Preview: Historic Skate Guaranteed as 5 Seek 1st Trip to Saturday Center Ice

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

March 4, 2026

All three 2025 MHSAA Finals winners will return to USA Hockey Arena this weekend intending to repeat – and, in fact, Detroit Catholic Central will be playing for a sixth-straight title.

But we also will welcome five teams that have never reached a championship game in this sport – and we’re guaranteed to see at least one take the ice Saturday in Plymouth with a championship on the line.

Utica Eisenhower, Northville, Detroit U-D Jesuit, Caledonia and Traverse Bay Reps are those five teams seeking to make the season’s final day for the first time. Eisenhower and Northville will face off in a Friday Semifinal, guaranteeing the winner also celebrates that historic achievement.

Division 1 – Friday Semifinals
#1 Detroit Catholic Central (27-1-1) vs. #4 Rockford (21-8-1), 5 p.m.
#2 Utica Eisenhower (24-6) vs. #3 Northville (22-8), 7:30 p.m.

Division 2 – Thursday Semifinals
#1 Flint Powers Catholic (25-5) vs. #4 Detroit U-D Jesuit (13-15), 5 p.m.
#2 Caledonia (21-5-1) vs. #3 Livonia Stevenson (19-9-1), 7:30 p.m.

Division 3 – Friday Semifinals
#1 Houghton (23-6-1) vs. #4 Traverse Bay Reps (16-12-1), 11 a.m.
#2 Orchard Lake St. Mary's (24-4) vs. #3 Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett (25-5), 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: 27-1-1, No. 2
Coach: Brandon Kaleniecki, 11th season (270-33-3)
League finish: First in Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League, first in Catholic High School League
Championship history: Nineteen MHSAA titles (most recent 2024), five runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 1-0 (Quarterfinal) and 4-3 over No. 1 Howell, 5-0 over No. 6 Brighton, 6-3 over Division 2 No. 1 Flint Powers Catholic, 8-4 over Division 2 No. 8 Trenton, 3-2 (OT) and 5-2 over Division 3 No. 1 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s.
Players to watch: Sean Goff, jr. F (11 goals, 13 assists); Lucas Szmagaj, jr. F (11 goals, 16 assists); Ryan Dye, sr. D (9 goals, 25 assists), Costa Karadimas, sr. F (9 goals, 18 assists).
Outlook: Detroit Catholic Central opened this season with a win over Howell and then added another in the Quarterfinal to return to this weekend. The lone loss came Nov. 19 to No. 3 Hartland, and the Shamrocks also have defeated strong opponents from Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin. Goff centers Szmagaj and Karadimas on the top line, but a second of seniors Jack Dorgan (13 goals/14 assists)-Matthew Naida (8/14)-Gabe Thompson (18/3) is similarly potent, and junior defenseman Sam Masek (10/17) has reached double-digit goals as well. Junior Nicholas Kogut (1.47 goals-against average) and senior Maxxon Sulla (0.60) have combined for 12 shutouts.

#2 UTICA EISENHOWER
Record/rank: 24-6, No. 4
Coach: David Erwin, second season (47-11)
League finish: First in Macomb Area Conference Red
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 7-1 and 10-6 over No. 10 Macomb Dakota, 4-1 over Division 2 No. 4 Byron Center, 4-2 over Division 2 No. 6 Rochester United, 4-2 over Division 2 No. 9 Mattawan, 5-2 over Division 2 No. 10 St. Clair Shores United.
Players to watch: Sawyer Hotchkiss, sr. F (20 goals, 25 assists); Bode Farr, sr. F (43 goals, 46 assists); Joseph Zelenak, sr. F (41 goals, 58 assists); Nathan Schilkey, sr. F (49 goals, 48 assists).
Outlook: Eisenhower has advanced to the Semifinals for the first time since 2006 anchored by serious scoring power especially on the top line where Farr centers Zelenak and Schilkey. Junior forward Ryan Dex (16 goals, 18 assists) is another top scorer, and junior defenseman Zach Morrison (8/21) is among blueliners adding most to the attack. Hotchkiss, Farr and senior goalie Connor Holmes (1.86 GAA) all earned all-state honorable mentions last season. The Eagles’ only loss since the start of December came to No. 7 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central.

#3 NORTHVILLE
Record/rank: 22-8, No. 5
Coach: Ryan Ossenmacher, fourth season (61-45-3)
League finish: Fourth in Kensington Lakes Activities Association West
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 3-1 over No. 6 Brighton in Regional Final, 4-3 over Division 2 No. 4 Byron Center, 3-2  over Division 3 No. 3 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 5-1 over Division 3 No. 9 South Lyon Unified.
Players to watch: Tommy Marinoff, sr. F (32 goals, 19 assists); Jordan Sziraki, sr. F (11 goals, 15 assists); Lucas Goerke, sr. F (12 goals, 16 assists); Ethan Egelski, sr. F (30 goals, 19 assists).
Outlook: Northville is returning to the Semifinals for the first time since 2017, and Ossenmacher has brought the Mustangs back after they finished just 10-15-2 in his first season four years ago. The fourth place in the KLAA West requires context; Northville finished behind No. 1 Howell, No. 3 Hartland and No. 6 Brighton and then avenged their regular-season loss to the Bulldogs in the Regional Final. Marinoff made the all-state first team last season. Senior defenseman Graham Ryba also is among team leaders in assists with 14, and junior Andrea Castiglioni (1.94 GAA) and sophomore Carter Nissen (1.72) are solid in net.

#4 ROCKFORD
Record/rank: 21-8-1, No. 8
Coach: Carl Mokosak, fourth season (51-53-1)
League finish: Second in Ottawa-Kent Conference Rue
Championship history: Division 1 runner-up 2021.
Best wins: 4-0 (Regional Final) and 4-1 over No. 7 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 5-4 (SO) over No. 5 Northville, 3-2 over Division 2 No. 3 Grandville, 5-3 over Division 2 No. 4 Byron Center.
Players to watch: Jonah Packard, sr.  F (39 goals, 22 assists); Jackson Vollmer, sr. F (17 goals, 20 assists); Brody Raguckas, sr. F (16 goals, 12 assists); Chase Laverell, jr. F (8 goals, 26 assists).
Outlook: Rockford is back at the Semifinals for the first time since its runner-up finish five years ago and after ending only 10-15 a season ago. The Rams have won 12 of their last  13 games and made the impressive jump keyed by a senior-heavy offensive effort that also includes Michael Mead (11 goals, 13 assists) and Warner Korytkowski (5/20) among team statistical leaders. Rockford has scored at least five goals in nine of those 12 most recent victories and also held both Regional opponents Sparta and Forest Hills Central scoreless. Packard earned all-state honorable mention last season.

Garrett Teahan (12) and Brendan Sise (16) lead a rush during Stevenson’s win over Livonia Red on Jan. 3.

Division 2

#1 FLINT POWERS CATHOLIC
Record/rank: 25-5, No. 1
Coach: Travis Perry, 20th season (411-123-20)
League finish: First in Saginaw Valley League
Championship history: Division 3 champion 2023 and 2025, seven runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 9-1 over No. 2 Livonia Stevenson, 6-0 over No. 7 Alpena, 3-1 over Division 1 No. 5 Northville, 8-0 over Division 3 No. 6 Escanaba.
Players to watch: Ayden Cook, sr. F (53 goals, 48 assists); Owen Perry, soph. F (34 goals, 53 assists); Parker Bendall, sr. F (22 goals, 43 assists); Hunter Clark, sr. G (1.85 GAA, 7 shutouts).
Outlook: The Chargers are seeking their second-straight title and third in four seasons backstopped by an all-state honorable mention goalie in Clark and scoring nearly seven goals per game. Seniors Gavin Vorwerk (20 goals, 19 assists) and Jack Johnson (11/13) and sophomores Sam Beebe (15/14) and Chase Stevens (10/15) also have reached double-digit goals, and junior defenseman Julian Meyer has 39 assists to go with seven goals from the blue line. Powers hasn’t given up a score during the postseason, defeating Fenton, Saginaw Heritage and Midland Dow by a combined 29-0. All five losses were to teams ranked among the top three in Division 1 or 3.

#2 CALEDONIA
Record/rank: 21-5-1, No. 5
Coach: Tyler Jaenicke, first season (21-5-1)
League finish: Second in O-K Rue
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 3-2 OT (Regional Final) and 4-2 over No. 4 Byron Center, 3-1 over No. 9 Mattawan in Regional Semifinal, 2-1 (OT) over No. 3 Grandville, 4-2 over Division 1 No. 6 Brighton, 5-0 over Division 1 No. 7 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 4-2 over Division 1 No. 8 Rockford.
Players to watch: Ty Lewandowski, sr. F (17 goals, 16 assists); Sam Hoag, sr. G (1.65 GAA); Harmon Esch, sr. F (20 goals, 17 assists); Gabe Supuk, jr. D (10 goals, 13 assists).
Outlook: Caledonia has increased its win total four straight seasons and advanced to the Semifinals to the first time with a tournament run that also included a 4-3 double-overtime victory over Muskegon Mona Shores in the Quarterfinal. The Fighting Scots started a current eight-game winning streak by edging Division 3 semifinalist Traverse Bay Reps, and along the way have avenged losses to Byron Center and Mattawan. Junior Ethan Sova (17 goals, 18 assists) centers the top line, and sophomore Bryce Mitchell (10/8) is also a top scorer. Hoag made the all-state first team last season, and Lewandowski made the second team.

#3 LIVONIA STEVENSON
Record/rank: 19-9-1, No. 2
Coach: Jay Thompson, first season (19-9-1)
League finish: First in KLAA East
Championship history: Division 2 champion 2013, three runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 4-3 (Quarterfinal) and 2-1 (SO) over No. 6 Rochester United, 4-2 over No. 9 Mattawan, 5-2 over No. 8 Trenton, 4-3 over Division 1 No. 5 Northville, 6-3 over Division 1 No. 3 Hartland, 4-3 over Division 1 No. 6 Brighton, 5-3 over Division 3 No. 3 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 3-1 over Division 3 No. 7 Riverview Gabriel Richard.
Players to watch: Colin Stroble, sr. D (14 goals, 33 assists); Dawson Wallis, sr. D (12 goals, 28 assists); Blake Calhoun, sr. F (20 goals, 17 assists); Brendan Sise, sr. F (18 goals, 30 assists).
Outlook: Stevenson won its first Regional title since 2023 and is making its first Semifinal trip since its most recent runner-up season in 2016, with Thompson leading the way after formerly serving as an assistant coach for a decade and then the last three seasons as an assistant at Northville. Stroble made the all-state first team last season and Wallis earned honorable mention, and they give the Spartans a high-powered top defense pair to go with an attack that also includes seniors Garrett Teahan (11 goals/19 assists) and Tyler Breitbach (10/8). The win over Hartland on Jan. 14 started a current 10-3-1 run.

#4 DETROIT U-D JESUIT
Record/rank: 13-15, unranked
Coach: Domenic Recchia, second season (19-36)
League finish: Fourth in MIHL South
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 4-3 (OT) over No. 8 Trenton in Quarterfinal, 3-1 over Dexter in Semifinal, 2-1 (SO) over Huron Valley United, 3-1 over Marysville.
Players to watch: Zack Barringer, sr. F (10 goals, 10 assists); Teo Mosera, jr. F (12 goals, 9 assists); Carter Gogate, sr. F (10 goals, 14 assists); Brody Contat, sr. F (8 goals, 12 assists).
Outlook: Jesuit is making its second trip to the Semifinals in four seasons, improving from 6-21 just a year ago and after starting this playoff run with a 6-3 victory over Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice. Of the team’s 14 losses, 10 came to opponents ranked in their divisions’ respective top 10s at the end of the regular season. The Cubs have only five seniors, and junior forward Will Balasia (10 goals, 5 assists) is another top scorer and centers the second line. Recchia played at Jesuit and returned as a varsity assistant in 2013 and then became junior varsity head coach before taking over the program.

Division 3

#1 HOUGHTON
Record/rank: 23-6-1, No. 2
Coach: Micah Stipech, third season (65-17-3)
League finish: Does not play in a conference.
Championship history: Class B-C-D champion 1982, five runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 4-0 (Quarterfinal) and 6-0 over No. 4 Marquette, 9-1 (Regional Final), 3-1 and 5-1 over No. 5 Calumet, 5-0 (Regional Semifinal) over Hancock, 10-5 over No. 3 Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, 4-1 and 4-1 over No. 10 Painesdale Jeffers, 6-5 (OT) over No. 7 Riverview Gabriel Richard, 5-4 over Division 2 No. 8 Trenton, 2-0 over Division 2 No. 9 Mattawan, 4-1 over Division 2 No. 3 Grandville, 5-1 over Division 1 No. 7 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 6-1 over Division 1 No. 6 Brighton, 2-1 (OT) over Division 1 No. 3 Hartland.
Players to watch: Connor Arko, sr. F (24 goals, 34 assists); Noah Maillette, sr. F (28 goals, 21 assists); Jack Sayen, sr. F (15 goals, 19 assists); Gunner Gullstrand, soph. F (13 goals, 15 assists).
Outlook: Houghton is about as tested as they come heading into this weekend, with five of the six losses also to ranked opponents and the sixth coming to rival Hancock two weeks before the Gremlins avenged to the start the postseason. Houghton last finished Division 3 runner-up in 2019 and reached the Semifinals most recently in 2023. Arko made the all-state second team last season. Gullstrand centers a second line of two more top scorers, sophomore Braden Kari (11 goals/15 assists) and junior Brody Donnelly (18/17).

#2 ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARY’S
Record/rank: 24-4, No. 1
Coach: Brian Klanow, 27th season (426-220-39)
League finish: Third in MIHL North
Championship history: Four MHSAA titles (most recent 2025), two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 3-1 over No. 9 South Lyon Unified in Regional Final, 9-1 and 5-1 over No. 7 Riverview Gabriel Richard, 5-3 over Division 1 No. 3 Hartland, 8-3 over Division 1 No. 6 Brighton, 7-4 over Division 2 No. 2 Livonia Stevenson, 7-2 over Division 2 No. 1 Flint Powers Catholic, 10-2 over Division 2 No. 8 Trenton.
Players to watch: Thaddeus Raynish, jr. F (20  goals, 13 assists); Dominic Pizzo, sr. F (20 goals, 19 assists); Diezel Cariera, sr. D (7 goals, 24 assists); Charlie Roberts, sr. F (28 goals, 23 assists).
Outlook: The reigning champion has been building toward a potential repeat, riding a 13-game winning streak with its only losses to Detroit Catholic Central (twice), Howell and Cranbrook. Roberts and Raynish have been among the team’s leading scorers multiple seasons, and Raynish made the all-state first team a year ago. Eight players this winter have scored at least 11 goals, and 13 have at least 10 assists. Senior Matthew Mourad (11 goals/16 assists)-junior Emmett Pilch (12/13)-sophomore Matthew Boyda (11/16) are a potent second line, and junior Daniel Ramos (12/16) and senior John Brown (11/16) also are double-digit scorers with sophomore Brandon Kondrat (9/17) needing one more goal to join the group.

#3 GROSSE POINTE WOODS UNIVERSITY LIGGETT
Record/rank: 25-5, No. 8
Coach: Colin Smith, fifth season (91-40-2)
League finish: Second in Metro League East, first in CHSL Cardinal Tournament
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2012).
Best wins: 2-0 over No. 3 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood in Regional Final, 3-2 (Quarterfinal), 6-3 and 4-2 over Dearborn Divine Child, 5-2 and 5-4 over Division 1 No. 10 Macomb Dakota, 5-3 over Division 2 No. 1 Flint Powers Catholic.
Players to watch: Landen Maltby, sr. C (15 goals, 11 assists); Griffin Marchal, sr. RW (29 goals, 39 assists); Luke Slanec, jr. C (18 goals, 39 assists); Nick Gould, sr. LW (43 goals, 34 assists).
Outlook: Liggett won its first Regional title since 2020 and will play at the Semifinals for the first time since its most recent championship season of 2012. The Knights advanced by winning their fourth matchup this season with Metro League East champ Divine Child, which had defeated Liggett 18 days earlier. Liggett opened this postseason with a 3-2 double-overtime win over Warren De La Salle Collegiate. Junior left wing Johnny Secco (10 goals/14 assists) and senior defenseman Ryan Cordaro (5/20) also are among top contributors to the attack.

#4 TRAVERSE BAY REPS
Record/rank: 16-12-1, unranked
Coach: Mike Matteucci, eighth season (136-72-7)
League finish: Does not play in a conference.
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 3-1 over Petoskey in Regional Final, 3-0 over Warren De La Salle Collegiate, 5-2 and 2-1 over Traverse City Central.
Players to watch: Tyler Boynton-Fisher, sr. G (1.53 GAA, 6 shutouts); Carter Denoyer, sr. F (5 goals, 20 assists); Thatcher Beaudoin, jr. F (20 goals, 7 assists); Eddie Walter, sr. F (17 goals, 16 assists).
Outlook: The Reps won their first Regional title since 2023 and will be returning to the Semifinals for the first time since 2019, and after finishing 12-15 a year ago. The impressive rise really took hold in early December, as the Reps began rebounding from a 2-6 start that included three overtime or shootout defeats. They are 10-2-1 since mid-January, that tie coming against Division 2 No. 4 Byron Center, and the Regional Final win over the Northmen avenged a regular-season loss. Boynton-Fisher earned all-state honorable mention last season, and junior Joel Ziecina (7 goals/17 assists) and sophomore Chase Kent (5/11) are the top defensive pair in front of him.

PHOTOS (Top) Houghton's Ian Hembroff (18) deflects the puck away from goalie Cooper Flachs and Marquette's Evan Mattila during the Gremlins’ Quarterfinal win Saturday. (Middle) Garrett Teahan (12) and Brendan Sise (16) lead a rush during Stevenson’s win over Livonia Red on Jan. 3. (Houghton/Marquette photo by Cara Kamps. Stevenson/Livonia Red photo by Douglas Bargerstock.)

Brighton Completes Impressive Repeat

March 10, 2018

Second Half reports

PLYMOUTH — Harrison Fleming pictured himself in this moment, throwing his gloves in the air as the final buzzer sounded, getting mobbed by teammates in a wild celebration on the ice at USA Hockey Arena.

He envisioned this even when his status on Brighton’s hockey team rarely had him in the crease on game nights.

“Honestly, I kind of did,” Fleming said. “I told myself I wanted that. I didn’t want to ride the bench any more. So, I did whatever I could to start. I’m just glad it came out that way. Hard work pays off.”

It paid off for Fleming and his Brighton teammates in the form of a fourth MHSAA Division 1 championship in the past seven seasons. The Bulldogs repeated as Division 1 champs with a 5-2 victory over Saginaw Heritage Saturday night.

Fleming started only two of Brighton’s first 16 games until starter Robert Pegrum, last year’s varsity backup, got injured. Fleming, the junior varsity goalie last season, played well enough to earn the No. 1 spot for the playoffs, even when Pegrum returned.

Fleming allowed more than two goals only once in 13 starts, a statistic that is even more impressive considering nine of those starts were against state-ranked teams.

The 6-foot-2 junior turned aside 21 of 22 shots in a 2-1 victory over top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central in the Semifinals before stopping 23 of 25 shots against seventh-ranked Heritage.

“It’s unreal, but I couldn’t have done it without all them,” Fleming said of his teammates. “They played their butts off for me. That’s all I can ask for. Great outcome.”

Fleming went 6-0 in the playoffs with a 1.20 goals-against average and a .944 save percentage.

Fleming’s first big start of the season came Jan. 30 against Hartland. The Bulldogs lost, 2-1, but he played well enough to open the eyes of the coaching staff.

That Hartland team, which is Brighton’s biggest rival in Livingston County, won the Division 2 championship eight hours earlier. The quality of hockey in the county is a source of pride.

“I played with a lot of people on the Hartland team,” Brighton defenseman Brody White said. “Jake Gallaher, (Josh) Albring. I’m happy for them, just as happy as for us.”

“I’ve got a lot of friends on that team,” Brighton defenseman Sam Brennan said.

White and Brennan are rare four-year varsity players, coming in together as freshmen in 2014-15 and leaving together with two MHSAA championships and a runner-up finish as sophomores.

“It’s amazing,” White said. “I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else, that’s for sure. It’s definitely been the best four years of my hockey career.”

Heritage did its best to dispel the notion that the Semifinal game between perennial powers Brighton and Catholic Central was the de facto championship game. After surviving a 3-2 overtime Semifinal against Traverse City West, the Hawks had plenty in the tank to push Brighton for the full 51 minutes.

“It went down right to the end,” Heritage coach J.J. Bamberger said. “After the game, for a few minutes, I reflected. For anyone who said it was a shame Brighton and C.C. weren’t playing in the championship game, I hope they watched what our boys did, because our boys played their hearts out and were in that game the entire time.”

The Hawks (22-5-3) were only the second team from Saginaw to reach an MHSAA Final. Saginaw Nouvel lost 6-0 to Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett in the 1990 Class B-C-D title game.

It was a one-goal game until Evan MacDonald poked the puck into the net while breaking up a pass in front of the Heritage goal with 5:07 left in the third period.

“He was coming up the middle,” MacDonald said. “He was going to make a pass to the guy on the stretch side. I just put my stick down and it ended up bouncing in.”

Will Jentz put his second goal of the game into an empty net with 57.7 seconds left.

“They’re a quality team,” Brighton senior Adam Conquest said of the Hawks. “We were not expecting it. We knew they had skill. We knew they could score. They had us the first two periods, but we pulled it out. It was a really good hockey game. I give them all the credit in the world.”

Brighton (24-6-1) jumped out to a 2-0 lead by the 12:22 mark of the first period on goals by Mathew Kahra and Jentz. Heritage cut the deficit to one goal on a power-play goal by David Helpap with 2:47 remaining in the period.

Following a scoreless second period, freshman Nate Przysiecki temporarily gave Brighton some breathing room by scoring with 15:49 left in the third. The Hawks kept pushing, getting back within a goal on John Michael Watson’s power-play score with 12:27 left.

Click for the full box score.

PHOTOS: (Top) Brighton players celebrate their second straight Division 1 title. (Middle) Brighton and Heritage players work for position in front of the Hawks’ net.