Kingsford varsity netters (left to right) Hayden Johnson, Maddy Kreider, Anna Bortolini, Ellery Nash, Alyssa Larson and Jenna Viau celebrate after defeating Negaunee in the MHSAA Division 2 district volleyball tournament championship match played at Lakeview Memorial Gymnasium in Negaunee on Friday night. The Flivvers swept the host Miners 3-0. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)

NEGAUNEE — Last year, the Kingsford Flivvers won a district championship basically with three seniors and a bunch of sophomores. The Flivvers accomplished that feat as an underdog against powerful Escanaba and a typically tall and talented Houghton squad.

This year, coach Jaclynn Kreider’s team was anything but an underdog, entering the MHSAA Division 2 District 33 tournament. The Flivvers came in as the second-ranked team in Division 1-3 in the Upper Peninsula and lost just one time all year, that to top-ranked Calumet.

Despite a tenacious effort by the host Negaunee Miners, the Flivvers did what they were expected to all season, claiming their second consecutive trophy with a 25-19, 25-17, 25-21 sweep.

“It’s just crazy,” junior setter/hitter Alyssa Larson said about winning back-to-back district championships. “Last year we were just young. This year, we trust each other and just really connect, and I think that helps. We got so much better.”

“This was our goal,” junior libero Ellery Nash added. “We stayed strong the whole season. This was our end goal and we’re here.”

Kingsford’s Ellery Nash (3) receives a serve in the first set with teammates Jenna Viau (11) and Bryonna Sanders (1) watching in the MHSAA Division 2 district tournament championship match played against Negaunee at Lakeview Memorial Gymnasium in Negaunee on Friday. With their second consecutive district championship trophy in hand, the Flivvers next travel to Sault Ste. Marie to face Boyne City (33-9-2) in the Division 2 Regional 9 hosted by Gaylord. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)

After battling some doubt in some key moments in their five-set semifinal win over fourth-ranked Houghton on Wednesday, the Flivvers defeated a scrappy Miners squad because they were much more resolute as each set hit its crucial juncture.

Kingsford (20-1) never led in the opening set until Negaunee failed to return the ball at 19-all.

Kailey Sundquist then smacked two kills while Jenna Viau added another. Nash contributed an ace as the Flivvers went one set up, despite some hitting errors early on.

“I felt like we got nervous,” Kreider said in explanation for the offensive struggles of the opening set. “It was mentally exhausting for them, hitting everything at (Negaunee) and they’re digging it.”

Miners coach Krista Squiers said it was the best defensive performance by her team this season.

“I think we surprised Kingsford a little bit,” she said. “(Our girls) came out hungry and we were digging up so much stuff. But give credit where credit is due. (Jaclynn) has a wonderful program and has built something there.”

The Miners continued to be difficult in the second set, grabbing a 10-4 lead after a kill to the corner by junior Madison Pekrul. However, a few moments later, Maddie Kreider turned the set on its head with three straight kills, while Anna Bortolini added two to help Kingsford take a 15-12 advantage.

Bortolini was on her game much of the night.

“Coach yelled at me to get me fired up,” she said with a smile. “I am (up-and-down). It’s a lot. But my teammates help a lot getting me back up and everything.”

The Flivvers stayed in front from there and clinched the second set on an ace by Maddie Kreider and kills by Sundquist and freshman Mya Brunswick.

It would have been understandable if the Miners dropped their heads to start the third set, but they didn’t. Two emphatic kills by junior Theresa Anderson and another by Pekrul spurred Negaunee to a 5-1 lead.

The Miners stayed in front again until “winnin’ time” when the Flivvers pushed through for the final time. With the set tied at 20-all, Sundquist fired an ace followed by a Negaunee hitting error.

Larson made the score 23-21 on a kill and Maddie Kreider shoved Negaunee to the precipice with a cross-court kill.

Senior middle Hayden Johnson then ended the match and the district with a kill through the Negaunee block.

After the presentation of the district trophy, Squiers was asked what makes the Flivvers so difficult to beat despite their lack of size.

“They might not be tall on the (roster) sheet, but they walk tall,” Squires said. “They run some quick things, and we were just a step behind at times.”

Squiers pointed specifically to Maddie Kreider as an example.

“She plays like she’s 6-foot. We tried to take her out by making her take the first pass, but she’s a very smart player. I know she’s going to be play college ball somewhere and she’ll be an asset wherever she goes.”

Kreider paced her team with 25 digs, 18 assists and 17 kills.

But as much as the standout junior shines, the entire Flivvers team has played splendidly all season.

In the district final, Larson contributed 15 assists, 15 digs and five kills. Nash chipped in with 20 digs, while Viau added 18 and Bryonna Sanders had 16. Sundquist posted eight kills and Bortolini added five.

“It’s just a special group,” Coach Kreider said of her 2023 crew. “We have a group of girls passionate about volleyball and I wanted it so bad this year to get back to where we went last year and see what happens.

“This year, we’ve felt like we’ve had to prove something a little more. I’m proud of the way we’ve played all season.”

Next up for the Flivvers is a trip to Sault Ste. Marie to face Boyne City (33-9-2) in the Division 2 Regional 9 hosted by Gaylord.