Negaunee’s Gretel Johnson, top center, goes high to make an attempted spike during a high school volleyball match played at Escanaba on Tuesday evening. (Escanaba Daily Press photo by Adam Hinch)

MARQUETTE — With high school volleyball in Michigan moving to district tournaments this week, the final Upper Peninsula poll of the season was released on Tuesday.

Very little changed for this final poll conducted by the U.P. Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association as five area teams opened MHSAA tournament play on Monday evening. That group was Marquette in Division 1, Westwood in Division 3, and Superior Central, Baraga and L’Anse in Division 4.

Everybody took Tuesday night off before Monday’s winners join everyone else playing in district semifinals tonight across all four divisions.

Championship matches for area teams are mostly on Thursday, with a pair of them on Friday.

In the final poll, the only change was Escanaba (16-11-1) entering the Divisions 1-3 rankings at No. 5, replacing Manistique (16-11-3), which lost to Brimley in four sets and the Eskymos in five sets last week.

The Emeralds open Division 3 district play by hosting Menominee tonight, with the district title match on Thursday.

Otherwise, Calumet in D 1-3 and Forest Park in Division 4 still lead.

The Copper Kings (21-10-1) earned two of the three first-place votes, with No. 2 Kingsford (20-2) getting the other top ballot as Calumet also has a narrow 14-13 edge in voting points.

Negaunee (18-9-4) remained No. 3 in Divisions 1-3 after falling in five sets at home against Gladstone last week.

The Miners open Division 2 district play at home on Wednesday against Gladstone or Escanaba, with its district final on Thursday.

Houghton (10-7) stayed at No. 4 in D 1-3.

In Division 4, Forest Park (37-1) remained as a unanimous No. 1 with all three first-place votes and a perfect 15 voting points.

Hancock (24-4-2) stayed at No. 2, with Ishpeming (20-5-2) staying third.

The Hematites knocked off Gwinn in three sets last week, then starts Division 4 district play at home tonight against Superior Central or Big Bay de Noc, with the district final on Thursday.

Wakefield-Marenisco (19-7) continued to be No. 4 in D4, with Lake Linden-Hubbell (24-5) fifth.

Munising (18-6-1) was still just outside the top five with one voting point despite winning twice on the road last week, beating Norway in five sets and SC in three sets.

The Mustangs open the Division 4 district, the same one Ishpeming is in, tonight at home against Rapid River, then could play in the final Thursday.

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