Cranes Land 16th MHSAA Finals Win
March 9, 2013
By Bill Khan
Special to Second Half
PLYMOUTH — Sometimes it seems like a given that a hockey player at Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood will win at least one MHSAA championship during his career.
When a program has won nine titles in the last 17 seasons and 16 in the last 35, championships are an expectation for the Cranes.
But it's not always as easy as it may look to outsiders.
Alex Alger took the ice for the final game of his brilliant three-year career with Cranbrook-Kingswood still searching for his first MHSAA championship. He made sure he wouldn't leave the program empty-handed, scoring back-to-back second-period goals in the Cranes' 4-2 victory over Sault Ste. Marie in the Division 3 Final on Saturday at Compuware Arena.
Alger wasn't on the team his freshman year when the Cranes won their last title in 2010. He experienced a 3-1 semifinal loss to Grand Rapids Catholic Central as a sophomore and a 2-1 overtime loss in the regional final to unheralded Marysville as a junior when he made second-team all-state.
"I felt like if we didn't go out on top — you can't say it was a failure, necessarily — but it's just we're always expected to do so well," Alger said. "For me to go three years without a title, I just wouldn't feel comfortable with myself, knowing that with such a strong team we couldn't pull together and make it happen."
Alger not only went out as a champion, but was a standout on a team that is arguably one of the greatest in Cranbrook-Kingswood's rich history.
The Cranes set a school record for victories, finishing 28-2-1. Ten of Cranbrook-Kingswood's previous 15 championship teams lost at least seven games. Only the 1982-83 team (24-2-1) had as few losses, while only the 2006-07 squad (25-4-1) may challenge this one as the greatest in coach Andy Weidenbach's 20-year tenure.
"If it isn't (the best), it's pretty close," Weidenbach said. "I've had two very special teams with really highly skilled players. This is definitely one of our most highly skilled teams."
Sault Ste. Marie gave the Cranes their closest game of the postseason, getting outshot 38-10 in the process. Cranbrook-Kingswood outscored six playoff opponents by a combined score of 47-4.
"At the end of the day, you've got the two best teams in the state here," Sault Ste. Marie coach John Ferroni said. "I've seen most of the D3 teams in the state this year. I feel we're the next-best team.
They're obviously the best team in the state. To be honest with you, I think they're better than Division 2. They obviously can play with the Division 1 teams. They're a wonderful-looking hockey team, just so
poised and mature out there with the puck."
A goal by Austin Alger at 8:11 of the first period and Kevin Shand at 7:23 of the second gave the Cranes a 2-0 lead. Sault Ste. Marie got back in the game at 8:51 of the second on a goal by Alex Teneyck, but
Alex Alger quickly turned the momentum back in Cranbrook-Kingswood's favor with goals at 10:10 and 11:26 to make it a 4-1 game.
Sault Ste. Marie (22-9) added the only goal of the third period when Chase Gamelin scored with 11:26 remaining, but it was the only shot on goal by the Blue Devils during the entire period.
"We had our spurts in the game, but just not enough of them to create offense," Ferroni said. "When you get it close like that, you think maybe we'll get lucky with another shot and score a goal and put some pressure on them, even though the shots on goal were a vast difference. I knew we were going to give up between 30-35 shots. I thought if we could keep the penalties down, that would keep the shots
on goal down. That didn't happen too well for us."
Cranbrook-Kingswood was 1-for-7 on the power play, while Sault Ste. Marie was 0-for-2.
The Cranes have a 16-2 record in MHSAA finals, emerging victorious in their last eight appearances.
PHOTOS: (Top) Cranbrook-Kingswood senior Billy Young (19) charges up ice during Saturday's Division 3 Final at Compuware Arena. (Middle) The Cranes celebrate their first championship since 2010. (Photos by Andrew Knapik.)
Multi-Sport Coach Kalleward Molds Multi-School Eagles Into Formidable Foe
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
January 21, 2025
KALAMAZOO – When it comes to hockey, JD Kalleward has a different challenge than many high school coaches.
His Kalamazoo Eagles team is a cooperative of six schools: Richland Gull Lake, Parchment, Vicksburg, Plainwell, Kalamazoo Christian and Paw Paw.
That is not a problem for Kalleward, who has more than 30 years of coaching experience to help meld his players into a family.
“In the locker room we sit by our linemates,” Gull Lake senior forward Carter Dominowski said. “My line is one from Vicksburg, one from Gull Lake.
“It’s all team bonding, hanging out, having fun. We have team dinners every Tuesday (at The Nest at Wings Event Center, where the Eagles practice).”
Kalleward went from Eagles assistant coach to head coach when Matt Kruzich stepped down after last season. The team has rebounded from a 1-3 start this winter to reach 8-7 with eight games remaining before the start of the MHSAA Tournament.
“JD was the perfect replacement for many reasons: his meticulous preparation, practice planning, management skills,” Kruzich said. “But most of all, I’ve seen the positive impact that he has had on 100 percent of young men and hockey players specifically.”
Gull Lake is the sponsoring school and providing nine of the 23 players.
“It’s a challenge.” Kalleward said of bringing the players together. “You work together, do exercises for bonding in preseason, and you make certain they’re playing for each other.”
The veteran coach has almost 1,000 high school hockey games under his skates. Add the 170 games coaching lacrosse, and he has eclipsed that milestone total.
Coaching across multiple net games
Kalleward started his coaching career with Art Missias in KOHA youth hockey, then moved to Portage Northern when Missias took that head coaching job in 1986. He took over the Northern coaching reins five years later when Missias retired.
Kalleward expanded his coaching experience, becoming Northern’s assistant boys lacrosse coach for three years until being named head coach in 2016.
Comparing hockey and lacrosse, Kalleward said the field sport is a bit harder to coach because of numbers.
“Both are chess games, and both are very fluid,” he said. “Lacrosse has 10 (players) instead of six, but it’s also easier to hide some of your weaker kids in lacrosse.”
Kalleward has had more success in lacrosse, making the MHSAA Division 2 Quarterfinals three of the last five years and winning the Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference three times.
Kalleward said he enjoys coaching both sports, and there are some common elements – especially defensively.
“In hockey, you have to keep your head on a swivel, be aware of your surroundings the entire time,” he said. “Same in lacrosse. Always one more pass you’re looking to make.”
When it comes to drills, especially in hockey, the coach readily admits to “stealing” them from other programs to instruct his players.
“That’s how you learn,” he said, naming drills after former coaching friends. “(Portage Central’s) Jim Murray drills. (Kalamazoo Wings) Mark Reeds drills, (Western Michigan University’s) Bill Wilkinson drills, (K-Wings) Ken Hitchcock drills, (Fox Motors AAA U16) Travis Richards drills.”
Learning more than hockey
Kalleward coaches life skills as well as hockey techniques, assistant coach Ken Rogers said.
“These kids aren’t going to be NHL players after high school, so it’s trying to develop some responsibility, some accountability, what’s it like to be on your own,” Rogers said. “We’ve got a lot of seniors, and they’re going to be away from home next year.
“For most of them, that’s a big step in their lives. What we try to do along with hockey is instill those life lessons. Being part of a hockey team, you’re going to have to face those challenges when you get a job, become a good employee.”
Kalleward, who is on the ice with the team every day but Sunday, said that with tournaments the Eagles play 25 games a season plus MHSAA playoffs.
“I enjoy coaching,” he said. “We’re not here for you to try to be the next Sidney Crosby, that next pro. We’re here to have a good experience in high school, be competitive, have fun.
“I’m very big about life lessons. I’m very old school: manners, how we behave in public, address each other.”
Gull Lake senior defenseman Evan Kares appreciates that leadership.
“He has taught me to make smart decisions,” Kares said. “He’s developed the way I think about hockey and the way I play. He’s really introduced the physical aspect for me. I’m still not there yet, but I’m working on it.”
Forward Hank Livingston, another Gull Lake senior, added, “He’s always pushing the team to be the best players and best young men we can be. He’s always trying to help everyone.”
Other Gull Lake players are Owen Anderson, Joey Blondia, Henry Ludmer, Ryan Rocco, Henry Worgess and Jacob Worgess. Players from Vicksburg are Aidyn Garza, Blaine Herson, Cody Klesko and Grant Stopher, while the two from Paw Paw are Colton Gronau and Caleb Ranger.
Kalamazoo Christian players are Isaac Riggs, Matthew Rohrer, Ryan Rohrer and Ari Wilkinson. The lone Comstock player is Brody Woolsey. Ryan Baranoski, and Carter Monette are from Plainwell and Kayden Hailey is from Parchment.
One of the downsides to coaching hockey is how player numbers are dwindling, Kalleward said.
The South Central Michigan Hockey League is down to six teams and four besides the Eagles are co-ops: the Capital City Capitals (Lansing), Eastside Stars (East Lansing), Kalamazoo United, and Portage. Mattawan is the only team that is not made up of players from multiple schools.
“That’s the sad thing about hockey,” Kalleward said. “It’s hard to grow the sport with the expense. I like to joke that (renting the ice) costs $6 a minute.”
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Kalamazoo Eagles coach JD Kalleward talks strategy with Gull Lake seniors (from left) Hank Livingston, Evan Kares and Carter Dominowski. (2) Kalleward and his Portage Northern lacrosse team receive the Matt Thrasher trophy in 2019 from then-Portage Central athletic director Joe Wallace (speaking into microphone). (3) Eagles assistant coach Ken Rogers. (4) Kalleward, standing, coaches his Eagles hockey team. (Top photo and headshot by Pam Shebest. Lacrosse and hockey game photos courtesy of JD Kalleward.)