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2 straight titles at state finals: Marquette Senior High School figure skating team captures pair of state championships 2nd time around at Detroit-area meet

Eleven members of the Marquette Senior High School figure skating team and coach Jamie Wiegold make a coordinated leap to celebrate winning several state championships at the Laura Maki High School State Championships in Rochester Hills on Sunday. (Photo courtesy Brenda Helgren)

“Sunday was an unbelieveable performance.” — Brenda Helgren, MSHS figure skating team spokeswoman, on 2nd day at state finals

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MARQUETTE — Marquette Senior High School figure skaters are on a roll, winning their second consecutive state title last weekend after not winning one since 2009.

The MSHS skaters won the Individual Events category on Saturday at the Laura Maki High School State Championships at the Onyx Ice Rink in Rochester Hills in the suburbs of Detroit.

The Redettes compiled 115 points, well ahead of the runner-up team that had 79. Thirty-two teams competed in Rochester Hills.

Members of the Marquette Senior High School figure skating team pose for this team photo at the Laura Maki High School State Championships held in Rochester Hills on Saturday and Sunday, March 25-26, 2017. From left are coach Jamie Weigold, Emily Helgren, Grace Charmley, Emily Johnson, Hailey Mankee, Kelsey Freeman, Mari Davis, Jasmine Burke, Janel Voss, Delaney Thunell, Sydney Rehmann and Faith Perala. (Photo courtesy Brenda Helgren)

Then on Sunday, Marquette also won a state title, with their B team capturing that distinction for the first time by an Upper Peninsula squad.

Figure skating isn’t an MHSAA-sanctioned sport but like several other sports at Marquette is a self-funded varsity sport.

Statewide, Michigan skaters compete in seven districts, each with six to 12 schools. Each school may have any or all in the A, B and C levels, which compete separately from each other.

Earlier in the winter, there were three initial-round competitions within the U.P. district, with the top two teams advancing to the state event.

The initial rounds are team compulsory competitions with jumps, spins and moves within each.

The state finals also add in individual competition that includes free skating, dance and artistic events.

All 12 of the Redettes are also members of the Marquette Figure Skating Club and took part in at least four other meets in Michigan and Wisconsin since Thanksgiving.

The dozen girls and other members of the MFSC have the upcoming Melody On Ice/Party Time event to be held at Northern Michigan University’s Berry Events Center at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 7, and 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 8.

While the high school team has qualified for the state finals every year since at least 2009, last year’s was their first title in that span, according to team spokeswoman Brenda Helgren.

The team was escorted when they arrived back home during the overnight hours early Monday by Marquette Fire Department and Marquette city police.

One team member is from Negaunee, Hailey Mankee, with the rest of the team being students at MSHS.

With the team clinching a state title on Saturday just like in 2016, the girls handled the excitement much better this year, according to Helgren.

“I do feel the girls being another year older handled Sunday’s pressure much better this time,” Helgren said. “Sunday was an unbelievable performance.”

The 11 members of the team that attended the state finals included Emily Helgren, Emily Johnson, Faith Perala, Jasmine Burke and Sydney Rehmann on the B team; and Mankee, Mari Davis, Janel Voss, Kelsey Freeman, Grace Charmley and Delaney Thunell on the C team.

The B team took first place in moves, second in jumps and 11th in spins for the overall win, while the C squad was fifth in moves, eighth in jumps and 12th in spins for ninth place overall.

Here are the results for the 10 skaters who participated in individual events at the state meet:

Jasmine Burke — 1st place, Pre-Juvenile Free Skate, Group B; 2nd, Pre-Silver Dance final; 3rd, Pre-Juvenile Free Skate final

Grace Charmley — 6th, Preliminary Solo Dance final; 8th, Beginner Free Skate, Group A

Mari Davis — 3rd, Pre-Preliminary Free Skate, Group C; 3rd, Pre-Preliminary Free Skate final; 6th, Pre-Juvenile Free Skate, Group B

Kelsey Freeman — 3rd, Pre-Preliminary Free Skate, Group A; 3rd, Pre-Preliminary Artistic, Group B; 5th, Pre-Preliminary Artistic final; 7th, Pre-Preliminary Free Skate final

Emily Helgren — 4th, Pre-Juvenile Free Skate, Group A; 4th, Pre-Juvenile Artistic, Group A

Emily Johnson — 4th, Bronze Solo Dance final

Hailey Mankee — 2nd, Beginner Free Skate, Group B; 3rd, Pre-Preliminary Artistic, Group A; 6th, Beginner Free Skate final; 6th, Pre-Preliminary Artistic final

Sydney Rehmann — 3rd, Pre-Juvenile Free Skate, Group B; 4th, Pre-Juvenile Free Skate final; 5th, Bronze Solo Dance final

Delaney Thunell — 4th, Beginner Free Skate, Group A

Janel Voss — 6th, Pre-Juvenile Artistic, Group A; 10th, Preliminary Free Skate, Group A

Steve Brownlee can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.

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