High School Hockey All-State Teams Revealed  The Upper Peninsula did well in the high school hockey All-State balloting this year, as kids from Marquette, Calumet, and Sault Ste. Marie were honored for their great seasons. In Division Two, Marquette's Brett Love and Cody Wickstrom both made the first team, while Aaron Leach and Mike McAuliffe made the second team. <<<Marquette Goalie Mike McAuliffe (31) was in goal during a game at the Trenton Showcase. In Division Three, Hancock's Trevor Givens made the first team, along with Calumet's Ben Johnson, Levi Erkkila and Ben Storm; and the Soo's Lucas McLeod and Nico Talentino. Calumet's Isaac Bjorn, Hancock's Alex Heinonen and Dylan Peterson, Houghton's Marshall Kemppainen, and the Soo's Marc Pomeroy and Cody Jodoin made the second team. Calumet's Levi Erkkila during a regular season game. >>> Several Upper Peninsula kids were also Honorable Mention, including L'Anse's Alex VanWagner. No Escanaba Eskymo players were selected All-State, and no Kingsford players were picked either, despite the Flivvers making the state semifinals. CLICK HERE  to see the entire list of All-State hockey teams for all three divisions. (By Michigan High School Coaches Assn.)

Calumet's Johnson Shares 'Mr. Hockey' Award The Michigan High School Hockey Coaches Association couldn't decide who the best player was in the state during the 2010-11 season. So, they settled on two players to share the state's coveted "Mr. Hockey" award. Calumet junior Ben Johnson and Gerald Mayhew from Wyandotte Roosevelt will share the award. Johnson led the Copper Kings with 77 points, while Mayhew had 98 points downstate.

Grand Rapids CC Tops Calumet In Title Game   The Calumet High School hockey team lost to the Grand Rapids Catholic Central Cougars, 7-2, in the Division Three state championship game Saturday in Plymouth. Kirby Frantti and Levi Erkkila scored for the Kings to tie the game at 2, but GRCC scored five unanswered goals. Click HERE  to see the game stats. CLICK HERE  to watch a video replay of the game. Calumet beat Jackson Lumen Christi, 8-0, in Friday's state semifinal. CLICK HERE  to see all of that game's statistics. CLICK HERE  to watch the game replay.

Kingsford Falls To Brother Rice In Semis, 4-1   The Kingsford High School hockey team's storybook ride to the state Final Four came to an end Thursday night as the Flivvers lost to a private school powerhouse, Birmingham Brother Rice, 4-1, at Compuware Arena in the Detroit suburb of Plymouth. The game was scoreless after one period, but the Warriors outshot the Flivvers, 19-3, in the second period and put two late goals on the board. Kingsford got a goal from Ted Pietila in the third period, but it was the only time the Flivvers could light the lamp. Kingsford goalie Jake Coe made 34 saves. Kingsford finished with a 21-5-0 record, the best in school history. Pictured: Jay Pietila played in his final game. CLICK HERE  to see the game's statistics. CLICK HERE  to watch a replay of the game.

Calumet Advances To Another Hockey Final 4   The Calumet Copper Kings will return to Plymouth's Compuware Arena this weekend after posting a 5-1 quarterfinal victory over Big Rapids Wednesday night in Sault Ste. Marie. The Copper Kings scored four unanswered goals after being tied at 1-1 in the second period. Ben Johnson scored two goals, and his cousin Bryce also scored twice. Derek Pierce made 15 saves in net to earn the win. Calumet faces Jackson Lumen Christi in the Division Three Semifinal Friday afternoon. The game starts at 2:30, and can be heard live on WCHT-AM (600) and on rrnsports.com.

Kingsford Flivvers Roar Into Hockey's Final 4                         The dream season continues for the Kingsford High School hockey team. The Flivvers fell behind Muskegon Mona Shores, 3-1, in a state quarterfinal game Tuesday night in Gaylord, but rallied for four unanswered goals to post a 5-3 win. Kingsford advances to the state semifinals at Compuware Arena for the first time in school history. Matt Wiitanen scored two goals to pace the Flivvers (21-4-0). Pictured: Mona Shores goalie Reed Schlender looks behind him as Matt Wiitanen (19) goes to a knee after scoring the game-winning goal in the third period Tuesday night in Gaylord. WATCH KINGSFORD FLIVVERS-MONA SAILORS VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS CLICK HERE  see Kingsford's Max Smith score on a rebound. CLICK HERE  to see Kingsford's Matt Wiitanen score...and a dog pile afterwards. CLICK HERE  to see Kingsford goaltender Jake Coe make two huge saves. CLICK HERE  to see Mona Shores' Reed Schlender poke check Ted Pietila.

2011 MHSAA High School Hockey Finals Division Three at Plymouth Grand Rapids Catholic Central 7, Calumet 2 2011 MHSAA High School Hockey Semifinals Division Two at Plymouth Birmingham Brother Rice 4, Kingsford 1 Division Three at Plymouth Calumet 8, Jackson Lumen Christi 0 2011 MHSAA High School Hockey Quarterfinal Division Two at Gaylord Kingsford 5, Muskegon Mona Shores 3 Division Three at Sault Ste. Marie Calumet 5, Big Rapids 1 2011 MHSAA High School Hockey Tourneys Division Two at Various Sites Alpena 3, NW Michigan 2 Bay Area Reps 6, TC Central 0 Marquette 5, Escanaba 0 Kingsford 8, Negaunee 0 Bay Area Reps 6, Alpena 0 Kingsford 2, Marquette 0 Final: Kingsford 9, Bay Area Reps 2 Division Three at Michigan Tech University Calumet 8, Painesdale-Jeffers 2 Hancock 4, Houghton 1 Calumet 9, L'Anse 1 Final: Calumet 3, Hancock 2 Division Three at Various Sites Sault Ste. Marie 8, Petoskey 0 Gaylord 3, Cheboygan 2 Big Rapids 4, Cadillac 3 Sault Ste. Marie 6, Gaylord 1 Big Rapids 7, Mt. Pleasant 1 Final: Big Rapids 3, Sault Ste. Marie 2 (2 OT) 2010-11 U.P. High School Hockey Reg. Season Friday, November 19 L'Anse 7, (at) Marinette/Menominee 2 Sault Elks Showcase at Pullar Stadium Sault Ste. Marie 5, Big Rapids 3 Bay Area Reps 6, White Lake Lakeland 1 Alpena Northern Lights Showcase @NLA St. Clair 6, Negaunee 3 Saturday, November 20 Sault Elks Showcase at Pullar Stadium Sault Ste. Marie 6, Bay Area Reps 2 Big Rapids 5, White Lake Lakeland 2 Alpena Northern Lights Showcase @NLA Macomb Dakota 5, Negaunee 3 Tuesday, November 23 (at) Kingsford 7, DePere, Wis. 2 Houghton 8, (at) Negaunee 0 Friday, November 26 (at) Calumet 4, Hancock 0 Saturday, November 27 (at) Sault Ste. Marie 6, Gaylord 0 (at) Calumet 10, Hancock 3 Tuesday, November 30 (at) Marquette 5, Escanaba 1 Painesdale-Jeffers 4, (at) Negaunee 1 (at) Kingsford 9, Marinette/Menominee 0 Wednesday, December 1 (at) Sault Ste. Marie 6, Cheboygan 2 Thursday, December 2 Marquette 8, (at) Negaunee 0 Friday, December 3 (at) Bloomf Hills Cranbrook 12, Calumet 4...watch replay HERE . TC Reps Tournament @Centre Ice Pinckney 9, Escanaba 1 Bay Area Reps 2, Bay City 1 Joe Bukovich Memorial @Dee Stadium Houghton 2, Gaylord 1 Hancock 6, Painesdale-Jeffers 1 Saturday, December 4 Calumet 3, (at) Bloomfld Hills Cranbrook 1...watch replay HERE . (at) Marquette 3, Sault Ste. Marie 2 (OT) TC Reps Tournament @Centre Ice Third: Escanaba 4, Bay City Central 1 Championship: Pinckney 4, Bay Area Reps 2 Joe Bukovich Memorial @Dee Stadium Third: Gaylord 8, Painesdale-Jeffers 3 Championship: Hancock 3, Houghton 2 Monday, December 6 (at) Hancock 6, L'Anse 0 (at) Kingsford 9, Painesdale-Jeffers 5 Tuesday, December 7 (at) Escanaba 4, Negaunee 0 (at) Calumet 4, Houghton 1 Thursday, December 9 Kingsford 6, (at) L'Anse 3 Friday, December 10 Sault Ste. Marie 4, (at) Escanaba 2 (at) Marquette 8, Alpena 0 Rick Miller Memorial Invite (@HCA) (at) Hancock 4, Traverse City Central 3 D3 Hockey Challenge @Gaylord Painesdale-Jeffers 8, (at) Gaylord 3 Saturday, December 11 (at) Marquette 8, Alpena 0 Rick Miller Memorial Invite (@HCA) Houghton 5, Traverse City Central 3 D3 Hockey Challenge @Gaylord East Grand Rapids 4, Painesdale-Jeffers 2 Tuesday, December 14 Hancock 6, (at) Houghton 5 (OT) L'Anse at Eagle River Northland Pines, ppd. snow Thursday, December 16 (at) Marquette 4, Calumet 3 (OT)...click HERE  to watch the game replay. CLICK HERE  to see the overtime period. Friday, December 17 (at) Hancock 6, Painesdale-Jeffers 2 Gil Versailles Memorial Tournament @Esc Kingsford 9, Negaunee 0 Bay Port, Wis. 4, (at) Escanaba 3 Saturday, December 18 Gil Versailles Memorial Tournament @Esc Third place: Escanaba 5, Negaunee 1 Championship: Kingsford 5, Bay Port, Wis. 1 Monday, December 20 L'Anse 5, (at) Painesdale-Jeffers 4 Tuesday, December 21 (at) Kingsford 9, Negaunee 1 Houghton 4, (at) Eagle River Northland Pines 3 Wednesday, December 22 Escanaba 2, (at) Sault Ste. Marie 1 Thursday, December 23 Hancock 5 (at) Painesdale-Jeffers 3 Monday, December 27 MSHS Alumni 4, Marquette 3 (OT) MacInnes Holiday Classic at MTU Hancock 4, Sault Ste. Marie 3 Calumet 7, Houghton 1...CLICK HERE  to see replay of the game. Dick Johnsen Memorial Tourney @Esc L'Anse 8, Negaunee 2 Escanaba 2, Painesdale-Jeffers 0 Tuesday, December 28 Dick Johnsen Memorial Tourney @Esc Third: Painesdale-Jeffers 5, Negaunee 3 Championship: Escanaba 6, L'Anse 0 MacInnes Holiday Classic at MTU Third: Sault Ste. Marie 3, Houghton 1 First: Calumet 8, Hancock 2...CLICK HERE  to see game replay. Monday, January 3 (at) Negaunee 6, L'Anse 3 Tuesday, January 4 Calumet 5, (at) Kingsford 4 Thursday, January 6 Kingsford 10, (at) Painesdale-Jeffers 2 Friday, January 7 Sault Ste. Marie 6, (at) Alpena 2 Brighton 1, (at) Houghton 1 (OT) Novi 7, (at) Calumet 4....CLICK HERE  to see game replay. Marquette Hockey Classic @Lakeview Grosse Pointe North 6, TC West 5 (OT) (at) Marquette 3, Howell 2 Jeffers New Year's Tournament @MTU L'Anse 5, Negaunee 4 (at) Painesdale-Jeffers 4, Grand Blanc 2 Saturday, January 8 (at) Sault Ste. Marie 8, Alpena 3 Novi 4, (at) Houghton 3 (at) Calumet 7, Brighton 3....CLICK HERE  to see game replay. Marquette Hockey Classic @Lakeview Third: Howell 4, Traverse City West 1 Championship: Marquette 3, Grosse Pte North 1 Jeffers New Year's Tournament @MTU Third: Grand Blanc 5, Negaunee 2 Championship: Painesdale-Jeffers 7, L'Anse 1 Sunday, January 9 (at) Marquette 3, Novi 2 Tuesday, January 11 (at) Houghton 8, Negaunee 0 (at) Kingsford 7, Hancock 3 Thursday, January 13 (at) Marquette 6, Kingsford 2 Painesdale-Jeffers 7, (at) L'Anse 5 Friday, January 14 (at) Hancock 5, Marquette 4 (OT) (at) Calumet 7, Univ Detroit Jesuit 3...watch game replay HERE . Sault Hockey Showcase at Pullar Stadium Canton 1, Escanaba 0 Sault Ste. Marie 5, Dearborn Divine Child 3 Saturday, January 15 (at) Calumet 4, U. Detroit Jesuit 3 OT...watch game replay HERE . Sault Hockey Showcase at Pullar Stadium Dearborn Divine Child 9, Escanaba 4 Sault Ste. Marie 6, Canton 4 Sunday, January 16 (at) Marquette 7, University Detroit Jesuit 4 Monday, January 17 Houghton 5, (at) L'Anse 4 (at) Painesdale-Jeffers 8, Negaunee 0 Thursday, January 20 (at) Hancock 9, Negaunee 1 Kingsford 4, (at) Houghton 3 (OT) Friday, January 21 (at) Calumet 5, Escanaba 2 Sault Lions Tournament at Pullar Stadium Hartland 3, Hancock 1 Sault Ste. Marie 3, Notre Dame Prep 0 Alpena Boosters Tournament @NLA Marquette 4, Bloom Hills Cranbrook 2...see game replay HERE . Midland 6, (at) Alpena 1 Wisigan Cup at Milwaukee Wilson Park Painesdale-Jeffers 2, Milwaukee SHAW 1 L'Anse 5, Monroe, Wis. 5 (OT) Saturday, January 22 Sault Lions Tournament at Pullar Stadium Third: Hancock 6, Notre Dame Prep 1 First: Hartland 6, Sault Ste. Marie 3 Alpena Boosters Tournament @NLA Third: Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook 8, Alpena 0 First: Midland 6, Marquette 3 Wisigan Cup at Milwaukee Wilson Park Painesdale-Jeffers 8, Monroe, Wis. 3 Milwaukee SHAW 4, L'Anse 2 Tuesday, January 25 (at) Kingsford 9, Escanaba 4 Calumet 8, (at) Negaunee 0 (at) Houghton 5, Painesdale-Jeffers 1 Wednesday, January 26 Sault Ste. Marie 4, (at) Cheboygan 2 Thursday, January 27 Marquette 7, (at) Escanaba 0 Hancock 8, (at) L'Anse 0 Friday, January 28 (at) Sault Ste. Marie 3, Plymouth 1 Saturday, January 29 (at) Sault Ste. Marie 6, Plymouth 3 (at) Houghton 8, Park Falls Chequamegon, Wis. 0 (at) Calumet 7, Kingsford 2...CLICK HERE  to see game replay. Tuesday, February 1 Escanaba 3, (at) Negaunee 0 Marquette 8, (at) Kingsford 2 Calumet 5, (at) Houghton 3 Sault Ste. Marie 7, (at) Gaylord 0 Thursday, February 3 Kingsford 8, (at) Negaunee 1 Calumet 6, (at) Hancock 1 (at) Houghton 10, L'Anse 4 Friday, Feburary 4 (at) Escanaba 8, Alpena 0 (at) L'Anse 8, Marinette/Menominee 3 Saturday, February 5 (at) Escanaba 3, Alpena 2 (at) Painesdale-Jeffers 9, Marinette/Menominee 0 Monday, February 7 Hancock 9, (at) Negaunee 4 Tuesday, February 8 (at) Kingsford 4, Houghton 3 (OT) Thursday, February 10 Negaunee 8, (at) L'Anse 5 Mich Public HS Hockey Showcase @Chelsea Arctic Coliseum Utica Eisenhower 6, Escanaba 2 Lake Orion 3, Marquette 2 Friday, February 11 (at) Hancock 4, Houghton 3 MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase @Trenton Escanaba 5, Allen Park 3 Sault Ste. Marie 3, Port Huron Northern 0 Detroit Catholic Central 3, Marquette 0 Birmingham Brother Rice 6, Calumet 5 Saturday, February 12 Kingsford 4, (at) Bay Port, Wis. 1 MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase @Trenton Southgate 2, Escanaba 1 Grand Rapids Catholic Central 6, Sault Ste. Marie 2 Calumet 6, Grosse Pointe North 6 (OT) Trenton 3, Marquette 2 (OT) Monday, February 14 (at) Calumet 7, Houghton 5 Hancock 9, (at) Painesdale-Jeffers 2 (at) Kingsford 9, L'Anse 1 Thursday, February 17 (at) Marquette 4, Houghton 1 (at) Calumet 12, Negaunee 0 Friday, February 18 Calumet 6, (at) Escanaba 1....watch game replay HERE . Kingsford at Painesdale-Jeffers, ppd. snow Saturday, February 19 (at) Escanaba 4, Hancock 2 Marquette 5, (at) Sault Ste. Marie 2 Monday, February 21 Houghton 6, (at) Painesdale-Jeffers 3 Tuesday, February 22 (at) Marquette 8, Negaunee 0 (at) Traverse City Central 4, Sault Ste. Marie 3 (OT) Kingsford 3, (at) Hancock 1 Thursday, February 24 Kingsford 9, (at) Escanaba 2 Marquette 5, (at) Calumet 2 Houghton 4, (at) Hancock 0 (at) Sault Ste. Marie 3, Traverse City West 1 Friday, February 25 (at) Painesdale-Jeffers 7, L'Anse 6 (OT) END OF REGULAR SEASON

Kingsford, Calumet Win Regional Titles The Kingsford Flivvers won their first-ever high school hockey regional championship on Saturday, beating the Grand Traverse Bay Reps, 9-2, in the Division Two Regional Final in St. Ignace. Brothers Jay and Ted Pietila both had two goals and two assists to lead the Flivvers. Tyler Szabo had a goal and two assists, and Jake Coe won in net. Kingsford advances to the quarterfinal. Meanwhile, the Calumet Copper Kings (pictured at left) won their fifth straight regional title Saturday at Michigan Tech University. Calumet fought off a tough challenge from the Hancock Bulldogs to win, 3-2. Levi Erkkila scored the game-winning goal for Calumet in the third period. And in Gaylord Saturday night, Sault Ste. Marie lost a heartbreaker to Big Rapids, 3-2, in double overtime.

Hockey Shocker: Kingsford Beats Marquette                   The Kingsford High School hockey team beat the Marquette Redmen for the first time in school history Thursday night, and it happened at the best possible time: in the MHSAA state playoffs. The Flivvers upset the Redmen, 2-0, before a packed house at the Mountain View Ice Arena. Jay Pietila scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period, then his little brother Ted tallied with 1:57 left to play. Senior goalie Jake Coe made 21 saves to earn the shutout. The Flivvers face the Grand Traverse Bay Reps in the regional championship game Saturday in St. Ignace.Top photo: Goaltender Jake Coe gets ready for a save. Left: Sean Ryan plays the puck.