Marquette’s Lucy Stern, left, hits a shot to Negaunee’s Lily Saunders during a No. 2 singles match at the MHSAA Upper Peninsula Division 1 Finals in girls tennis held in Marquette on Oct. 4, 2023. (Photo courtesy Steve Lindberg)

ISHPEMING — Negaunee, Westwood and Marquette shared in some of the biggest honors made when the MHSAA Division 1 All-Upper Peninsula girls tennis awards were chosen after the U.P. Division 1 finals held at Westwood High School on Oct. 1.

The awards were announced about a week after the finals were held and voted on by the participating coaches at the finals.

Negaunee edged out Westwood by a single point, 19-18, for the U.P. Finals title as the Miners reached all eight championship matches even as the Patriots won four titles to Negaunee’s three. Marquette was third with six points.

Marquette Senior High School head coach Karl Thomsen was chosen as the Coach of the Year while three Negaunee players each earned All-State awards in the MHSAA overall Division 2 — Miners singles player Liliana Saunders and the Negaunee doubles tandem of Clare O’Donnell and Nicole Kerkela.

In addition, a number of Patriots and Miners were named to the Division 1 All-U.P. First Team.

In singles, they were Saunders and her Negaunee teammate Rheana Nelson, and for Westwood were Samantha Ruby and Morgan Schneider.

In doubles, duos were chosen together. They include O’Donnell and Kerkela and Miners’ teammates Sadie Rogers and Olivia Richards. From Westwood was Kaylin Doney and Niila Nurmi.

And Westwood and Marquette had more honorees named Division 1 All-U.P. Honorable Mention.

In singles, there was Lyn Magnuson of Westwood, while in doubles, honored were Eva Kentala and Lola Rink of Marquette and Makenna Olson and Ella Stacy of Westwood.

Kingsford singles player Aubrie Moore was named Division 1 All-U.P. Player of the Year along with MHSAA All-State Division 2, while the U.P.’s other All-State D-2 honor, in doubles, was bestowed on Aubrey Elliot and Brooklyn Hackleman of Escanaba.

Here are the other All-U.P. honors:

First Team — Singles: Aubrie Moore, Kingsford; Anna Martin, Escanaba; Maddy Sleik, Kingsford; and Elena Murphy, Menominee. Doubles: Aubrey Elliot and Brooklyn Hackleman, Escanaba

Honorable Mention — Singles: Delaney Wagner, Menominee. Doubles: Aubrey Bellmore and Kylee Woodward, Kingsford; Alaysa Bacon and Mira Johnson, Kingsford; Sophie Hill and Isabella Noblet, Escanaba; Ella Barker and Bianca Kurtz, Menominee; and Brianna Ary and Emily Schuettpelz, Menominee

Story contents based on email received from Westwood High School athletic director Bobby Zhulkie. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.