Teams to be proud of
Marquette, Negaunee win Team of the Year voting
MARQUETTE — Two Marquette County boys basketball teams, Marquette and Negaunee, were recognized for their impressive seasons Wednesday at the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association meeting.
Marquette earned the Class A-B Team of the Year award after losing it to Menominee last year when it snapped a three-year streak for winning that award.
The Redmen finished with a 20-2 record, won the Great Northern Conference title and was voted the No. 1 Class A-B-C team in the final UPSSA poll of the regular season.
Marquette was led by All-U.P. Class A-B-C Second Team member Alex DuVall as well as Special Mention honorees Joe Ostrowsky and Garrett Finkbeiner and honorable mention player Ian Ogea.
Ostrowsky was an All-GNC First Teamer, while Finkbeiner was on the Second Team and Ogea was GNC Defensive Player of the Year.
Negaunee, on the other hand, repeated as Class C Team of the Year and made it to the MHSAA quarterfinals just a few weeks ago. The Miners (20-5), who have won the award six of the last seven years, finished 10-2 in the Mid-Peninsula Conference this season.
Negaunee was led by All-U.P. Dream Teamers and Associated Press all-state representatives Trent Bell and Dre Tuominen.
Not surprisingly, North Central parlayed its third straight Class D state championship into the Class D Team of the Year award.
The Jets are currently on the nation’s longest winning streak, 83 games, and were led by Dream Teamers and all-staters Jason Whitens and Dawson Bilski.
Ryan Stieg can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. His email address is rstieg@miningjournal.net.