Ishpeming’s Mya Hemmer, left, soars to the top of the net for a huge kill over Iron Mountain defender Lucy Baumgartner, right, during their Mid-Peninsula Confernece and West PAC match played at the Mountaineers’ gym in Iron Mountain on Sept. 4. (Photo courtesy Terry Raiche)

IRONWOOD — Negaunee and Ishpeming held their positions — for the most part — while Manistique and Munising exited the top five those listings down to just two area teams in this week’s Upper Peninsula high school volleyball rankings released by the U.P. Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.

With two full weeks remaining in the regular season, Negaunee (15-5-2) slipped a half-cog in the Division 1-3 rankings, from third place alone to a tie for that spot with Houghton (8-6). Each had eight voting points.

The Miners posted a pair of victories last week, defeating Manistique in four sets and West Iron County in three sets, though a four-set loss at No. 2 Calumet on Tuesday isn’t reflected in these rankings.

Likely due to the loss to Negaunee, Manistique (10-7-3) moved out of the D 1-3 poll after being No. 5 a week earlier. The Emeralds might have a chance to re-enter after posting a five-set win at Gwinn on Tuesday.

Kingsford (15-0) continues to be a unanimous No. 1 in D 1-3, getting all three first-place votes and 15 polling points.

Calumet (14-9-1) kept its No. 2 position with 11 votes and will probably strengthen it after the win over Negaunee this week.

Houghton snapped a four-match losing streak by taking down Jeffers in five sets on Monday, which voters were able to take into account this week.

And replacing Manistique at No. 5 was Jeffers (10-7), which while taking the loss to Houghton also defeated Ewen-Trout Creek and Lake Linden-Hubbell last week, each in four sets.

In Division 4, Ishpeming (15-4-2) kept firm control of the No. 3 spot with nine voting points after beating Westwood in three sets last week. Not even included was a similar three-set sweep of West Iron County on Tuesday.

Munising (13-6-1), which had been part of a three-way tie for fifth last week, dropped into the “others receiving votes” by just one polling point with two, despite sweeping North Central both last week and again on Monday.

Forest Park (29-1) claimed the top spot in D-4 once again unanimously, getting all three first-place votes and 15 polling points.

Hancock (20-3-2) held onto No. 2 with 12 points after winning all its matches at the Marquette Sentinels Invitational last weekend and also downing Westwood on Tuesday.

After Ishpeming came Lake Linden-Hubbell (20-4) holding at fourth with four points after beating L’Anse in three sets and losing to Jeffers in four sets last week.

Replacing the three-headed monster at No. 5 was one of the teams that was part of the tie, Wakefield-Marenisco (16-7), with three voting points. W-M posted a dual victory over Dollar Bay on Monday.

Story contents based on email received from U.P. Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.