Starting 5’s worth of honorees: Quintet of Sentinels girls earn 6 GNC basketball awards
Marquette’s Avery Osborne concentrates on holding onto the ball while double teamed in the Sentinels’ MHSAA Division 1 girls basketball district tournament championship game played against Traverse City Central at the MSHS gym on March 6. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Marquette's Avery Osborne, left, cuts to the basket while defended by Sault Ste. Marie’s Piper Bell during their high school girls basketball game played at Northern Michigan University’s Vandament Arena in Marquette on Feb. 17. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Lexi Curran, center, reaches high to put this jump shot up in the third quarter over Sault Ste. Marie defenders Piper Bell, left, and Talyah Pace during their high school girls basketball game played at Northern Michigan University’s Vandament Arena in Marquette on Feb. 17. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Marquette’s Avery Osborne concentrates on holding onto the ball while double teamed in the Sentinels’ MHSAA Division 1 girls basketball district tournament championship game played against Traverse City Central at the MSHS gym on March 6. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Marquette's Avery Osborne, left, cuts to the basket while defended by Sault Ste. Marie’s Piper Bell during their high school girls basketball game played at Northern Michigan University’s Vandament Arena in Marquette on Feb. 17. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Lexi Curran, center, reaches high to put this jump shot up in the third quarter over Sault Ste. Marie defenders Piper Bell, left, and Talyah Pace during their high school girls basketball game played at Northern Michigan University’s Vandament Arena in Marquette on Feb. 17. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
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MARQUETTE -- A starting five's worth of players earned a total of six awards on the girls basketball team at Marquette Senior High School when the Great Northern Conference determined its awards recently.
Though just a freshman, the Sentinels' Avery Osborne earned the highest honor on her team, a First Team all-conference selection.
She was one of just two freshman to win any kind of league honor, the other being Menominee's Reese Linsemeier making the Second Team.
But it was one of Osborne's senior teammates, Lexi Curran, who actually won two awards.
Curran not only was named to the GNC All-Defensive Team, but also earned a berth on the Second Team all-conference.
Curran was joined on the Second Team by Marquette junior Addi Kramer, while senior teammates Kylie Smith and Hayley Taylor made the honorable mention list.
The Sentinels finished the season with a modest 8-15 overall record, but worked their way to winning its always tough MHSAA Division 1 district tournament, tagging losses on Traverse City West and TC Central in that event. Marquette didn't bow out until it took a loss to Midland in the D-1 regionals.
MSHS also compiled a 2-5 GNC record for fourth place in the league.
Gladstone won the league with a perfect 8-0 GNC record and finished 19-5 overall, while Kingsford was crowned JV champion with a 6-1 conference mark.
The league champion Braves swept all three special awards -- senior Lillie Johnson won both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, while her coach Andy Cretens was voted as Coach of the Year.
Here are the other GNC honors, listed with year and school:
First Team -- Eva Pankonien, jr., Gladstone; Alyvia Kowalski, jr., Kingsford; Lexi Marineau, sr., Menominee; Aubrie Moore, soph., Kingsford
Second Team -- Gianna Coduti, sr., Menominee; Reese Linsmeier, fresh., Menominee; Cassie Olson, sr., Kingsford
Defensive Team -- Addy Blowers, sr., Gladstone; Alyvia Kowalski, jr., Kingsford; Richele Milostan, sr., Menominee; Cassie Olson, sr., Kingsford
Special mention -- Addy Blowers, sr., Gladstone; Landry Bray, sr., Escanaba
Honorable mention -- Ella Barker, sr., Menominee; Avery Edwards, soph., Kingsford; Ryann Milostan, soph., Menominee; Susie Moberg, sr., Escanaba; Adele Ostlund, jr., Gladstone; Malia Quigley, soph., Gladstone
Story contents based on email received from Marinette, Wis., EagleHerald. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.