Hockey Team Becomes Romeo's Next Champ
March 12, 2016
By Bill Khan
Special for Second Half
PLYMOUTH — The students in the large Romeo cheering section might have been nervous.
Some of his teammates might have been getting nervous too.
Nolan Kare, however, couldn't allow himself to give in to the natural human reaction as the MHSAA Division 2 hockey championship appeared to be slipping away from the Bulldogs' grasp.
After scoring three straight goals during a frantic 5:02 stretch of the second period, a seasoned Livonia Stevenson squad held a 4-2 lead over a Romeo team that had never played on the biggest stage in Michigan high school hockey.
Kare stopped the last 11 shots he faced over the final 22 minutes and 21 seconds, backstopping Romeo to a 6-4 come-from-behind victory over Stevenson on Saturday at USA Hockey Arena.
"I know we kind of let up a little bit, but our team has so much heart," Kare said. "I know that if I just make the saves I'm supposed to make and try to rob a few that our team is going to give us the best chance to win. I know if I'm doing that, then I'm going to give them the best opportunity to put us in a position to get back."
Senior star Logan Jenuwine's tip-in goal during a five-minute power play with 10:21 left in the game snapped a 4-4 tie. Steven Morris scored an empty-net goal with 29.1 seconds left to seal the first MHSAA hockey title in the 15-year history of the Romeo program.
Suddenly, a school that had no MHSAA team championships going into the 2014-15 school year has three over the past 16 months. It began with the volleyball team winning the 2014 Class A championship and continued when the football team upset Detroit Cass Tech in the 2015 Division 1 title game at Ford Field.
"Before the game, we were saying if the football team could beat Cass Tech with 20 Division I (college) players coming up, we could beat Livonia Stevenson," Romeo senior forward Nick Blankenburg said. "Shocking the world and being part of such a great team feels incredible. To win a state championship for our school, to get those rings like our football team and volleyball team, I'll remember this my entire life."
Like the football and volleyball teams, the hockey team benefitted from a huge outpouring of support in a matchup that was witnessed by two passionate and energized fan bases.
"There's just something special about Romeo," said Kare, who finished with 29 saves and led the state with all 27 of Romeo's victories. "It's a small-town feel. You could see it out there. The entire town's out there for us. Just like football, just like volleyball, we had the whole community behind our back. We're just unbelievably blessed to have the best fan base, the best family, the best support out of anybody."
The atmosphere in which the Romeo and Stevenson players competed is one of the things that sets high school hockey apart from its competitors. Senior forward Ben Kowalske, who played in three MHSAA Finals for the Spartans, said neighbors will stop him and congratulate him on how the team is performing. Kowalske is the lone holdover from Stevenson's 2013 MHSAA Division 2 championship team and is a member of the MHSAA's Student Advisory Council.
"Being on the Council, you learn ideas and what other schools do," Kowalske said. "It's really amazing people are so interested in what we're doing. To have everyone come out to the game really means the world and really means a lot to us that we're doing something right here. You saw Romeo, too. They had the city support. It's cool. You try not to let it distract you during the game, but now that it's over, it's cool. It wasn't the outcome we wanted, but we did the best we could. It's really cool the community could come together over something and just forget about the world for a couple hours and just have fun."
A defensive battle that was tied 1-1 for the first 23 minutes changed in a hurry as the second period neared its midway point.
Romeo (27-2-1) grabbed a 2-1 lead at 6:18 of the second period on a goal by Jenuwine, but that only served to wake up the Spartans.
As Jenuwine's goal was being announced, Nick Beers scored the equalizer for the Spartans just 19 seconds later. Stevenson took its first lead 44 seconds later on a goal by Shane Leonard. Riding the crest of that momentum, the Spartans built their lead to 4-2 at the 11:39 mark on a goal by Nate Sudek.
With the game possibly slipping away, Romeo coach Nick Badder called what proved to be a critical timeout.
"We were down, they had all the momentum," Badder said. "I was telling (Adam) Krefski and the other assistants, 'Right now, they have all the momentum. We're on our heels, and we felt it. We calmed down the boys. Once they calmed down and realized it was shift by shift, we kind of took over."
Romeo got right back into the game before the second period ended, getting within 4-3 on Brett Lanski's second goal of the game with 2:34 left in the period and tying it when Luke Kaczor tipped in a shot from the point by Logan Ganfield with 1:30 to go in the period. Between the teams, six goals were scored during a 9:13 span.
Romeo was presented with a golden opportunity to break the tie when a Stevenson player received a five-minute major and game disqualification at 4:38 of the third period.
A power play that featured the highest-scoring player in the state wasn't going to miss over the course of five minutes. Jenuwine, who had 46 goals and 50 assists this season, scored what proved to be the game-winner at the 5:39 mark when he redirected a shot from the right point by Ganfield.
"It was going wide," said Jenuwine, who had two goals and three assists. "That's what I've been trying to work on mostly is get to the front of the net. I'm not really a guy to get to the front of the net; I did. It was a good shot by Logan Ganfield, and I got a tip on it."
Stevenson coach David Mitchell didn't blame the penalty for the loss.
"To say it turned there, it turned because they capitalized," Mitchell said. "They still had to capitalize, so you give them credit for capitalizing. We still had multiple chances to score and they had multiple chances to score. As a coach, it's so tough to explain to a bunch of 15-, 16-, 17-year-old kids that it's not one moment, it's an entire game. There were 51 minutes that were played out there where multiple other things happened."
Stevenson (22-7-1) had three offensive-zone face-offs in the final 1:25, but couldn't generate a scoring threat.
There might have been another had Morris' shot from inside his own blue line missed the target, but he found the center of the net for the game-clinching empty-netter with 29.1 seconds to go. For good measure, Morris blocked a shot in the final seconds.
Before Saturday, the Bulldogs' only playoff run beyond the Regionals came last season when they lost 8-2 to Grosse Pointe South in the MHSAA Quarterfinals.
"Last year's loss in the playoffs hurt," Badder said. "Grosse Pointe South took it to us; they kind of owned us. We didn't have a playoff game plan; we didn't have a playoff style last year. This year, I was so hard on these guys. We lost two games, and I was still, 'Guys, we're not doing this right, we're not doing that right.' They're like, 'Coach, we just won 6-1.' I was trying to get a point across to them that you've got to be a playoff team. You have to hit. You've got to block shots. You've got to get the puck in your own end. It's not the high-flying (Blankenburg) and (Jenuwine) show. We're a team, and the team will win in the end."
PHOTOS: (Top) Romeo players raise their first MHSAA championship trophy to the crowd after Saturday’s Division 2 Final. (Middle) Romeo’s Steven Morris (36) and Stevenson’s Sam Judd work to gain possession of the puck. (Click for more from Andrew Knapik.)
Preview: Top-Ranked Earn Top Seeds as Title Chase Enters Final Rounds
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 6, 2025
We know the favorites for this weekend’s MHSAA Ice Hockey Finals at Plymouth’s USA Hockey Arena – the final four teams in each division are seeded, and the three top-seeded teams also happen to be the three that were ranked No. 1 in their respective divisions at the end of the regular season.
Judging by their achievements this winter, that top-ranked trio be tough to stop. But there are nine more contenders eager for the opportunity.
In Division 1, Detroit Catholic Central has won 18 championships and will face a field of three teams all seeking to claim their first title.
In Division 2, Flint Powers Catholic is seeking its second in three seasons, but is up against a group that has combined to win eight titles and finish runner-up five times.
And in Division 3, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s will play for a first championship since 2008. But Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood is back after winning its 19th last year, and Painesdale Jeffers is seeking its first and Alpena its first in more than three decades.
Division 1 – Friday Semifinals
#1 Detroit Catholic Central (26-2) vs. #4 Sparta (17-11), 5 p.m.
#2 Howell (23-3-2) vs. #3 Salem (16-12), 7:30 p.m.
Division 2 – Thursday Semifinals
#1 Flint Powers Catholic (23-4) vs. #4 Grandville (23-6), 5 p.m.
#2 Livonia Stevenson (17-8-2) vs. #3 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (16-10-2), 7:30 p.m.
Division 3 – Friday Semifinals
#1 Orchard Lake St. Mary's (21-5-2) vs. #4 Alpena (19-9), 11 a.m.
#2 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood (18-8-1) vs. #3 Painesdale Jeffers (24-4), 1:30 p.m.
Saturday – Finals
Division 1 – 7 p.m.
Division 2 – 11 a.m.
Division 3 – 3 p.m.
All Semifinals and Finals will be streamed live on MHSAA.tv and viewable with subscription. For information on tickets and more, go to the Ice Hockey page – and see below for a glance at all 12 contenders, listed by seed.
Division 1
#1 DETROIT CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Record/rank: 26-2, No. 1
Coach: Brandon Kaleniecki, 10th season (243-32-2)
League finish: First in Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League White, first in Catholic High School League Bishop
Championship history: Eighteen MHSAA titles (most recent 2024), five runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 2-1 (OT) over No. 2 Hartland in Regional Final, 4-1 over No. 4 No. 4 Clarkston, 4-1 over No. 5 Brighton, 4-1 over Division 2 No. 4 Livonia Stevenson, 4-3 over Division 2 No. 2 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, 3-2 (OT) over Division 3 No. 5 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 5-2 over Division 3 No. 1 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s.
Players to watch: Justin Bloink, sr. D (13 goals, 18 assists), Resse Hemme, sr. F (13 goals, 18 assists), Tyler O’Brien, sr. F (14 goals, 15 assists), Joe Bedells, sr. G (1.76 goals-against average).
Outlook: The Shamrocks have won five straight Division 1 championships and have had only a handful of close calls this season, with their losses to Division 3 No. 4 Warren De La Salle Collegiate 5-4 in overtime on Feb. 12 and 6-3 to Lake Forest Academy of Illinois on Jan. 25. Total six players have at least 20 points this season, with senior defenseman Sam Wolak (7 goals/18 assists) and senior forwards Peter Sanin (9/14) and Nino Suhy (11/11) also in that mix and junior forwards Jack Dorgan (10 goals) and Gabe Thompson (11) also among lead scorers.
#2 HOWELL
Record/rank: 23-3-2, No. 3
Coach: Keith Robertson, first season (23-3-2)
League finish: Second in Kensington Lakes Activities Association West
Championship history: Division 1 runners-up 2010 and 2009.
Best wins: 2-1 (Quarterfinal) and 3-2 over No. 4 Clarkston, 2-1 over No. 5 Brighton, 3-2 over No. 8 Northville, 3-2 over No. 9 Novi, 3-2 (OT) over No. 7 Lakes United, 4-2 over Division 2 No. 1 Flint Powers Catholic, 3-2 over Division 2 No. 4 Livonia Stevenson, 3-1 over Division 2 No. 5 Grandville, 8-0 over Division 2 No. 6 Byron Center, 4-2 over Division 3 No. 2 Houghton, 2-1 over Division 3 No. 5 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood.
Players to watch: Ben Huotari, sr. F (15 goals, 10 assists); Chad Pietila, jr. D (16 goals, 19 assists); Rory Sturos, sr. F (15 goals, 27 assists); Henry Lansky, sr. G (1.38 goals-against average, six shutouts).
Outlook: Howell last reached the Semifinals in 2020, but could not play because COVID-19 resulted in the end of that tournament before that round began. So the Highlanders instead will play in their first Semifinal since 2010, and they’ve made this run in their first season under Robertson, who served last season as an assistant after previously assisting Livonia Stevenson for a decade. Pietila made the all-state first team last season, and Huotari made second team. Juniors forwards Bryce Eskola (10 goals, 13 assists) and Marco Wolf (10/20) also are among leading scorers. Howell’s only losses were to Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice both in shootouts, and Semifinal opponent Salem on Nov. 20.
#3 SALEM
Record/rank: 16-12, No. 6
Coach: Jake Sealy, third season (41-40-2)
League finish: Tied for second in KLAA East
Championship history: Has never appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 7-4 (Quarterfinal) and 4-1 over No. 5 Brighton, 10-4 over No. 9 Novi, 4-2 over No. 3 Howell, 2-1 over Division 2 No. 3 Trenton, 7-4 over Division 2 No. 5 Grandville, 4-3 over Division 3 No. 5 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood.
Players to watch: Dominic Chaput, sr. F (34 goals, 35 assists); Nolan Kaminski, sr. F (35 goals, 32 assists); Cameron Eichner, sr. D (6 goals, 30 assists); Karsen Patel, sr. F (19 goals, 43 assists).
Outlook: Salem won its sixth Regional title over the last 11 seasons and has broken through for its first trip to the Semifinals. The Rocks have won nine of their last 11 games, and the most recent Brighton victory to reach this weekend avenged a loss to the Bulldogs in Salem’s regular-season finale. Chaput made the all-state second team last season and is part of a powerful top line with Kaminski and Patel. Sophomore Andrew Weidenbach provides a scoring boost as well centering the second line, with eight goals and 14 assists this season.
#4 SPARTA
Record/rank: 17-11, unranked
Coach: Kevin Bormes, second season
League finish: First in River Cities Alliance
Championship history: Has never appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 5-2 (Quarterfinal) and 2-0 over Richland Gull Lake, 2-1 (2OT) over Muskegon Mona Shores in Regional Final, 2-1 over Midland Dow, 4-3 (OT) over Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, 6-4 over Division 3 No. 8 Alpena.
Players to watch: Tanner Guerra, sr. F (14 goals, 13 assists); Trevor Serba, jr. F (17 goals, 11 assists); Caden Gleason, sr. F (28 goals, 19 assists); Trevor Vance, sr. G (2.40 goals-against average).
Outlook: Sparta is making its first trip to the Semifinals with seven wins over its last 10 games and two of the losses during that time coming in overtime. Among all their defeats this season, seven were one-goal games. Seniors dominate the top two defensive pairings and forward lines with 12 total on the roster. Gleason and Vance both made the all-state second team last season, when Sparta finished 23-4 in its first under Bormes. Junior Carson Riley (12 goals/10 assists) centers the top line.
Division 2
#1 FLINT POWERS CATHOLIC
Record/rank: 23-4, No. 1
Coach: Travis Perry, 19th season (384-117-20)
League finish: First in Saginaw Valley League
Championship history: Division 3 champion 2023, seven runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 5-4 (OT) over No. 7 Marquette in Quarterfinal, 5-1 over No. 6 Byron Center, 4-1 (Regional Final) and 8-2 over No. 10 White Lake Lakeland, 4-3 (OT) over Division 1 No. 4 Clarkston, 4-3 over Division 3 No. 1 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, 4-3 over Division 3 No. 2 Houghton, 2-1 over Division 3 No. 7 Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, 5-1 over Division 3 No. 8 Alpena, 5-2 over Division 3 No. 3 East Grand Rapids.
Players to watch: Ayden Cook, jr. F (37 goals, 33 assists); Andrew Parmentier, sr. F (12 goals, 36 assists); Owen Perry, fr. F (25 goals, 37 assists); Andrew Burney, sr. F (22 goals, 20 assists).
Outlook: The Chargers came back from a 4-1 deficit in their Quarterfinal to get past Marquette and continue their pursuit of a second championship in three seasons. Their only losses were to the top three-ranked teams in Division 1 – Detroit Catholic Central, Hartland and Howell – and Sault Ste. Marie in overtime. Powers is scoring an average of 5.6 goals per game, with junior forward Parker Bendall (10 goals/32 assists) and senior forward Landon Miller (11/12) also in double digits. Meanwhile, junior Hunter Clark is giving up only 2.2 goals per game in goal. Cook made the all-state second team last season, and Parmentier earned an honorable mention.
#2 LIVONIA STEVENSON
Record/rank: 17-8-2, No. 4
Coach: David Mitchell, 17th season (318-117-22)
League finish: Second in KLAA East
Championship history: Division 2 champion 2013, two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 6-3 over No. 3 Trenton, 6-5 over No. 8 Mattawan, 7-2 over Division 1 No. 8 Northville, 7-3 over Division 1 No. 6 Salem, 8-4 over Division 1 No. 9 Novi, 4-2 over Division 1 No. 5 Brighton, 6-5 (OT) over Division 1 No. 10 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 3-1 over Division 3 No. 2 Houghton.
Players to watch: Owen Hall, sr. F (24 goals, 30 assists); Colin Stroble, jr. D (11 goals, 26 assists); Christian Lang, sr. F (13 goals, 26 assists); Connor Buchanan, sr. F (19 goals, 23 assists).
Outlook: A frequent Regional champion over the last decade, Stevenson will play in its first Semifinal since its most recent runner-up season of 2015-16. The Spartans opened this winter 10-1-1, hit a rough patch but have won four of their last five games. They also have tied with Howell and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and played most of the ranked teams in Division 1. Hall made the all-state first team last season, and Stroble made the second team. Junior Dawson Wallis (9 goals/19 assists) joins Stroble for the top defense pairing in front of senior goalie Lucas Rorabacher (2.89 goals-against average).
#3 BLOOMFIELD HILLS BROTHER RICE
Record/rank: 16-10-2, No. 2
Coach: Kenny Chaput, ninth season (152-74-12)
League finish: Second in MIHL White
Championship history: Seven MHSAA titles (most recent 2023), two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 4-2 over No. 3 Trenton in Quarterfinal, 3-2 (OT) over Division 1 No. 4 Clarkston, 4-2 over Division 1 No. 6 Salem, 3-2 (SO) over Division 1 No. 3 Howell, 5-1 over Division 3 No. 2 Houghton, 4-1 over Division 3 No. 5 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood.
Players to watch: Roman Villaire, sr. F (17 goals, 26 assists); Cameron George, sr. D (3 goals, 18 assists), Zac Staelgraeve, jr. F (15 goals, 15 assists); Logan Jardine, jr. F (14 goals, 11 assists).
Outlook: After a rough start, Brother Rice is 13-4-1 since its final game of December and while playing a schedule also loaded with several of the state’s best. The Warriors are seeking their fourth championship under Chaput and third over the last five seasons. Villaire made the all-state first team last season, and George earned an honorable mention. Senior forward Lanny Eickhorst (11 goals/15 assists) and sophomore forward Isaiah House (13/13) also have reached double-digit goals, and junior Mark Besedin (2.30 goals-against average) and senior Jude Manly (2.00) have split time in net.
#4 GRANDVILLE
Record/rank: 23-6, No. 5
Coach: Joel Breazeale, 14th season (230-146-12)
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Fischer
Championship history: Division 1 runner-up 2015.
Best wins: 2-1 (Regional Final) and 2-1 (OT) over No. 6 Byron Center, 1-0 over No. 8 Mattawan in Regional Semifinal, 6-3 over Division 1 No. 8 Northville, 2-1 over Division 1 No. 10 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 6-4 over Division 3 No. 6 Painesdale Jeffers.
Players to watch: Landon Smith, jr. F (23 goals, 24 assists); Lewis Gardine, soph. D (15 goals, 10 assists); Mason Schroeder, sr. F (16 goals, 18 assists); Owen Barrett, sr. F (11 goals, 22 assists).
Outlook: Grandville last reached the Semifinals in 2022 and rebounded from last year’s 10-16-1 finish with seven straight wins to start this season and 10 over 12 games heading into this weekend. The Bulldogs have given up just one goal with three shutouts during the playoffs, with junior Ayden Karas holding down a 1.93 goals-against average for the season. Senior forward Bennett Eisma (13 goals/26 assists) and junior forward Luke Deboer (10/18) are among other leading scorers. Smith made the all-state second team last season.
Division 3
#1 ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARY’S
Record/rank: 21-5-2, No. 1
Coach: Brian Klanow, 26th season (402-214-39)
League finish: First in MIHL Gold
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2008), two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 5-1 over No. 3 East Grand Rapids in Quarterfinal, 5-3, 3-2 and 5-3 over No. 4 Warren De La Salle Collegiate; 4-3 over No. 2 Houghton, 3-1 and 3-2 (OT) over Division 2 No. 2 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, 2-0 and 6-4 over Division 2 No. 7 Marquette, 3-2 (OT) over Division 2 No. 3 Trenton, 2-1 (SO) over Division 1 No. 3 Howell, 4-2 over Division 1 No. 2 Hartland.
Players to watch: Charlie Roberts, jr. F (19 goals, 16 assists); Jack Squire, sr. D (11 goals, 16 assists); Adam Zielinski, sr. F (13 goals, 18 assists); Thad Raynish, soph. F (25 goals, 15 assists).
Outlook: This will be St. Mary’s first trip to the Semifinals since 2012, with its most recent runner-up finish in 2011. They’ve won eight of their last nine games, and their losses have come to Division 1 top-ranked DCC, Division 2 top-ranked Powers, twice to Cranbrook and most recently to Sault Ste. Marie. Senior forward Julian Johnston adds another seven goals and a team-high 27 assists centering the top line, and total 11 players have double-digit assists. Seniors Will Keane (2.23 GAA) and Mason Shea (1.97) have split time in goal with plenty of success.
#2 BLOOMFIELD HILLS CRANBROOK KINGSWOOD
Record/rank: 18-8-1, No. 5
Coach: John LaFontaine, sixth season (81-61-10)
League finish: Second in MIHL Blue
Championship history: 19 MHSAA titles (most recent 2021), two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 1-0 (Regional Final) and 3-0 over No. 4 Warren De La Salle Collegiate, 6-2 and 4-3 over No.1 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, 6-2 over Division 1 No. 8 Northville, 2-0 over Division 2 No. 7 Marquette.
Players to watch: Nick Timko, sr. F (19 goals, 20 assists); Efe Oztorun, jr. F (14 goals, 12 assists); Hank Callison, sr. F (11 goals, 10 assists); Caleb Goldstein, sr. F (6 goals, 10 assists).
Outlook: Cranbrook rose from the fourth seed last season to win its first championship since 2021, and Timko made the all-state second team after helping lead that effort. The Cranes have won 11 of their last 13 games, and in addition to defeating St. Mary’s twice took Detroit Catholic Central to overtime in their first of two meetings. All but one loss this season came to opponents ranked among the top 10 in Divisions 1 or 2. Junior defenseman Noah Puyot and junior forward Will Nottle both also have tallied 10 assists this season.
#3 PAINESDALE JEFFERS
Record/rank: 24-4, No. 6
Coach: Aaron Helminen, second season (38-14-1)
League finish: Tied for first in Great Lakes Hockey Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 5-1 (Regional Final) and 5-1 over No. 2 Houghton, 4-1 (Regional Semifinal) and 6-2 over No. 10 Calumet, 3-2 and 4-2 over No. 9 Escanaba, 6-5 (OT) over Division 2 No. 7 Marquette.
Players to watch: Brit Heinonen, sr. LW (46 goals, 28 assists), Benton Rajala, sr. C (32 goals, 32 assists), Brogan Turner, jr. LW (32 goals, 26 assists), Cody Turner, sr. C (17 goals, 27 assists).
Outlook: Usually a cooperative with players from a handful of schools, the Jets are 18 strong and all from their school – and have played that strength and depth to a 10-win improvement from last season and first Regional title and Semifinals trip since 1977. Jeffers has scored five or more goals in 18 games and averages nearly six per game. Freshman right wing Max Nordstrom (8 goals, 23 assists), freshman defenseman Blake Heltunen (1/22), senior defenseman Griffin Heinonen (6/14) and junior right wing Easton Therrian (9/19) are among others dishing out plenty of assists. Junior goalie Kasen Helminen has given up only 1.76 goals per game.
#4 ALPENA
Record/rank: 19-9, No. 8
Coach: Ben Henry, fourth season (74-36)
League finish: First in Big North Conference
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 1993), two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 5-2 over Petoskey in Quarterfinal, 5-4 over No. 10 Calumet, 4-3 (OT) over No. 6 Painesdale Jeffers, 4-2 over Division 2 No. 9 Caledonia.
Players to watch: Garrett Hamp, sr. F (26 goals, 18 assists); Clark Weir, jr. F (17 goals, 8 assists); Gavin Winterstein, jr. F (20 goals, 25 assists); Trevor Worth, soph. F (9 goals, 14 assists).
Outlook: Alpena last made the Semifinals in 2007, but has won Regional titles all four seasons under Henry and will make this trip coming off what had to be one of its most satisfying wins of the season – although the Wildcats had won the Big North Conference, they were swept by runner-up Petoskey during the regular season but defeated the Northmen in their third meeting to advance. All of the other in-state losses were to teams ranked in Divisions 1 or 2 or playing in Plymouth this weekend. Sophomore defenseman Ethan Walker (4 goals/15 assists) and senior forward Lucas Weir (5/11) are among other top offensive contributors for a team that will graduate only five players.
PHOTOS (Top) Orchard Lake St. Mary's and Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice face off during their Pink in the Rink game Feb. 8. (Middle) Painesdale Jeffers celebrates during its Quarterfinal win over Sault Ste. Marie. (St. Mary's/Brother Rice photo by Hockey Weekly Action Photos. Jeffers photo by RR Photo.)