Trenton wins first state title since 2010, 14th in program history
By Matt Mackinder –
PLYMOUTH – Trenton is a perennial powerhouse in high school hockey, but without a state championship since 2010, many wondered if the Trojans still “had it.”
Saturday afternoon, Trenton erased any doubts as it trounced Hartland 8-3 in the Division 2 title game in front of a raucous crowd at Compuware Arena.
Justin Dunn and Mitchell Galea each recorded hat tricks for the Trojans, who won their 14th state title overall and 11th under legendary head coach Mike Turner.
“It’s a tradition and it’s a family atmosphere down in Trenton,” said Turner, who earned his 627th career win, building on his all-time lead for Michigan high school coaches. “Last year in our last 10 games, we went 5-5 and this year, went 9-1. We knew we were playing well and playing well enough to win. People always say, ‘Oh, it’s old hat coming back here,’ but it’s not. These guys (seniors) haven’t been here and I just tried to sit back and enjoy the moment.”
“It’s surreal – I can’t really describe this or put it into words,” said Trenton senior Andrew Sawyer. “I’ve been waiting for this my whole life. We came to the rink everyday working our hardest so we’d be able to experience this.”
Hartland, who lost in the championship game last year to Livonia Stevenson, opened the scoring on a goal that seemed to be a wake-up call for the Trojans.
Eagles’ captain Josh Ruthing got behind the Trenton defense after taking a slick pass from Trevor Murray and beat Trenton goaltender Nick Ramirez on a breakaway with a quick move in tight for the early 1-0 lead at 4:17.
Ramirez appeared to hurt himself on the play, but after being down on the ice, picked himself up and stayed in the game.
Giving up the early goal only seemed to energize the Trojans as on the ensuing shift, Hartland goalie Nick Wineka was peppered with several shots, mostly from the perimeter, but turned them all aside.
Trenton evened the game at 9:29 as Dunn grabbed a loose puck in front of the net and put a soft backhand shot past Wineka.
Shots were even 13-13 after the first period.
“I just told the guys to keep getting shots on net, get it past their ‘D,’” Turner said of the message after the first period. “We had to be able to answer them and we found an answer.”
Trenton pulled ahead just 1:36 into the second when the Eagles got sloppy in their own end and couldn’t clear the puck. Quinn Preston gained control and went top shelf on Wineka for the 2-1 advantage.
Dunn’s second of the game made it 3-1 just 64 seconds later on a bang-bang play in front of Wineka.
After that goal, the Trenton faithful came alive in the stands and the Trojans never looked back.
With just about one second left in the second period, Trenton won a faceoff in the Hartland zone and Sawyer put a shot on net that Dunn redirected past Wineka for his hat trick.
Trenton outshot Hartland in the second 24-7.
On a delayed penalty and already in a power play at 3:16 of the third period, Galea scored to make it 5-1 Trenton and rubbed the salt in the wound by celebrating on the glass in front of the section of Hartland students.
Galea added another power-play goal 12 seconds later.
Hartland didn’t go away, though, as Eric Stevens got one back at 4:13.
Philip Pugliese scored at 7:03 and Galea again at 9:56 to push the Trenton lead to 8-2 and from that point forward, it was just a matter of watching the clock tick down to all zeroes.
After Galea’s goal, Brent Pietila replaced Wineka in the Eagles’ net.
Garrett Carroll played the final 2:36 in net for the Trojans and allowed a Brent Breault goal at 16:14.
Final shots were 52-30 in favor of Trenton.
“Last year was the first year we ever made it to a championship game and to make it back to back, I give all the credit to our seniors,” said Hartland coach Rick Gadwa. “I said last year that we were still building the program and we wanted to be remembered and to back it up this year with a younger team, I’m just so proud of all these guys.”
Ramirez summed up the experience for Trenton.
“This is my greatest memory in hockey, even if I go on,” he said. “It was great to celebrate with my teammates.”
“Definitely a good way to end my senior year,” added Dunn.