Negaunee's Ella Mason, right, attempts a layup while guarded by Ishpeming's Jenessa Eagle in the first quarter at Lakeview Memorial Gymnasium in Negaunee on Jan. 12. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)

ANN ARBOR — Vanessa Rodriguez makes everyone who doubts her pay.

The 5-foot-5 Rodriguez isn’t the most imposing player on the basketball court when she’s just standing, but that changes once the game starts.

And by the time opposing players realize the Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard sophomore guard plays much taller than her stature, it’s far too late.

Though she isn’t the biggest player, Rodriguez rose to the occasion this season to lead FGR on a historic run that led to her earning Division 2 Michigan Associated Press girls basketball Player of the Year honors.

“I take that to heart,” Rodriguez said. “A bunch of people underestimate me because of my size and that motivates me even more to work harder than the rest of the people on the court.”

An Upper Peninsula player joined Rodriguez on the Division 2 All-State team, Negaunee senior Ella Mason. One other U.P. player made the Second Team, Escanaba senior Keira Maki.

Mason broke the Miners’ program record for points, bypassing the old mark of 1,325 on March 6 that had been held by Maryellen Poutanen and set in 1999.

This season, Mason averaged 19.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.3 steals while making 88% of her free throws as Negaunee went 26-2 and reached the D-2 semifinals at Michigan State University before bowing out to eventual state champion Detroit Edison, 63-47, on March 22.

The Miners’ only loss before that came to Division 4 state champion and next-door neighbor Ishpeming, and likewise, Negaunee gave the Hematites their only loss all season as they split their pair of West PAC/Mid-Peninsula Conference games, winning on each other’s floor.

“(Mason) was the best player on the best team in the U.P.,” her coach, Mike O’Donnell said. “She was literally face-guarded the whole tournament run along with many times during the regular season.”

Rodriguez was fueled by a desire to prove herself, upping her production as a sophomore to take home Player of the Year recognition one year after earning first team All-State honors as a freshman.

The underclassman averaged 13 points, four rebounds, three steals and three assists per game to help lead the Fighting Irish to a 28-1 record and a state runner-up finish in 2024.

“It’s obviously a great honor and I’m very proud and grateful to be named Player of the Year,” Rodriguez said. “But I think this season wouldn’t have been what it was without my great teammates and coaches.”

Rodriguez is known for what she can do with the ball in her hands. She’s a prolific shooter and gets to the basket at will, though it was a focus on her defense that allowed her to take a step forward this season.

“I can score at any given time,” Rodriguez said. “I had to improve my defense from last year to this year and I definitely think that’s something that improved.”

Even FGR coach Tim Cain saw a change in Rodriguez’s attention to detail on the defensive end of the floor.

“If you really want to look at the difference, it was her defense,” Cain said. “Every big game, she could be guarding a Division I guard. She would just get inside those players and absolutely frustrate them, which is why she had so many steals. Offensively, she’s dynamic but she’s a better defender.”

Rodriguez didn’t let the limitations of her size hold her back from achieving POY honors this season and Cain believes there will be more accolades in the future for the star guard.

“She’s just going to get better and better,” Cain said. “There’s no ceiling with the way she works. She can keep going and going. I’m just excited I get to coach her for the next two years.”

The rest of the all-state team includes Frankenmuth’s Mia McLaughlin, Chelsea’s Leila Wells, Paw Paw’s AJ Rickli, Freeland’s Karie Keefer, Ortonville Brandon’s Riley Abney, Lansing Catholic’s Anna Richards, Tecumseh’s Alli Zajac and Detroit Edison’s Isis Johnson Musah.

The Coach of the Year is Tecumseh’s Kristy Zajac.

Some information for this story was contributed by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.