Aukee, Stanislawski to play in Border Bash

By JASON JUNO

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Ironwood --- Two of the top local girls basketball players, along with some of the best basketball players in the Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin will play in this year's Kiwanis Classic Border Bash.

Hurley's Jaana Aukee will play for the Northern Wisconsin girls, while Bessemer's Brooke Stanislawski will suit up for Northern Michigan in the annual all-star basketball event slated for June 6 at the Lindquist Center in Ironwood.

Stanislawski, who signed to play basketball at Gogebic Community College, earned a spot on the Copper Mountain Conference's elite team for her play as a senior. Aukee, who was a first team selection in the Northern Lights Conference, already played in the Border Battle all-star game at Minnesota-Duluth this spring.

This will be the 10th Border Bash. The games are always well attended as it gives area fans a chance to see some of the best players in the region they may hear a lot about during the season but don't get a chance to see play.

That's certainly true again this year.

The Associated Press Division 4 Player of the Year, St. Ignace's Jonny Ingalls, headlines the Northern Michigan boys team. Ingalls, who only played as far west as Marquette this season, became the ninth boy in Upper Peninsula history to clear 2,000 career points. Also named the U.P.'s Mr. Basketball, Ignalls signed to play at Northern Michigan University.

The Michigan team will be coached by the AP D-4 Coach of the Year, Jonny's father, Doug, who's retiring after 25 seasons leading the Saints' boys team.

The Ingalls have attended the Border Bash before with other St. Ignace players making the long trek across the peninsula.

Solon Springs' Isaiah Kastern (6-5) highlights the Northern Wisconsin team, which has won the last five Border Bash games. The high-flying Kastern led the Eagles to their first trip to the state tournament last month and will play basketball at Division II Bemidji State.

Players from St. Ignace to Lake Linden will join Ingalls on the Michigan side:

-Ethan McLean also helped St. Ignace to the state semifinal this season.

-Lake Linden-Hubbell's Gabe Popko (6-3, 205) is headed to Michigan Tech to play football in the fall after making the All-U.P. Dream Team at defensive end and leading the Lakes to the 8-player state semifinal. He was exceptional on the hardwood as well, earning All-U.P. First Team honors and helping LL-H get to the regional final.

-Matthew Schutz helped Jeffers to the state quarterfinal last year and was an All-U.P. First Team selection this year.

-Menominee's Trevor Theuerkauf was the quarterback on the Maroons' state final team in the fall and he was a big part of the basketball team's trip to the quarterfinal in the spring. He made the All-U.P. Second Team in basketball and is going to play football at Northern Michigan University. Teammate Connor Coduti, an All-U.P. special mention basketball player, will join him at the Border Bash.

-Norway's Alex Ortman was an All-U.P. First Team selection this year. He's going to play baseball and basketball at Gallaudet University in Washington D.C.

-Negaunee's Gavin Saunders was an All-U.P. First Team honoree and Westwood's Andrew Niemi (6-5) made the Second Team.

Joining Kastern on Northern Wisconsin are:

-Winter's Gunnar Greuel averaged 20.4 points and 19.9 rebounds per game and was named the East Lakeland Player of the Year.

-Rhinelander's Will Gretzinger was named to the All-Great Northern Northern first team and helped the Hodags share the GNC championship with Mosinee.

-TJ Lamb scored 17 points in Almond-Bancroft's sectional championship victory, which clinched their first-ever trip to state (D-5). Lamb was co-player of the year in the Central Wisconsin Conference South. Almond-Bancroft's Curt Lamb will coach Northern Wisconsin.

-Bloomer's Domanyck Schwarzenberger was named the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram's All-Northwest Boys Basketball Player of the Year and the Cloverbelt West Conference's top player.

-Thorp's Brady Stewart was the second leading scorer in the Cloverbelt at 22.2 points per game, behind Schwarzenberger's 23.7.

-Colby's Joseph Streveler was a first team choice in the East Cloverbelt.

-Bonduel's Noah Weier committed to play football at UW-La Crosse.

-Crivitz's Tegan Werner was a first team choice in the Marinette & Oconto Conference. Both Werner and Weier were honorable mention on the WBCA D-4 All-State team.

All of the senior members of the All-U.P. Dream Team highlight the Northern Michigan girls team, which won last year's Border Bash.

-Ishpeming's Jenna Maki, the U.P. player of the year in Division 4, scored 30 points in the Hematities' state semifinal win and 24 in their state championship victory.

-Negaunee's Ella Mason was the U.P.'s Ms. Basketball and is committed to play at Michigan Tech.

-Escanaba's Keira Maki is committed to UW-Stevens Point (Division III).

-West Iron County's Danica Shamion is committed to run in track-and-field at Division I Central Michigan University.

There's plenty of additional talent with three All-U.P. First Team selections: Westwood's Megan Marta, who is signed to play at NMU, Menominee's Anna Axtell and Bark River-Harris' Lauren Zawada. Marquette's Kyley Elmblad was a Second Team selection.

The team will be coached by Ishpeming's Ryan Reichel, who was named Division 4 Coach of the Year in the U.P. and Michigan.

The Northern Wisconsin team will be coached by Keefe Tarman of Turtle Lake, which advanced to the sectional semifinal. Turtle Lake's Mackenzie Tarman, who was named player of the year in the West Lakeland Conference, will join him, as will other talented players from across the northern part of the state:

-Webster's Lauren Hetfeld was a first team selection in that league.

-Merrill's Mia Ott scored 53 points off 14 3-pointers in a regional tournament win over Ashland in February. She was 52 points away from the school's career scoring record entering that game.

-Rhinelander's Lily Treder was selected to the All-Great Northern Conference's second team.

-Winnebago Lutheran's Abby Cole was a WBCA All-State selection in Division 4.

-Bonduel's Hailey Zernickle was honorable mention all-state.

-Hayward's Avery Poppe was the Heart O' North Conference's player of the year.

-Amherst's Scout Spadoni was selected to the Central Wisconsin Conference's first team.