Cranbrook Kingswood prevails in D3 state title game
By Matt Mackinder –
PLYMOUTH – All it took for Cranbrook Kingswood was a goal 42 seconds into the game.
That quick one by Mason Schultz immediately put Houghton on its heels and the Cranes cruised the rest of the way, only allowing 13 shots in blanking the Gremlins 4-0 to win their second Division 3 high school state title in three years at Compuware Arena Saturday afternoon.
Cranbrook led 3-0 after the first, then the two teams played a scoreless second before the Cranes scored an early one in the third. Cranbrook outshot Houghton 50-13.
“We got a couple bounces today and their goalie (Marcus Gloss) gave up some rebounds that landed on our sticks, so sometimes the bounces go your way and sometimes they don’t, but today, they seemed to go our way and we were able to capitalize on at least three rebounds,” Cranbrook coach Andy Weidenbach said.
Cole Adaskaveg and Blake Rogow scored in the first for Cranbrook with C.J. Regula adding the third-period tally.
Cranbrook goaltender Spencer Applebaum picked up the shutout and may have a career down the line if hockey doesn’t work out.
“Coach stresses that you have to stay focused because there will be spans when you don’t face a lot of shots,” Applebaum explained. “In the quarterfinals (in a 9-4 win against Wyandotte Roosevelt), I wasn’t as focused as I should have been, so I had to rebound these last couple games. When the puck’s in my end, I have to stay fully focused, but when it’s in the other end, I like to commentate the game to keep myself in it.”
The Gremlins also made an appearance in the Division 3 finals in 2012, losing 3-0 to Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett. Coach Corey Markham said it’s a “bitter pill” just saying that, but credited the Cranes for coming to play right from the get-go.
“(Cranbrook) is the top team in Division 3 and they’re the measuring stick,” Markham said. “They have such great speed and make such quick decisions. After that quick goal, we could never quite recover from that.”
“They really make it tough to see the puck,” added Gloss. “It was a tough game. They jumped on us quick and I’m not sure I was as ready as I should have been.”
Weidenbach noted that Applebaum has been the starter the past three years and has never lost a game in MIHL play.
“He’s been the backbone of our team and he comes up with the big saves when he needs to,” said Weidenbach. “He’s done a terrific job.”
Markham added that he wouldn’t doubt that Cranbrook is the top team in the state, not just in Division 3.
“I don’t know that there’s a better team in the state in Division 1 or Division 2,” said Markham. “I’m just proud of this group and proud that we’re in this situation.”