Super sophomores; Gaylord, St. Mary girls basketball benifiting as Class of 2026 thrives
GAYLORD ― If you've been paying attention to Gaylord sports this season, you know about the talented seniors pouring out of the area schools after thus year.
Over 15 athletes from the Class of 2024 from Gaylord, St. Mary and Johannesburg-Lewiston have committed or signed to continue playing their sport at the college level, with schools spanning from NAIA level to the tops of NCAA Division I.
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However, as those athletes have brought major success to the three area teams in recent years, you may have found yourself asking a simple question; what's next? What will area teams look like once this group of seniors graduates, and who will be the next class to lead successful teams in the Gaylord area?
And, if you've paid attention to the high school basketball season so far, that answer has gotten clearer and clearer.
For a variety of reasons, the varsity teams for both Gaylord and Gaylord St. Mary have been turned over to the Class of 2026, and a group of super sophomores, three for GSM and two for GHS, have taken over the reins of their respective teams and announced themselves as the next class up.
Watching, waiting for the opportunity
Gaylord St. Mary has quite a few successful sports programs, especially relative to the school's smaller enrollment with less than 100 full-time students.
Still, it is hard to compare any team to what the Snowbirds' girls basketball team has accomplished in recent years, winning three straight conference titles and district titles from 2021-23 while reaching the MHSAA state quarterfinals back in 2022.
For sophomores Kaylee Jeffers, Payton Glasby and Emery Blust, all that success was a bit more personal as they watched members of their family, whether on the court as members of the team or on the bench as part of the coaching staff, continuously winning big games and receive accolades for what they accomplished, all while those three watched from the stands.
Even as kids, the bond between them and the GSM program had been well-established, and all three dreamed of one day getting their chance to represent the Snowbirds on the court.
"I have been envisioning playing on varsity ever since I was young and watching my sisters play," said Jeffers, the youngest sister of the Jeffers family that includes former GSM stars Kinzie, Livee and Brody Jeffers. "Seeing all the older girls that I look up to have such great success in the conference and postseason has really pushed me to keep up their legacy."
"As a kid sitting in the bleachers watching the likes of Kari Borowiak, I knew that's where I wanted to be," said Blust, daughter of assistant coach Ken Blust. "We learned from a young age that the girls basketball program at St. Mary's is more than winning, but a tradition in itself."
"I have been thinking and dreaming about playing varsity basketball since the day I got to play in fourth grade," said Glasby, the younger sister of Emma Glasby. "I never thought it would be true or I would be good enough but I have always looked up to the girls and wanted to play."
Being from a small school like GSM, they didn't have to wait long to get their shot.
Jeffers, the team's point guard, has stepped right into a pivotal role in head coach Pat Schultz's system and thrived, usually leading the team in steals and assists. In a recent game at Pellston, her 26-point, 9-steal performance helped GSM run away with a 35-point win and their third-consecutive conference victory.
Glasby has filled Ava Schultz's role as a big who can stretch the floor with her shooting ability, most recently going off for 31 points on six 3-pointers made in a win at Forest Area. When she finds the range, she is the biggest mismatch opposing defenses have to worry about.
Blust, meanwhile, is a Swiss army knife for the GSM offense and defense, tasked with playing the role of the top defender, top facilitator, or top scorer on any given night. Her performance in a key win over Inland Lakes, scoring nine points while adding 5 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists, is a good indicator of how versatile she is expected to be.
GSM, a team with just one senior and no juniors, expects a lot out of these three, and these three expect a lot out of themselves. It is no wonder the Snowbirds haven't missed a beat since they've taken over the on-court leadership roles, now 10-1 in the conference and in the driver's seat for a potential fourth-straight SVC crown. And, with the success they've witnessed firsthand, they want to be the ones to bring all that success to fruition in the state finals.
"We as a team expect to be prepared for every game we step on the court," said Blust. "Our ultimate goal is to finally bring a state championship to our school."
Forced into action, Gaylord sophomores thrive
Gaylord, meanwhile, wasn't supposed to be a team that leaned on its sophomores. At least, when the season started, that wasn't the plan for head coach Kelli Parker.
Sometimes, plans change.
Her daughter, Northwood-commit Avery Parker, started the 2023-24 season strong after winning the Big North Conference Player of the Year last season, leading Gaylord to a 3-1 record while averaging 22 points and 8 rebounds through four games. However, disaster struck on Dec. 18 when the senior point guard suffered a torn ACL in an overtime loss against Elk Rapids, effectively bringing her high school career to an early end.
"It was an unthinkable incident when Avery got injured. She had worked so hard to make this the best year, not only as an individual but more importantly the best year as a team," said coach Parker. "It was extremely heartbreaking to see your kid who has worked countless hours not able to be on the court the remainder of her senior year."
Her absence left a major void in Gaylord's lineup, particularly in the scoring column. Who was going to make up for the missing 20-30 points Parker was good for on a nightly basis?
Sophomores Addison McDonald and Karlee Pretzlaff had been finding success in their roles on varsity early in the season, but Parker's injury left the Blue Devils looking to the two underclassmen to provide even more; luckily for Gaylord, the sophomores have answered the bell.
Pretzlaff, the younger sister of star linebacker Brady Pretzlaff, has turned into a go-to scorer from behind the arc, now up to 15 points per game on 51% three-point shooting in the last five games.
McDonald, meanwhile, has upped her game as the primary post scorer, averaging 11 points and six rebounds over that same stretch. She announced herself as a dominant scoring threat in a win at St. Ignace with a career-high 31 points, and the two sophomores have helped get the Gaylord season back on track.
"We’ve relied on Addison McDonald and Karlee Pretzlaff to lead the way for us offensively. They have collectively been the most consistent in the scoring column," said coach Parker. "We have continued to create an optimistic environment and we keep seeing glimmers and growth in every game. These girls continue to fight, they don’t quit, there have been some setbacks, but they have persevered."
While the record may not show it (6-8, 1-4 BNC), the Gaylord girls program is set up for a bright future, and these two sophomores figure to have big parts in it, especially considering the experience they're gaining by being thrust into playing bigger roles earlier than expected.
And in the end, both Gaylord and GSM will benefit from these seasons and these players getting this type of playing time. The future is only getting brighter for area basketball teams and expect the Class of '26 to be major parts of that future.
Contact Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at Djespersen@gaylordheraldtimes.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Gaylord, St. Mary girls basketball sophomore Class of 2026 thrives
