Boys’ high school previews

Get ready for another high school hockey season with our comprehensive preview coverage.

North Farmington/Harrison
Coach Ken Anderson says that the Flyers greatest strength this season will be their tenacious approach when pursuing the puck. Key players include forwards Derek Reid, Jared VanValkenburg, Kyle Wood, Eric Stanis and Jake Ladouceur, defensemen Reede Burnette, Justin Brereton, Shane Moran, and Steven Coulter. Goaltender Keith Ladouceur will be the anchor in goal. Responsibility in their own end will be what decides the fate of their season, according to Anderson.

Lakeland
The Eagles return 10 players to the roster this season, which means solid depth on the blue line and in goal. Senior captain Bobby Shumacher leads the defense, along with seniors Joey Lepkowski and Ryan Biondo. Seniors Tyler Mesclier and Colin Johnson are versatile two-way players that makes coach Tim Ronayne’s job just a little bit easier. Goaltender Mitch Leist, a senior captain and three-year letter winner, will split time with junior Trevor Kalinowski. Senior Anthony Kobak, another captain, leads up front with his brother Nick Kobak and fellow senior Kevin Lechner. There are three Kobaks on the Eagles’ roster – the triplet set of Anthony, Nick, and Tom. “Our expectations are pretty simple – play hard and have fun, play harder and have more fun,” Ronayne said. “My belief is that when athletes are working their hardest and giving an honest effort they are having fun out there. We expect to be right in the mix this year in our division and anticipate a successful season.”

Birmingham Unified
Birmingham’s head coach, John Weidenbach, says that he is very confident in his team due to roster-wide speed and experience. Weidenbach will be counting on senior forward Mike Ryan to lead his team up front, and senior defenseman John Quay to direct the defensive unit. This unified squad is working on improving their team defense as they prepare for conference play.

Traverse City Central
Traverse City Central will be leaning on their veteran core for the 2011-12 season. Coach Chris Givens says his team will led by goaltender Bill Vermetten, forward Cooper Macdonell, and defenseman Lucas Little. The Trojans’ biggest challenge will be getting their first-year players ready for their speed and physicality of high school hockey.

Walled Lake Northern
Coach Claude Tunison didn’t want to list who his top players were going to be this year, saying that he will have plenty who will contribute in all areas of the game. Tunison is pleased with the chemistry the Knights formed during the off-season by their core group of returnees. Northern’s coach says his team needs to keep “sharp focus and intensity for 24-plus games” if they’re going to succeed.

Goodrich
The Martians head into the season already shorthanded. Goodrich’s roster features only 12 players – coach John Hart lost 11 players from last year’s team, six to graduation, four who are pursuing other interests, and one who moved. A balanced roster – three players from each grade – will need to focus on conserving energy during a lengthy season. Hart says his team needs to “play a smarter game of hockey, use our minds to control the things we can, and conditioning for the things we can’t control.”

L’Anse Creuse
Coach Wayne Tollon doesn’t expect his team to score as many goals as last season, which means they need to play more disciplined. “Last year we scored a lot of goals, gave up a lot of goals, and picked up a fair amount of penalties. We don’t look to score as many as we did last year, but we also don’t plan on giving up so many, as we are focusing on team and individual discipline.” L’Anse Creuse’s top players include Gary Hardy, Hunter Willette, Luke Thomas, Garret Filips, and Brett Blum.

Allen Park Cabrini
Coach Bill Alvis says his team will be counting on his seniors – Dominic Nichols, Christian Belan, and Luke Brithinee – to lead a young roster that includes 11 sophomores. Jacob Mackie and Mark Broshear will log plenty of minutes on the blue line.  Senior goaltender Megan Syer and sophomore Brett Kates will push one another for the starting spot in goal.

Grosse Pointe South
Coach James Bufalino says his confidence in his team this year rests with the depth and experience he has throughout his four forward lines. His senior captains – Wes Cimmarrusti, Cam Gibson, and Nolan Monforton – along with senior goaltender C.J. Schebil will be expected to lead a Blue Devils squad with little experience on the blue line. A difficult regular-season schedule should prepare them for a strong playoff run.

Trenton
Trenton, along with Wyandotte-Roosevelt, will play in the Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League for the first time this fall. Goaltender Blake Wojtala, defenseman Cory Dunn, and forwards Mike Lesko and Cory Seychel will lead the Trojans. Coach Mike Turner says that defense and goaltending are the two strongest aspects of his squad this year, and that they will need to improve on finding the back of the net for a successful season.

Berkley-Ferndale
Coach Jeff Fleming said that his squad, comprised of the Berkley Bears and Ferndale Eagles, has solid chemistry and veteran leadership heading into the season. Fleming also said that his senior class would be the difference between a successful and disappointing season for the unified squad. The team will work on bringing their younger players up to speed quickly.

Allen Park
Allen Park will be working with a young roster this season. Coach Barry Goudy has six seniors, seven juniors, and seven sophomores on the roster. Ten of the 20 players on the roster are coming from travel hockey, with no high school experience, yet Goudy expects a positive transition because of solid team speed, and a big, strong defensive unit.

Airport
The first-year program at Airport High School isn’t hurting for leaders, according to coach Tim Ames. “We have excellent upperclassmen leadership on this team. Every game and every practice our team comes ready to learn and play.  It should be an exciting season.” Senior captains Steven Warren and CJ Hightower, along with sophomore captain Ryan Eyler lead the Jets, while senior TJ Petit is expected to have a strong season offensively. Airport will continue to build their defensive structure throughout their season, which will be crucial to their success.

Manistee
The Chippewas will be led by returning all-state honorees in senior forward Sam Lipps and junior goaltender Austin Wilson. Senior Jordan Truxton is expected to lead the defense, along with Sophmore Jake Kacynski and Junior Luke Johnson. Junior forward Keegan Nowaczyk and senior Jake Thompson will lead new players Kienan Kowalski, Yari Lynch, Chad Morang, Nick Weber, Mason Fisher and returning senior Alex Nelson up front.  Coach Jon Raatz expects his veteran leadership and the team’s work ethic to lead them through the season.

Woodhaven
Coach Bryan Sullivan says that Woodhaven’s team speed and depth at forward, along with stellar goaltending from all-state honoree Chris Kirk, should lead to another successful season for the Warriors. Learning how to play in their own zone, however, is something they need to work on, according to the coach. Forwards Joe Taurence, Tyler Thimmes and Frank Rossetti lead up front, while Matt Forgette and Mike Perry take care of the defense for the Warriors.

DeWitt-St. Johns
Assistant coach Craig Peterson says this is the deepest team DSJ has ever had with eight returning forwards and four upper-class defensemen. Junior Troy Wilson (last season’s leading scorer), and seniors Troy Schott and Justyn McNett lead up front, while senior Adam Frechen anchors the defense. Peterson says the season’s outcome will be decided by whether his talented roster plays together as one unit.

Muskegon Reeths-Puffer
The Rockets, which is now a co-op along with North Muskegon, Muskegon Catholic, and Montague, features a wealth of depth at their forward positions. Senior forwards Kameron Fowler, Connor Seymour, John Snider and Keith Robbins, along with junior forward Dean Griffin, lead the forward group. Juniors Brenden Alderink and Casey Trautner lead on defense. Coach Eric Sikkenga said his aggressive forwards and defensemen need to make sure they play as a five-man unit, and that they keep their composure during their first season in Division 1.

Avondale
Coach Karl Daiek says that some incoming upperclassmen could be the most important players for the Yellow Jackets this season. Senior Matt Andrus and junior Jordan Edwards are expected to make a quick impact. Meanwhile, junior Craig Zimmerman will be moving to the blue line after playing forward last season. Senior leadership from Connor Traskal, Kris Stein, Justin Przytakoski, Blake Blomberg, Steven Carter, Alex Poston and Joe Spurlin should motivate the rest of the Yellow Jackets.

Notre Dame Prep
Notre Dame Prep returns nine players from last year’s squad. Coach Bob Rosbury expects his senior captain, DJ Pagnucco, to lead the way both on defense and in the locker room. Pagnucco will be teaching 10 sophomores how to compete at the high school level. Two newcomers – senior Luke Moriguchi and sophomore Jacob Conroy – will man the crease for the Fighting Irish.

Dexter
Dexter coach Brian Sipotz says opposing teams are going to have plenty of trouble scoring on the Dreadnaughts this season, due to their depth on defense. Their depth on offense, however, is what the Dexter coaching staff will be trying to improve upon throughout the season. Their key players include forwards Jake Waldrup and Ian Wiesenberg, and defensemen Andrew Gibson, Tucker Brust and Ben Finn.

Rockford
Rams coach Ed Van Portfliet says his team has great depth, as they return 11 players who held important roles with last year’s squad. Rockford will once again rely on junior goaltenders Todd Millar and Jake Rekucki to split time between the pipes. A 1-0 playoff loss to Traverse City West last year reminds the squad that they need to work on generating offense this season.

Marysville
Plenty of experience at forward and solid goaltending from Michael Gaffney and Anthony Benvenuti mean that the Vikings can focus on team defense to start their season. Coach Paul Moretz said his other key players include Dom Creck, Kyle Hyde, Bryan Mertz, and BJ Kolcz.

Grosse Point North
Coach Scott Lock was vague when asked what his team needs to work on. “We will need to improve on everything to compete each night in our league, but the few things of focus are to be on our structure and learn to have the passion to win each and every time we step on the ice.” However, Lock is confident that his returning core will help the younger members of the Flyers adjust to their systems and structures.

South Lyon
The unified squad – players from South Lyon East and South Lyon High – will have a new look, and a very deep roster. Coach Bill McCreary has 13 seniors, 11 of which are returning from last year. That means some high expectations. Our anticipations are high, our goal remains the State Championship; our leadership within the locker room will determine our success.” South Lyon’s speed and energy will make them a tough team to compete against.

Warren De La Salle
Coach Dan Barry points out that playing against the best teams in the state will make his team better every season. This year, he’ll be counting on key players like Brian Feldpausch, Carson Hibner, Tom Peck, Alex Jaeckle, Kevin Smith, Sean Barry, Rob Maxey, Zach Timmerman and Anthony Heppler. Newcomers Matt Taylor, Patrick Giles, and Jack Aliotta will add to a talented roster.

Novi
Last season, the Wildcats (pictured above) captured the Division 1 state championship at Compuware Ice Arena, just down the street from their school. This year, they should still be contenders. Coach Todd Krygier says his team’s greatest strength is the experience from last season, and the work ethic to continue to succeed. To reach last year’s success, Krygier wants his team to improve on their tempo and their puck movement.

Plymouth
“The biggest challenge for our team is understanding that we have to come to play and compete at every practice and game,” says coach Gerry Vento. “The league we play in, the KLAA, is highly competitive and it does not allow a team to take a night off.” Vento will be looking for Zach Gambrell, Matt Goertz, Sean Smitacz, Cody Staub and Dean Gunther to lead the way this season.

Cranbrook
“I think that we will be competitive, both in our league (MIHL) and in our division,” says coach Andy Weidenbach. “As usual, we will stress defense and use speed to our advantage on offense.  We won’t be in many shootouts, so we will need to play well in our defensive zone.  As the season progresses, we will need our offense to become more productive and the goalkeeper position to develop into one of our strengths.” Cranbrook’s key players include senior captains Cameron Heath, Ethan Weiss and Blake Manginell, along with senior goaltenders Justin Kirk and Aaron Alkema.

Flint Powers Catholic
“I think the greatest strength for us this season is that we have a large number of players with experience (15), compared to only six last year when we finished 18-8-1 and lost in the quarterfinals,” says coach Travis Perry. It’s his team’s last year in the Big Nine Conference before it combines with the Saginaw Valley League, and to go out with a bang, their coach says team defense will be the key.

Portage Central
Coach Brian Bellware is taking over the Portage Central squad, which means a season of transition with new systems and styles for the players to learn. However, with a stable of three capable goaltenders – senior Tyler Gordon, junior Isaac Nystrom, and freshman Colin Campbell – Bellware is confident that his team will be very competitive. He expects big seasons for seniors Brandon Vitale, Tyler Gordon and Justin Renda, along with juniors Matt Schuen and Andrew Carr.

Bishop Foley
“Our greatest strength of our team this season will be that we have 10 returning players from last season,” says coach David Williamson. “The Foley Unified Warriors are a little older and much more experienced at all positions.  With the mix of new players and a strong work ethic, we have the talent at every position to compete. The expectations are much higher, as they should be.“ Williamson will be pushing his team to take advantage of turnovers this season.

Livonia Franklin
“Franklin could surprise a lot of teams this year,” says coach Scott Wirgau. “Most years Franklin starts out hoping to do well – this year we expect it.” The Patriots coach will be counting on big seasons out of the returning Danny Donahue and Brian Roulier, along with newcomers CJ Cromie and Tyler Hewitt. Wirgau credits the hard work, determination, and cooperation he has gotten out of his team this season as their greatest strengths.

Rochester United
“Our greatest strength this year will be that we have balance throughout our lineup,” says coach Craig Staskowski. “Most nights we won’t have an issue using all of our lines and defense pairings.” The unified squad will rely on key players like seniors Anthony Facca, Adam Boike and Matt Bowery, and juniors Tony Nassar, Aaron Sulesky and Joe Marino. Finding scoring is Staskowski’s main concern at this point in the season.

Big Rapids
Coach Tim Blashill says this year’s Big Rapids squad may be his most experienced yet. “I think our greatest strength will be our experience and overall upper class leadership. With 14 seniors and juniors, this is one of the most experienced teams we’ve had in my tenure.  Our ‘D’ corps consists of two seniors and four juniors, so I’m very confident with that group.” Key returning players for the Cardinals include senior forwards Derrick Defever and Grayson Barbot, senior defenseman Patrick Langenberg, and incoming sophomore forward Mitchell Hawes.

University of Detroit Jesuit
Coach Rick Bennetts says that his team’s youth is their greatest strength, yet their biggest challenge at the same time. As the roster matures, Bennetts will be counting on seniors Erik Rust, Matt Griffin, Pat Suchy, Sam Parise and John Lauro.  Juniors Craig Pefley, Zak Harrison, Chris Morgan and Joe Zelinski, along with sophomore Griffin McCarty, should also help the Cubs quest to make up for the scoring they lost from last year’s roster – 95 percent of it.

Kalamazoo Eagles
Coach Rob Sorge says that his Eagles squad features speed, agility, and good shooters. He’ll be hoping to get big seasons out of team captain Carson Miller, assistant captains Ben Hoard and Cody Lisowski, as well as Corey Siwula and Rodney Leversee. The one thing that Sorge thinks his team needs to work on is their power-play performances.

Salem
“While small in numbers, our senior group should provide very strong leadership as they have all experienced success as individuals and as a team,” says coach Ryan Ossenmacher. Those seniors include forwards Mark McGee and Austin Sartorius and defensemen Michael Manser and Kyle Eggenberger. Ossenmacher’s main focus will be teaching his young roster how to compete at the high school level.

Fraser
Coach Don Krussman says that Michigan Hockey better keep an eye on his team this year, because they could surprise some teams. Twelve of Fraser’s 16 players are at least into their second year with the program, which means some great depth and team chemistry. Key players include captains Connor Gordley and JR Dellies, along with goalie John Goemaere.

Alpena
Pete Doubek, coach of the Alpena Wildcats, expects his squad to bring a physical presence to the ice every game this season. He will be counting on strong performances from Ian Stevens, Zach Nash, Jesse Boilore, Nick Skaluba and Jared Plume. Doubek wants his team to improve on shooting and one-time passing throughout the course of the year. Alpena is incorporating a Midget/JV program this year, which will allow them to bring players up when needed.

Gaylord
New coach Mark Long wants his squad to play with a sense of urgency this season. He will be counting on key players like Spencer Bajko, Willie Gelow, Nick Shear, Cole Muzyl and Derek Afford to help with the coaching transition. Long’s three things he wants to see his team improve on are a commitment to team defense, staying out of the box, and staying disciplined.

Mattawan
“We are fortunate to have good goaltending and six defensemen that can play in all situations,” coach Mike May says. “Offensively we will get production from two lines with the other two lines providing energy and making things difficult for the opposing team.” May expects big seasons from upperclassmen leaders like goaltender Donavan Story, defensemen Jack Hartman and Brody Stevens, and forwards Jake Gevaart, Josh Alley and Tyler Nabozny.

Detroit Country Day
“Our biggest strength this year, I believe, will be our ability to compete as a team,” says coach Frank Novock. “We have a nice group of leaders in all four classes that will challenge each other in a positive way.” Novock said his key players are “whatever 18 guys put the Detroit Country Day jersey on for that specific game”. Turnovers, finishing checks, and more pucks to the net will be things the Yellow Jackets will be looking to improve on.

Northville
“The greatest strength of our team this year is our depth,” says coach Clint Robert. “Who our key players are…I feel all 22 kids are key to our success.” Robert said that his team needs to improve on their team defense to keep up in the very competitive Kensington Lakes Athletic Association conference.

Waterford Kettering
While Waterford Kettering might have two new goaltenders this season, coach Dan Whitener said he has no concerns, both because of their skill sets, and because of the defense in front of them. Their key players include defensemen Ryan Brown, Jay Magnan, Brad Stonehouse and Justin Haley, and forwards Kyle Soncrainte and Brandon Lopez. However, 90 percent of their offense from last season graduated, so goal scoring is a concern.

Grand Ledge/Waverly
The Comet Warriors posted a 17-7-4 record last season, and with a solid core of returning players, coach Brian Clifford expects those numbers to only go up in the win colum this season. Key players include seniors Drew Isaacson, Lorenzo Zea and Vince Gessler, juniors Adam Epstein and goaltender Collin Witt, and freshman forward Cam Collin. Clifford’s main concern is how the team gels to fill some vacancies from last year’s roster.

Detroit Catholic Central
Coach Todd Johnson says that his team’s depth – the Shamrocks return 14 players from last year’s roster – makes them a contender for a state title once again. Key players include defenseman Nolan Gluchowski and forwards Charlie Green, Michael Babcock, Peter Halash, and Steven Haydon. The 14-time state champs are always a team to watch in the MIHL.

Eisenhower
Coach Bob Hall says that the Eagles’ strength this season lies in their goaltending and offensive play. Eisenhower returns 10 seniors and one junior, including two senior goaltenders in Erik Rodak and Tyler Wakefield. Hall’s concern is on the defensive side of the squad; the Eagles bring in four new defensemen. Seniors Jake Schmidt, Zach Halloran, Aaron Schnieder, Mike Willemsen and Marc Havrilla lead the way up front.

Grand Rapids Catholic Central
“The 2011-12 Catholic Central hockey team has a core of returning veteran players that will provide leadership coming off a DIII State Championship,” says coach Mike Slobodnik. “We have great team speed and above average puck skills.” Grand Rapids CC will be counting on All-State forwards Donald Sund and Owen Kane, and All-State defenseman Hunter Jenerou this season.

Brother Rice
Coach Lou Schmidt Jr. says team chemistry is what he’s focused on right now. “We have 13 new players on this year’s team, so I would expect that it will take some time for everything to come together.  I am impressed by the work ethic of the team so far.” Schmidt will be counting on seniors Mackenzie MacEachern, Chris Wilberding and Eric Dibble, and juniors Thomas Ebbing, Andrew Roye and Jon Reschke to lead the Warriors this season.

Pinckney
After 13 years of assisting at Pinckney, Ted Kroll now takes over behind the bench. “We came off our best season to date winning the regional championship against Portage Central and losing to Wyandotte in the state quarterfinals,” says Kroll, excited to be in his new position. “We are returning 12 players, including eight seniors. Captains Kirk Smith, Ken Grundy, and Henry Gary will help lead the Pirates this year. We bring back the strongest defensive core I have seen in my stint with Pinckney.“

West Ottawa
Coach Jeremy Von Eitzen says that with the new co-op formed with Black River and Holland Christian, his team is deeper than ever. Seven seniors bring experience and a balanced attack. Eitzen says that senior defenseman Reid Fresura, a four-year letter winner, will be their rock on defense, while senior Alex Kramer and junior Danny Matrosic lead on offense. Goaltender Michael Ewing, a senior, begins his third season as starting goaltender.

Eastside (East Lansing)
Eastside coach Scott Crilly is excited about the depth of his roster this season. The co-op squad will be led by captain Chris Hagan, a multi-sport star, Ryan Tyrer, Mike Flegal and Matt Harris. Defensive zone coverage is a main focus for improvement. Crilly also mentioned that people should keep an eye on Sam Rathbun, an offensive lineman that’s now a speedy power forward.

Chelsea
The Bulldogs return 15 players from last year’s roster. Coach Don Wright will be counting on senior forwards Brad Hepler, Joe Hewitt, Kyle Whipple, senior defenseman Anthony Catalina, and senior goaltender Chris Boyd to lead his squad. Hepler has been the Bulldogs leading scorer for the last two seasons, and Wright sees no reason why he won’t be able to accomplish the feat for a third straight year.

Oxford
In his ninth season, coach Dave Hague is very excited for this year’s crop of talent at Oxford. “We have a lot of returning veterans up front and on the blue line, many of which are in their third and fourth seasons, Hague said. “We’re excited about our experience and will have a veteran presence on the ice at all times.  We’re expecting big years out of Nick Hocker, Brennen Orr, Nolan Chapman and Stephan Fritz, to name a few.”

L’Anse Creuse North
Coach Jon Nader says that his team will treat every game like it’s their last. “Our goal is to play every game like its Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final,” says Nader. “Last year we were sluggish in some games, this is something were going to fix.” Having 10 seniors should help Nader’s team live up to that motto. They will be counting on big seasons from Ian Fish, Evan Corbett, Rob Ochmanski, Kyle Forner and Gage Minkley.

Jackson
Coach Eric Morgan expects his Jackson United squad to be able to build on a 10-12-2 record, with nine players coming back from last season. Key players include Logan Burns, Tom Esser, Josh Matthias, Zach Robinson, Steve Comperchio, Ryan Shaw, and Austin Maynard. The leaders will need to help five freshmen adjust to the high school game.

Livonia Churchill
Coach Pete Mazzoni will have a wealth of experience to work with this season, as the Chargers return 10 seniors, and nine players with at least three years of experience at the varsity level. “ We need to share the puck more and learn to compete every day at a high level, and we need to push ourselves to expect more from [ourselves],” says Mazzoni. “If we want to be better than last year, we have to be willing to do more than we did last year.”

Houghton
The Gremlins return a remarkable 15 players from 2010-11. Key players include forwards Trevor Mattson, Heath Johnson, Raymond Brice and Connor Hannon, defensemen Griffin Hietala, Hunter Rajala and Drake Anderson, and Tony Peltier in goal. “Team defense will be an emphasis all season long and will help us get better as a team,” says coach Corey Markham. “We are looking forward to an exciting year of high school hockey.”

Port Huron Northern
“We have some good, experienced players coming back this year,” says assistant coach Ryan Porte. “We have strong senior and junior classes that have been playing MIHL hockey since they were freshmen.  We look for their strong leadership to build on last year’s regional championship and trip to the Div. II quarterfinal.” The staff puts an emphasis on playing “Northern Hockey” – strong defensive zone play, body contact to create space, and making the other team defend two-thirds of the ice at all times.

Hudsonville
Coach Jason Caster says that with his young team, adjusting to the speed and pace of high school will be Hudsonville’s biggest challenge this season. While they don’t have any senior defensemen, he is still confident that his team will be able to shut down the opposition. Key players include Andrew Terpstra, Kollen Bayko, Bryce Dewindt, Adam Jorgensen, and Dan Hoekstra.

East Grand Rapids
New coach Brian McFalone says it’s going to be hard to score on his team this season, considering they have six returning senior defensemen. The senior-filled defensive unit should help East Grand Rapids stay competitive in the OK Conference, where they face some stiff competition.

Monroe
The Monroe locker room will look pretty similar to last year’s – they return 19 players, and have 11 seniors on the roster. “This has a chance to be our best team in program history,” says coach Isaac Murphy. “With all of our depth and experience, we believe we have a good chance to repeat in the SHL, and also contend for our first league title in our other league, the Southeastern Conference.  If we continue to work hard and get better during the course of the season, we’re hoping to advance to the second week of the playoffs for the first time.”

Royal Oak Shrine
Coach AJ Plaskey says his team’s greatest strength this season will be their added depth and leadership from his forwards. Key players include forwards Jake Luddy, Joe Nagle and Spencer Ray, defenseman Mike Gilmore, and two-way player Donald York. Plaskey wants to see his team’s speed and defensive zone coverage improve this year.

Canton
The Chiefs are coming off of their best year in school history after a record of 16-7-2. This year, they will look to keep possession of the Park Trophy (between rivals Salem and Plymouth), and their KLAA division. Coach Jeremy Majszak has 11 returning players and promising additions. Spencer Craig is returning for his third year between the pipes – last season he had 15 wins and eight shutouts. Senior captains Zach Cox and Brandon Schlieger lead on the blue line, and Brandon Grillo will also help add an offensive punch.

Divine Child
Coach Brian Dallas expects his Divine Child squad to be balanced from top to bottom this year, with 10 seniors featured on the roster. Key players include senior forwards Austin Pearson, Austen Zub, Spencer Laird, Mike Leporowski and Sean Allen and defensemen Jack Zaidel, Anthony Scala and Jimmy Roznowski. Steve DePaulis returns between the pipes.

Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills
Coach Wayne Skislak says that the Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills roster features plenty of experience, leadership, and team chemistry this season. Zac Totten, a four-year starter, will be a presence for the squad in goal. Everett Thompson returns as the leading scorer, while Dan Hankins, Matt Neal, and Brendan Cockrill will play important roles for Kenowa Hills this season. A youthful defensive corps will need to grow together as the season progresses.

Dearborn
This season, Dearborn will work to come together as a unit and have more depth defensively. The two top offensive lines will be a threat every night, with the potential of the third being dangerous as well. Coach Mike Sears, in his second season behind the bench, is eager to get his team to the playoffs, and make a statement while they are there.

Wyandotte-Roosevelt
After capturing the Division II state championship last year over Brother Rice, Wyandotte-Roosevelt now joins their conference. The Bears, along with Trenton, have joined the MIHL for this upcoming season, which will mean a new set of challenges for both squads.  With the experience from last year, the Bears should be a hard team to stop this season.

Marquette
Joe Papin, head coach of the Redmen, said that despite having to replace 11 players from last year’s roster, his team is even deeper this fall. Key players include Cody Norquist, Collin Schwemin, Nick Weston, Wyatt Smith, Kyle Carriere and Austin Riipi, and newcomers Mike House, Forest Folker and Tyler Jackson.

East Kentwood
The Falcons return 10 forwards from last year, a season in which they reached the Final Four in the Division 1 playoffs. All-state forward Brett White (who has committed to Eastern Michigan to play golf) returns after posting 42 goals and 51 assists last year. Senior forwards Erik Stapleton and Chris Laux add to the Falcons’ firepower. Coach Todd Bell has confidence in his first-year goaltender, junior Zach Casavant.

Troy
Coach Tim Zimmerman said that being a year older will benefit the majority of his roster, citing an improvement in maturity and confidence already. Zimmerman will be counting on big performances from key players Brett St. Cyr, Nick Kondoleon and Alex Franchi. The bench boss said his team needs to improve on their play without the puck to be successful this season.