Forest Park’s Hannah Cross, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring a kill against Wakefield-Marenisco in the Class D District 127 championship on Thursday in Crystal Falls. (Adam Niemi/Iron Mountain Daily News)

CRYSTAL FALLS — Forest Park swept Wakefield-Marenisco 3-0 to win the Class D District 127 title on Thursday.

It’s the 18th straight year the Lady Trojans won a district title.

The Lady Trojans grabbed momentum with a first set win and staged a dominant rally in the second set en route to the win. In the second set, Forest Park was down 6-2 to start before cutting the margin to 12-10. The Lady Trojans tied it at 13-all before scoring 12 unanswered points to win the set 25-13.

Forest Park won the first set 25-13 that came on the strength of a late rally as well. The Lady Trojans led 7-4 and then 18-9.

Forest Park moves on to the Regional 32 tournament to face either Carney-Nadeau or Stephenson. The Lady Trojans lost to both teams in the regular season.

Both teams traded leads throughout the first half of each set before the Lady Trojans settled in to win longer volleys and cruise to a win in each set, which has come to define their season to this point.

“Tonight I never felt like we were settled in. We gained some momentum when we got into the teens a little bit and then we took off,” Forest Park head coach Ana Cornelia said. “They had to work for every point — it was never just given to them. That’s the recurring story of the team. That’s what we were trying to focus on is starting stronger and ending stronger. Tonight that happened again — we started slow.”

Wakefield-Marenisco coach Jessica Novascone said Forest Park’s height and offensive prowess was hard to replicate in practice in preparing her team for Thursday’s match.

“I feel like overall we challenged them in some ways but I think that there was another level we couldn’t get to,” Novascone said. “Crystal Falls always plays a quick game. The teams we normally play throughout the season don’t have that kind of offense, so that’s what I was trying to prepare them for. It’s hard to simulate that without actually playing the team.”

Forest Park was helped with eight aces throughout the night, including a team high of three by Hannah Cross. She also had six kills, six digs, two blocks and an assist.

Taylor Honkala had 20 digs to lead the Lady Trojans. Emme Emmers had 13 digs. Sydney Honkala had 18 assists.

Forest Park anticipated the play throughout the night and kept the Lady Cardinals’ defense off-balance.

“They were just reading the ball very well,” Cornelia said. “We knew that their setter did like to do a setter dump a lot and did some things that were off-tempo that we’re not used to and I said they just have to control the ball on their side of the net, keep that tempo and that rhythm going and things will fall into place.”

Cloe Bachand led the Lady Cardinals with four kills. Ebanie Delich had a team-high 13 digs.

Wakefield-Marenisco recorded no aces and had just two blocks against the Lady Trojans.

“We were definitely ready to play fast and build the momentum in the beginning, but we didn’t have the endurance. We don’t have the height either,” Novascone said. “Girls blocking at the net were just trying to find holes around that. Our team is so much smaller than them. Wish for a different outcome, but not too shabby.”

Cornelia said she’s looking forward to facing either Carney-Nadeau or Stephenson in a rematch from their losses to both teams in the regular season.

“Whoever we see I’m definitely looking forward to that rematch,” she said. “The Carney game definitely sticks out in my mind and I hope to see them again.”