emard was SC’s defensive leader with 12 digs.

“We gave them all kinds of freeballs in the first set,” Bray said. “It wasn’t really until the last two sets when we were on fire. The fourth set was kind of a turning point, but then they got ahead of us in the fifth set.”

The Cougars, who won the JV match 25-16, 25-22, host Munising tonight.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee with contributions from the Escanaba Daily Press. Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.