• Monday-What'sUP March 24 - 08:24 am

You are looking at the 2015 Class C State Champions, the Calumet Copper Kings Girls Basketball team. Congratulations to the girls, coaches, parents, and fans on a great season and for bringing home their first Girls Basketball State Championship!

Wow, what a ride it was for these girls and their coach, Jeff Twardzik. He's been coaching them since third grade and this was his first year as the Varsity Coach. Way to set the standard high right of the bat, Coach Twardzik! The top photo was snapped by Gary Lassila after the girls had won the Regional trophy last week. That's when they headed down to Lansing to play Laingsburg. On their way there, they stopped at Michigan State to get some practice time in and U.P. Iron Mountain native Tom Izzo, head coach for the Spartans, stopped by to see the girls and wish them luck. Photo by Sean Jacques, Calumet's Athletic Director. Of course they beat Laingsburg - 30 - 26 and were on their way to play Flint Hamady in the final for the State Championship this past Saturday.

The next three photos were also from Gary Lassila, taken earlier in the season, showing the girls style and game they played to make it to that final game. Big on offense and defense, they kept the pace going all the way to the Jack Breslin Student Events Center in Lansing.

It was an exciting game to watch and even us folks back here in the U.P. were able to see it on TV, as the cable company and one of the satellite dish providers carried the game live. I'll admit, I did a bit of yelling at the TV and jumping up and down, as it was back and forth for most of the game and then Calumet pulled ahead by a few more points and by the time the buzzer went off, they had racked up the score to 57-49 and were the STATE CHAMPS!

Gail Ongie captured the excitement of this special moment, the smiles, the jumps for joy, the tears of happiness…all part of a moment in these girl's lives that they will never forget! Again, Congratulations for bringing home the State Championship trophy!

I don't have any photos of the other U.P. State Champions, but the St. Ignace Saints Girls Basketball team also came home with the Class D State Championship trophy. They started the second half of the game against Pittsford, with a 20 point deficit and came back to tie it and put the game into overtime. St. Ignace then came out on top with a 64 - 60 win for the Class D State Championship. Quite the historic day here in the U.P., when TWO State Championship trophies came home. U.P. POWER!!

Actually, more than just the folks in the UP could see the games if they had Fox Sports Detroit. That's how I watched the game live all the way down here in SE Texas. We thought it was funny because after the Calumet game was over all the girls were crying with joy and such except for the young lady FSD was interviewing; she was so composed and professional like "yup... just another win"!! Priceless.....

Congrats to you young ladies; a well deserved state title!!!

CONGRATS LADIES, NICE JOB!!

Why aren't they called the "Copper King Princesses"?
Good work, ladies!

Way to go, Copper Kings!! When I was growing up,
they were the dreaded Copper Kings because Lake
Linden could NEVER beat them at anything! Sooo
very happy for these girls!!!!

Congratulations girls. As you go through life a lot of changes will come your way. One thing that will never change is the fact that you will always be State Champions.

U.P. POWER!!!!!!!!!!!! Way to go Copper QUEENS! Put
your crowns on, ladies, and show off the sparkles!
You ROCK!! Congratulations!!!!

Congrats! What's Tom Izzo holding, a cheeseburger?

Mary says: I'm not quite sure, Alex. It could be a breakfast sandwich. ;-)

Congratulations to the Calumet Copper Kings!!! We are
all so proud!!! Great pictures too!

Congrats girls!

The rest of the story is this:
Yesterday, the team came home from downstate and talk about UP POWER all the way. The St. Ignace Girls Class D State Championship team, along with fire trucks, police cars, etc., were waiting in Mackinaw City and then escorted the Copper King State Champs across the Mackinac Bridge and into the U.P. That was really outstanding for them to do that. Then they were met in Munising, Marquette, Ishpeming, Negaunee, L'Anse, Baraga, Chassell, Houghton, Hancock, all along the "upper highway" (US 41) and had a big gathering at the school once they toured through Calumet and Laurium! What a great welcome home for these young athletes. It's something they will remember all their lives, how it didn't matter where we were from in the U.P., for something like this we're all fans of their team! Congrats again!

Congratulations to the new girls state champions! This is something to really be proud of because it shows hard work really does pay off! They represented the UP very well and everyone is proud of their accomplishment!