×

Baraga, L’Anse go Elite: Vikings’ Rylie Koskinen, Purple Hornets’ Maija Rice earn top area honors in Copper Mountain Conference girls basketball

Baraga’s Rylie Koskinen, left center, defends Munising’s Kaila Cotey in their MHSAA Division 4 regional tournament semifinal game played March 11, 2019, in Kingsford. (Iron Mountain Daily News photo)

LAKE LINDEN — Two Baraga County juniors led the way among nine girls basketball players from Baraga, L’Anse and Republic-Michigamme high schools honored by the Copper Mountain Conference at the end of their recent seasons.

Making the Elite Team were Baraga junior Rylie Koskinen and L’Anse junior Maija Rice. The pair were later recognized on the Division 4 Second Team in All-Upper Peninsula voting released about a week ago.

The duo also made their respective divisional First Teams, Koskinen in the Copper Country Division and Rice in the Porcupine Mountain Division.

This school year, L’Anse joined the league, which itself formed several years ago after combining the Copper Country and Porcupine Mountain conferences.

Also making the CC Division First Team were Vikings juniors Jaylyne Lindemann and Allison Durant, while Baraga sophomore Reid Osterman and freshman Corina Jahfetson made the CC Division Second Team. For All-U.P., Lindemann was Division 4 Second Team, while Durant and Osterman made honorable mention.

L’Anse’s Maija Rice, front, goes up for a shot as Calumet’s Brea Johnson defends in game played during the 2017-18 season in Calumet. (Houghton Daily Mining Gazette photo)

Joining Rice on the PM Division First Team was Purple Hornets senior Kailyn Voskuhl, while L’Anse senior Addison Mattson made the Second Team. Each of those players was an All-U.P. D-4 honorable mention.

Republic-Michigamme landed junior Allie Radcliffe on the Copper Country Division honorable mention list.

After finishing with an unblemished record in league competiton this season, Ewen-Trout Creek swept the three major awards — junior Elise Besonen was named Most Valuable Player, senior Paige Berglund as Defensive Player of the Year and Jacky Besonen as Coach of the Year.

Besonen was also an All-U.P. Dream Team honoree.

——————–

Here are the balance of league awards, with year and school:

Elite Team — Paige Sleeman, soph., Chassell; Makenna Uotila, fresh., Ontonagon; Carlee Yon, jr., Wakefield-Marenisco

Copper Country Division First Team — Sleeman, Chassell; Brenna Hill, sr., Jeffers; Miranda Heinonen, jr., Jeffers

Porcupine Mountain Division First Team — Besonen, E-TC; Berglund, E-TC; Uotila, Ontonagon; Yon, W-M

CC Second Team — Maelene Warren, jr., Chassell; Jamie Hendrickson, sr., Lake Linden-Hubbell; Ashlea Datto, fresh., Dollar Bay

PM Second Team — Abbie LeGault, jr., E-TC; Teddy Menigoz, jr., Ontonagon; Annabelle Besonen, fresh., Watersmeet; Ella Menigoz, jr., Ontonagon

Honorable mention

— Alia Palosaari, Chassell; Kate Borseth, fresh., E-TC; Nicole Lukkari, jr., Ontonagon; Hailey Pallin, sr., Watersmeet

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today