MTU Hockey Rips U-M – Saturday Sports Wrap

Click on the highlighted scores for full stories.

High School Volleyball
Lake Linden-Hubbell’s Sarah Audette has been named the Mountain Lakes Conference Volleyball Most Valuable Player. Audette led the Lakes to an unbeaten conference record (10-0), and the conference title. Dollar Bay-Tamarack City coach Emily Viola was named Coach of the Year. The Bays finished second (6-4) in the conference, followed by Baraga (5-5) and Ontonagon (5-5), Chassell (4-6) and Ewen-Trout Creek (0-10).

See the full story here.

High School Football Playoffs
The high school football playoffs opened last night … but both of our local teams that made the field will be playing today.
– Calumet plays at Harrison. The Copper Kings finished the season at 6-3. The Hawks lost only once… and that was by one point. Our pregame coverage begins at 12:40 on KBear 102.3 and KBear102.com.
– Lake Linden Hubbell entertains Bark River-Harris. Both teams bring records of 7-2 into the game. Our pregame coverage begins at 12:40 on 97.7 The Wolf.

Here is the full schedule of playoff games involving Upper Peninsula teams:
Eight-Man
– Rapid River defeated Engadine 46-26.
– Bellaire at Cedarville (1:00 Saturday)

Division Eight
– Bark River-Harris at Lake Linden-Hubbell (1:00 Saturday)
– Forest Park ousted Gogebic 42-22. The Trojans host the winner of the Lakes-Broncos game next weekend.
– Saint Ignace shut out Newberry 35-0.
– Munising blanked Indian River Inland Lakes 54-0. Munising plays at Saint Ignace next weekend.

Division Seven
– Ishpeming rolled over Westwood 34-0.
– West Iron County shut out Iron Mountain 40-0. The Wykons and Hematites play at Ishpeming next weekend.

Division Six
– Negaunee defeated Charlevoix 21-12. The Miners will play at Boyne City next weekend.

Division Five
– Calumet at Harrison (1:00 Saturday)
– Gladwin at Munising (1:00 Saturday)

Division Four
– Mount Pleasant at Marquette (7:00 Saturday – Superior Dome)

UPSSA Football Dream Team Announced
No Copper Country football players were named to the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Dream Team this fall. The Dream Team includes the best players from all teams in the U.P. The best of the remaining players are assigned to the Large School and Small School All-U.P. teams. The Large School team includes guard Ben Eskola, running back Robbie Erkkila and linebacker Kayden Kangas of Calumet; and linebacker Ben Collaer from Houghton. The Small School team includes running back Brandon Kempainen from L’Anse, and three Lake Linden-Hubbell players – defensive end Lucas Klein, linebacker Nick Walli, and defensive back Blake Dupuis.

Special Mention honors went to Tyler Loukus of Calumet, Michael Anderson, of L’Anse, and Lucas Klein of Lake Linden-Hubbell. Honorable Mention votes went to Arthur Lyons and Tyler Roose of Lake Linden-Hubbell.

To see all the honorees, click here.

MTU Hockey Rips U-M
The 17th-ranked MTU hockey team defeated 15th-ranked University of Michigan 4-1 Friday night. A standing-room-only crowd at MacInnes Arena saw Jamie Phillip stop 28 shots. Reid Sturos and Tanner Kero gave Tech an early lead. Walker Hyland and Malcolm Gould added insurance goals in the third period. Those teams play again tonight at 7:07 at Macinnes Arena.

See video highlights from Friday’s game here.

The Tech football team takes its final road trip of the season, and plays at Tiffin today.

The Michigan Tech soccer team wraps up its regular season at Northwood today. They’ll open the conference tournament at home next Tuesday.

The MTU volleyball team lost to Saginaw Valley State 3-0 (25-17, 25-21 and 25-23) Friday night. They Huskies will host Wayne State this afternoon at 3:00.

NMU
The winless Alabama-Huntsville hockey team played unbeaten Northern Michigan University to a 1-1 tie Friday night. Those teams play in Marquette again tonight.

The NMU football team hosts Walsh this afternoon.

Finlandia
The Finlandia University women’s hockey team opened its season with a 7-1 loss at Concordia-Wisconsin Friday night. Kim Harter scored the Lions’ only goal. Those teams play in Mequon again this afternoon. The men’s team opens its season at Wisconsin-Stevens Point tomorrow night.

The Lions’ women’s soccer team closes its regular season at Illinois Tech tomorrow. Today’s game at Lawrence University has been canceled.

NHL – Red Wings Pound Kings
The Detroit Red Wings scored four goals in the first period, and raced past the Kings 5-2 last night. Gustav Nyquist and Pavel Datsyuk each scored twice and had an assist. Jimmy Howard made 30 saves. The Red Wings skate at Buffalo tomorrow afternoon.

Kyle Quincey left last night’s game with an ankle injury. He’ll be evaluated today. The Wings have placed Stephen Weiss on the Injured Reserve list. Weiss began a rehab stint in Grand Rapids Tuesday night, but aggravated the groin injury that had sidelined him earlier. Johan Franzen is expected to return to the lineup tomorrow.

NBA – Pistons Host Nets
The Detroit Pistons host the Nets tonight.

NFL
Both the Lions and the Packers have this week off.

MLB – Tigers Extend Soria, Lose Dirks
The Detroit Tigers have picked up the option on relief pitcher Joakim Soria’s contract. Soria will make seven-million dollars next season, and is expected to be the primary set-up man for closer Joe Nathan. Detroit traded prospects Jake Thompson and Corey Knebel to the Rangers to get Soria for the stretch run this summer.

The Tigers have extended qualifying offers to free agents Max Scherzer and Victor Martinez. If the two sign with other teams, Detroit will receive compensatory draft picks. Outfielder Andy Dirks was placed on waivers, and was claimed by the Blue Jays. He missed all of last season after back surgery. The Tigers also lost pitcher Pat McCoy on waivers to the Orioles.

Detroit also outrighted the contracts of utilityman Don Kelly and reliever Evan Reed to Triple-A Toledo. Both have the right to refuse the assignments and become free agents. Detroit could re-sign them at that time, as they did with Kelly two seasons ago.

The high school football playoffs begin this weekend. Hear Calumet’s game at Harrison on KBear 102.3 and KBear102.com… and Lake Linden-Hubbell’s game against Bark River-Harris on 97.7 The Wolf. Both broadcasts begin at 12:40 this afternoon.

To make sure your team’s scores are included in morning sports, send them to mornings@up.net.