Senior Aubrey Johnson of Negaunee and junior Jenessa Eagle of Ishpeming won solid majorities from the U.P. Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association voters who were able to make it to Northern Michigan University in Marquette on Monday for its annual basketball meeting.

Each garnered a vote from 15 of the 17 voters present at that point in the meeting after their teams had solid years that could only pale to what their Hematites’ and Miners’ teams did in the MHSAA postseason a year earlier.

With Eagle and Johnson key components of those 2023-24 teams, Ishpeming went all the way to win the Division 4 state championship, while Negaunee reached the Division 2 state semifinals before bowing out.

This year, Eagle’s Ishpeming squad compiled a solid 18-6 record but was knocked out in the Division 3 — yes, enrollment kicked the Hematites upstairs a division this year — district tournament championship 51-43 by eventual state semifinalist Calumet.

Negaunee’s Aubrey Johnson, left, defends Gladstone’s Lillie Johnson in the fourth quarter of their high school girls basketball game played at Lakeview Memorial Gymnasium in Negaunee on Feb. 27. (Journal photo by Caden Sierra)

Eagle, who now has a reported 1,258 points in three years on varsity, averaged 21.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 3.0 steals and 4.0 deflections per game this season, shooting 37.5% from the field and 79.3% on her free throws.

“Jenessa has proven she is one of the top guards in the state and the Upper Peninsula,” IHS head coach Ryan Reichel said in support of Eagle’s All-U.P. candidacy.

“She helped lead (our) team to an 18-6 record after graduating seven seniors from a state title run and being the only returning starter for more than half the year.”

Making the Mid-Peninsula Conference First Team, her Ishpeming team’s only losses were twice each to Division 2 powerhouses Negaunee and Gladstone and Division 3 semifinalist Calumet.

The Hematites had wins in their single encounters vs. Division 2 Escanaba and Division 4 powerhouse Baraga.

Ishpeming's Jenessa Eagle, right, is double-teamed while taking a shot during a high school girls basketball game played against Gladstone at the Hematites’ gym in Ishpeming on Feb. 4. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

Johnson also took over leadership of a Negaunee team that started the season 22-0 and took its only loss in its final game, 50-47 in the district final against Gladstone.

She averaged 13.5 points, 3.4 assists, 3.4 steals, 3.1 rebounds and 4.3 deflections per game on a team that only scored 60 points four times despite its near-perfect record this season.

That was because coach Mike O’Donnell and players like Johnson limited opponents to 30 points or fewer 13 times, twice keeping an opponent’s score in the teens.

“Aubrey has been our leader all year,” O’Donnell said in his comments supporting his senior star. “She is the true definition of ‘two-way player’ and gets it done on both ends of the floor every night.

“She really worked hard (last) offseason on her offensive game and that showed as she scored more than five points per game above … last year.”

Her notable scoring games included 30 and 18 points in the two games vs. Division 3 semifinalist Calumet, and 20 against Ludington, a downstate D-2 powerhouse that compiled a 17-6 record.

She was named the West PAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year and earned M-PC First Team and Defensive Player of the Year there, too.

Johnson was also the MVP of the Negaunee-hosted Irontown Holiday Bash, when the Miners defeated Ludington and Division 4 state finalist Ewen-Trout Creek.

E-TC freshman Bree Besonen is another member of the All-U.P. Dream Team after earning All-U.P. Division 4 Second Team honors as an eighth grader last year.

She was also voted Division 4 Player of the Year.

Norway junior Lauren Adams made the Dream Team from Division 4, with averages of 19.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.6 steals and 2.9 assists per game while named Skyline Central Conference Player of the Year.

Besonen had averages of 16.9 points, 4.6 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 2.1 steals and a 4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Besonen also shot 61% on 2-pointers and 34% on 3s and made 82% of her free throws.

The fifth member of the All-U.P. Dream Team was ultimately the most decorated — Gladstone junior Lillie Johnson.

Not only did she join Besonen as a unanimous selection to the Dream Team, but she was first voted Divisions 1-3 Player of the Year, then the all-division U.P. Player of the Year, otherwise known as Miss U.P. Basketball.

Now at 1,591 points and 968 rebounds with another year to go in high school, she averaged 22.6 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 2.8 assists per game this season and was M-PC and Great Northern Conference Player of the Year.

Steve Brownlee can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 552. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.