Detroit Catholic Central wins Division 1 state title at Compuware

Photo by Andrew Knapik/MiHockey

 

By Michael Caples –

PLYMOUTH – It was a long season for Detroit Catholic Central, filled with challenges most high school hockey programs won’t ever have to deal with.

But when the final buzzer rang at their home rink Saturday evening and the scoreboard read 5-1, they could call themselves state champions.

The Shamrocks controlled the play from the opening face-off in the MHSAA Division 1 state title game Saturday, getting their revenge on the Brighton team that beat them in the same game last year.

For a season that saw one of their players paralyzed in preseason play, a former captain passing away during the season, and a state semifinal game against a club who lost their captain that morning, tonight’s win was a “surreal” experience for first-year head coach Doug Itami and this players.

“We told them that they’re not entitled to a happy ending,” Itami said. “They had to earn it. And I thought they earned it today.”

Carter Cerretani and Ryan Burnett both scored twice for the Shamrocks, while Domenic Mancinelli also added a goal in the final game of the 2013-14 high school hockey season.

“It was really special,” Cerretani said. “We came in, we wanted to play Brighton, a rematch from last year. We knew we didn’t have the biggest team but we definitely had the fastest. We had to utilize that speed. Going in, we knew the crowd was going to be big, act like it was any other normal game, and just play our game.”

Spencer Wright stopped 17 of the 18 shots he faced to lead CC to their 11th state title in school history. He was replaced by senior Michael Ronayne in the closing moments, and was recognized for his efforts with a standing ovation for the CC side of a filled Compuware Arena.

To start the contest, there was a moment of silence to remember Grandville’s Ryan Fischer, who passed away the morning of his state semifinal game against the Shamrocks. Detroit Catholic Central beat Grandville 3-0 in an emotional night that ended with both teams huddling together to remember their fallen teammate/foe.

For Catholic Central, it was the latest tragedy associated with the team, after Matt Sorisho was paralyzed before the season, and former captain Peter Halash died in a car accident in Kansas.

Matt Sorisho on the ice with his CC teammates. (Photo by Andrew Knapik/MiHockey)

 

Sorisho ended up joining his teammates on the ice for the postgame celebration.

“I loved it,” Cerretani said. “He’s my best friend, wouldn’t go anywhere without him. I love him to death. Just a special time for me and him, especially coming out on the ice, I loved seeing him out there.”

Catholic Central seized control of the contest early, with Burnett and Cerretani both finding the back of the net in the first five minutes. Cerretani’s first came on a five-on-three man advantage, one of three CC power-play goals on the evening.

The Shamrocks ended up out-shooting the Bulldogs 11-5 in the first period.

Brighton’s Danny Bosio changed the momentum in the Bulldogs’ favor early in the second period, however, scoring a goal at the 5:48 mark of the middle frame on a Brighton power play.

Yet that goal would be the only time the Bulldogs would beat Wright.

Halfway through the third period, Cerretani sent a long shot on goal that hit Brighton goaltender Jimmy Milletics but still found its way to the back of the net. Cerretani’s second of the night was complemented by an empty-netter from Burnett, sealing the state title for the Shamrocks late in the third.