West Iron County celebrates its Upper Peninsula Divison 2 girls tennis championship Wednesday at Kingsford High School. (Jason Juno/MHSAA.com photo)

KINGSFORD — The West Iron County girls tennis team has been in the mix for the U.P. Division 2 championship nearly every year in the 21st century. Though their last title came in 2020, the Wykons have been a prominent player nearly every fall.

This year, the Wykons returned to the winner’s circle by outperforming a six-team field in the D2 meet Wednesday at Kingsford High School. West Iron won five flight championships and recorded 18 points, with Norway and Ishpeming tied for second at 13, Ironwood fourth with 7, Iron Mountain fifth with 4 and Munising sixth with 1.

“From start to finish, we displayed a winning combination of determination and teamwork,” WIC coach Jen Schive said. “Several matches were hard-fought, including a gritty three-set battle at No. 3 singles and another marathon at No. 4 doubles.

“This group showed not only skill, but heart. They stepped up in pressure moments and kept their composure when the matches got tough,” Schive said.

West Iron’s flight champions included No. 1 singles Grace Smith, No. 3 singles Erin Kolbas, No. 1 doubles Destiny Lemery and Aubrey Richardson, No. 2 doubles Julia White and Olivia LaMay and No. 4 doubles Marlee Benson and Rochelle Bear.

“The Wykons’ across-the-board success reflected their depth, competitive edge and camaraderie on the court,” Schive said. “In the end, their ability to rise to every challenge left no doubt about the outcome.”

Smith marched past Norway’s Jordyn Moln 6-0, 6-0 in the top singles flight to keep the D2 No. 1 singles title in the family after her older sister Kaitlyn won the crown a year ago.

“Grace brought her ‘A’ game today,” Schive said. “She was on with every stroke and serve. She stepped on the court with confidence and took charge of the match in true 1 singles fashion.”

Moln qualified for the title match after she knocked off Iron Mountain’s Alysia Wood 7-6 (9), 6-0 in the semis.

The Knights received one of their three flight championships from No. 2 singles Ella Wojtowicz, who defeated Sophia Nerlfi of Ishpeming 6-3, 6-4.

“It’s nice because it took four years,” Wojtowicz told MHSAA.com’s Jason Juno. “Lots of tries, lots of losing, but I got there. My goal this year was just to make myself proud, it wasn’t really to win anything. But winning is a plus.”

At No. 3 singles, WIC’s Erin Kolbas fought off Ishpeming’s Frankie Stetson 7-6 (1), 6-4 to secure her title. Kolbas found herself down a set to IM’s Jacalyn Rowe in the semifinal round, but recovered to post a 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 victory.

“Always lots of hustle out of Erin,” Schive said. “She makes remarkable comebacks.”

Norway’s Jessa Rossler finished off another impressive season by winning her second straight D2 No. 4 singles title with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Camryn Miller of Ishpeming.

Though the Wykons received sterling efforts from Smith and Kolbas, they won the U.P. title on the backs of their doubles teams, starting at the No. 1 flight where Destiny Lemery and Aubrey Richardson upended Stella Nerlfi and Ava Lapin 6-3, 6-0.

“These two dialed it in,” Schive said. “They stepped on the court as elite varsity players and took charge. They were both putting things away at the net, hitting low cross-court shots and moving. I was rather impressed and proud of them.”

In the No. 2 doubles flight, WIC’s Julia White and Olivia LaMay handled Ishpeming’s Lilly Ryan and Janelle Seelen 6-3, 6-2.

“Julia was hitting the ball well and Olivia was putting it away,” Schive said. “They were focused and there to compete.”

Finally, West Iron’s four doubles tandem of Marlee Benson and Rochelle Bear notched three-set wins in both the semifinal round and in the finals to record the final Wykons’ flight title. In the semis, Benson and Bear recovered to defeat Norway’s Amara Humphreys and Alexis Downs 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 and then repeated the same act with the same final score in the championship match against Lily Magdziak and Lucy Stehlik of Ironwood.

Schive was thrilled with the performance of her No. 4 doubles duo.

“Overcoming Norway in three sets was a feat in itself but watching them strike the ball and play like they did in the final match was amazing. By the end, there was nothing I could tell them between game switches but, ‘Keep doing what you are doing.'”

The Wykons also received a single victory each from No. 2 singles Kaycee Ingram, No. 4 singles Taylor Economy and No. 3 doubles Madison Cronkright and Vivian Holm.

Norway’s other flight championship came off the rackets of its No. 3 doubles team Emily Carlson and Myah Gilroy. The Knights duo stayed strong in crucial moments in their 7-6 (4), 6-4 triumph over Ishpeming’s Lydia Seelen and Jenessa Eagle.

duo lost to Lydia and Janelle Seelen in the final.

“They really wanted it,” Norway coach Cassandra Gustafson told MHSAA.com. “They really wanted it bad. They’ve been playing together two years straight, so they’re solid and jelled together.”

Additionally, Norway picked up a victory each from No. 3 singles Tori Trudeau and Humphreys and Downs at No. 4 doubles.

Iron Mountain’s four points came from Wood at No. 1 singles, Avea Brown at No. 2 singles, Rowe at No. 3 singles and No. 1 doubles Lindsey Lewandowsky and Ella Theisen.

But in the end, it was the Wykons’ day, as Schive said, “I’m proud of how the girls competed, supported one another, and had fun doing it.”