Squirt B

Lightning wins title with 5-2 win over Novi Predators in Royal Oak

A couple of games before the Squirt B State Championship tournament, Mt. Clemens coach Fred Schrock felt his Lightning lost its scoring touch.

Good thing Brad Schumacker found it.

Schumacker and teammate Brandon Mezuk combined for 23 goals in the tournament and each scored twice in the championship game, a 5-2 win over the Novi Predators on March 25 at Lindell Arena in Royal Oak.

“We had two standout players in Brandon and Brad that really made the difference in this tournament,” Schrock said.

Schumacker, the tournament's MVP, scored twice to give the Lightning comfortable two-goal leads. He also assisted on both Mezuk's goals.

Schumacker's first, for a 2-0 lead in the first period after Mezuk's opener, came on a shorthanded breakaway goal.

“That was a big goal,” Schrock said. “The fourth goal I thought was even bigger, to get that two-goal cushion back. That was a big, big goal for us.”

After leading 3-0 after the second, Novi sprang back to make it 3-2 on goals from Max VanAntwerp and a power-play tally by Patrick Nall. But Schumacker struck again with 3:39 remaining to restore the lead, and Kyle Schulz quelched any thoughts of a Novi comeback with a goal a minute later.

Chase Stanford, who got the nod in net for both the semifinal and the final, stood strong for Mt. Clemens, shutting the door despite being peppered by Predators' shots.

The Predators, which had more balanced scoring throughout the tournament, couldn't counter Schmacker's firepower.

“We don’t really have a superstar. Everyone contributed for us this season and we came back hard,” said Novi coach Harry Youmans. “Today, their superstar beat us.”

Mt. Clemens doubled up the Southgate Sharks 4-2 in its semifinal. Mezuk scored in the second and third period and Stanford shut the door. Mezuk finished with three goals in the game, and Schumacker had three assists.

In its semifinal, Novi scored twice in each of the last two periods for a 5-2 win over Cheboygan F.O.P. Patrick Nall scored twice and VanAntwerp collected two assists. Nathan Stempky and Austin Christie scored for Cheboygan.

Squirt B Notebook

Christian Winklepleck’s hat trick led the Predators to a 6-2 win over Ontonagon. Kenny Conley and Nicky Stegmeyer scored two goals each for Novi and Brady Guilbault scored both of Ontonagon’s goals… Stegmeyer and Troy Youmans each scored twice in Novi’s 6-1 win over Royal Oak. Jacob Johnson scored the Cardinals’ goal… Winklepleck scored the game-winning goal in Novi’s 3-2 win over Southgate. Nall and Youmans also scored for Novi, and Benjamin Cullin and Joshua Miruk scored for the Sharks… Robert Liotta scored a goal and added two assists and Dylan Alioto added a goal and an assist for Royal Oak in its 3-3 tie with Southgate. Tyler scored two goals and collected an assist and Joshua Miruk scored a goal for the Sharks… Noah Majka scored twice, including the game-winner in the second period, and netted an assist, and teammate Hunter David scored a goal and collected an assist to pace Bay County past Grand Valley 4-2. Amanda Brunges and Nick Scott scored for the Stars… Two of Dylan Alioto’s three goals came in Royal Oak’s three-goal first period in its 5-2 win over Ontonagon. Ontonagon, whose town held fundraisers for the team to be able to afford to play in the championships in Royal Oak, broadcast its games live so well-wishers at home could hear how they fared… Cheboygan’s four-goal third period, including two goals in the last minute, lifted them to a 7-5 win over Bay County. Tied at 4 late in the third, Austin Christie’s third goal of the game put Cheboygan up by one, but the Blizzards’ Garrett Krager tied it up again. Christie and Cheboygan responded with two goals in the final minute for the final. Christie finished with five goals and one assist, and teammate Zachard Schley had a goal and two assists. Matthew Cooper led Bay County with three goals and Hunter David scored twice… After taking a 2-1 lead after the first period, Southgate scored once in the second and twice in the third for a 5-1 win over Ontonagon. Joshua Miruk scored two goals and added two assists for Southgate. Brady Guilbaut scored Ontonagon’s lone goal… Cheboygan jumped out to a 2-0 lead and never trailed in its 6-1 win over the Grand Valley Stars. Joshua Stempky scored three goals and collected an assist for Cheboygan. Josh Gibson scored the Stars’ second-period goal…Cheboygan’s Austin Christie, Joshua Stempky and Zachary Schley scored in a loss to Mt. Clemens.

Top of Page