Girls 12 u t2

MVP Michelle Manning notches game-winning goal in overtime

All afternoon, 11-year-old Michelle Manning of the Farmington Hills Fire was nothing but a pest to the Canton Crush in the MAHA Girls 12U State Championship game.

After being shadowed for most of the game, Manning poked in the game-winning goal 2:35 into the overtime period to lift the Fire over the Crush, 2-1, to capture the MAHA 12U State Championship at Lakeview Arena in Marquette on March 11.

“It’s great to have a state champion,” Fire coach Mark Miller said. “I tell the girls you may never have a chance in your life to play again so it means a lot to them and their families.

Manning, who was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player, was assisted on the title-clinching goal by Kelli Timar and Erin Dicks. Manning was able to pick up a rebound from Timar and Dicks initial shots on goal.

“It was a scramble in front of the net and I just popped it in. It feels good,” Manning said.

Canton controlled most of the first period and took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission after picking up a power play goal by Lindzay Cummings assisted by Amanda Cyrenne.

The start of the second period, however, was the beginning of a different Farmington Hills team that controlled the puck and peppered Crush netminder Michelle Kerry. The Canton netminder stood tall in the second period, holding off a 2-on-1 breakaway and stopping three consecutive rebound shots to keep Canton ahead.

“Our goaltender is phenomenal. She was actually a defender that wanted to play goal in the middle of the year,” Canton coach Jim Tucker said. “Through the rest of the year, she has continued to build quietly to what she is today. She stops just about everything that is thrown at her.

A window of opportunity finally opened for the Fire early in the third period when

Manning, who was credited with an assist on the game-tying, power-play goal, sent a perfect pass to a wide open Timar, who whizzed the puck over the right shoulder of Kerry to tie the game, 1-1.

“Michelle has probably scored the most goals of anyone on our team,” Miller said. “As you can see, she is really short, an 11-year-old in her first year. She is very competitive.

While 12-year-old are rarely at a loss for energy, conditioning was still a top priority for Miller and his team, who played five games in three days, including two on Sunday, to capture the state championship.

“We made the girls rest a lot and eat good food,” Miller said.

Kerry received the loss in net for Canton while Meryll Miller was the winning goaltender for Farmington Hills.

“We were in the final round and were one goal away from taking it all. I’m super proud of them,” Tucker said.

Girls 12 and Under Notebook

Farmington Hills, who finished in first place out of the American Division with a 3-0 record, defeated Mount Clemen’s, 4-1, in the semifinals. Canton, the American Division runner-up, edged the National Division winner, Birmingham, 3-2… Sydney Glanz scored the only goal in the Fire’s 1-0 win over Canton in the prelim round… Manning had two goals and two assists for the Fire in a 6-1 win over the Michigan Ice Breakers. Briana Tuuri-Cesarz had the lone goal for the Ice Breakers… The Fire also shut out Escanaba Classic Auto, 13-0, that day behind three goals by Ally Shrader… Victoria Timko, Mariah Tucker and Andrea Campos each had goals for the Crush in its 3-1 win over the Ice Breakers. Emily Bullock had three goals in the Crush’s 11-0 win over Escanaba… The Birmingham Rangers went 3-0 to win the National Division while outscoring its opponents, 25-2. Samantha Jenkins, Eleanor Chalifoux and Sarah Feiten all scored in the Rangers, 3-1, win over the Mount Clemen’s Wolves. Jenkins had four goals in the Rangers, 11-0, win over Marquette while Katelyn Abbott notched three goals in Birmingham’s, 11-1, win over Marquette Fazolli’s. Katie Carey had the lone goal for Marquette… The Wolves downed Fazolli’s, 8-0, behind three goals by Lauren Peterson. Baylee McColl picked up a goal and two assists for the Wolves to defeat Marquette, 4-0… Andrea Anastos scored twice to lead the Michigan Ice Breakers over Escanaba, 8-0. Viitala and Kaitlin Salmela each had goals for Marquette in a 2-0 win over Fazolli’s.

Top of Page