Voted on by coaches at the MHSAA U.P. D-1 Finals held in Kingsford on June 1, Marquette’s Nick Olivier was named the Player of the Year and also earned a berth on the all-state singles team. Olivier captured the No. 1 singles championship at the finals as the Redmen finished a close third in the team standings.

While those were Marquette’s lone D-1 awards, Negaunee had seven players honored. The Miners missed the U.P. team title by two points to champion Escanaba. The Eskymos finished with 17 points, Negaunee 15 and Marquette 13.

Negaunee’s Luke Syrjala, runner-up to Olivier at No. 1 singles, and Gavin Saunders, the No. 2 singles champion, earned All-U.P. First Team in singles, while teammates Jace Turri and James Thomson earned the same distinction together in doubles. Turri and Thomson finished runners-up at No. 1 doubles at the finals.

NHS also had a singles player and doubles pair earned All-U.P. Honorable Mention — Tyler Lajimodiere in singles after he won the No. 3 singles title at the finals, and the duo of Gavin Downey and Bryce Storms in doubles after they were runners-up at No. 2 doubles in the finals.

Negaunee No. 2 singles player Gavin Saunders smashes a serve during the final round of the MHSAA Upper Peninsula Finals in boys tennis on June 1 at Kingsford High School. (Iron Mountain Daily News photo by Dennis Mansfield)

One U.P. duo earned all-state honors in doubles, finals No. 1 champions Isaac Maki and Dawson Williams of Escanaba.

Here are the other U.P. D-1 honorees:

First Team — singles: Gunner Dlugas, Escanaba, and Nathan Howes, Escanaba; doubles: Maki and Williams, Escanaba; and Joe Hubert and Josep Montal, Escanaba

Honorable Mention — singles: Brock Murphy, Menominee; doubles: Isaac Nash and Ben Trevillian, Kingsford

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee.

Negaunee No. 1 singles player Luke Syrjala hits a return shot during the championship match at the MHSAA Upper Peninsula Finals in boys tennis on June 1 at Kingsford High School. (Iron Mountain Daily News photo by Dennis Mansfield)