The Big North Conference (BNC) has had a new champion every year for the past four seasons. No one has gone back-to-back at the top of the standings since Traverse City Central did it in 2020 and 2021. Going back to 2013, the Trojans are the only BNC program to repeat as conference champs, and they’ve done it five times. Who’s your reigning conference champion heading into this winter? TC Central. If ever there was a year for a BNC champion to repeat, it’s this season.

Teams were incredibly young last winter, and many, many of the big name prospects in the conference should be back yet again this season. In fact, four of the six players I featured in last season’s Big North Preview should return with even more experience under their belts. The top two teams in the standings in ‘23-24 — TC Central and Alpena — combined to have just eight seniors on their rosters a season ago. That trend was pretty consistent across all teams in the conference.

At the Michigan high school hockey level, there is just no substitute for game experience.

Last Season’s Champion: Traverse City Central

The Trojans were nearly perfect in BNC play last season; a 2-1 loss to rival Traverse City West being the only blemish on their record. As good as the record was, conference foes like Petoskey and Alpena put a good scare into the eventual champs in several outings last season. Make no mistake, the BNC was super competitive despite Central’s 9-1-0 first-place record. 

Graham Peters and Cole Herzberg may be the best one-two punch in the conference, with Kiel Knapp in net on top of that. Knapp has 25 career starts under his belt and had the best goals-against in the conference last season with a 1.70 average. Not to mention, the team’s leading scorer last winter was defenseman Arthur McManus.

They went through some growing pains last season as a young squad, who still managed to play quite disciplined and structured hockey despite their youth and inexperience. That’s a credit to one of Michigan high school hockey’s best in coach Chris Givens. The Trojans’ 13-14-0 overall record should be vastly improved year over year. But the challenge in-conference is very real, even with all the prospects they return from a season ago.

Returning Players to Watch

Garrett Hamp, Alpena Senior Forward

Hamp just knows how to finish. He’s a goal scorer who’s a threat from anywhere in the offensive zone. The 2007-born righty has a big frame, with good balance and is very creative with the puck. He’s able to make something out of situations where others have nothing.

Graham Peters, Traverse City Central Junior Forward

He’s one of the smarter hockey players in Michigan high school hockey. There’s prospects that are fast, or great skaters, or nice puck skills… but there is no substitute for Hockey IQ. He understands the game at a high level and it shows in his play.

Gavin Winterstein, Alpena Junior Forward

A big, strong power forward type who has a really heavy shot. Winterstein can bully his way to the net front or snap off a wrister from the perimeter. I also like him defensively; he does a nice job of staying on top of the play without the puck.

Kallen Ray, Traverse City West Senior Defenseman

Doesn’t overthink the game, overhandle pucks or overplay the play. Ray exudes calmness and consistency through his play on the ice, proved positive by being a top defenseman in the Michigan Developmental Hockey League (MDHL) and a member of the HP-18 Team Michigan squad.

Anderson Ward, Petoskey Sophomore Defenseman

The highest scoring defenseman from the Class of 2027 last season. Ward put up 36 points in 27 games as a freshman, with 12 of those points coming against BNC opponents. He gives a Petoskey team that only graduated four seniors a real chance to be dangerous in conference play.

Kiel Knapp, Traverse City Central Senior Goalie

Played six non-conference games against Top-25 teams last season in addition to his 7-1-0 record in BNC play. Knapp’s resume is pretty decorated with tons of experience, but the challenge will be big-game moments. Wins against ranked opponents could propel Knapp and the Trojans into the state conversation.

Petey’s Prediction: Traverse City Central

I’m taking the Trojans to repeat as Big North Conference champions, but that’s only going to make the bullseye on their backs that much bigger.

Alpena enters the chat this winter feeling pretty confident. The Wildcats return their top six scorers from a season ago, and a sophomore goalie with 11 starts under his belt. I liked Parker Schuldt in net a lot last season; he was small but the footwork was great and his movements were fluid. He’ll be a great prospect moving forward. Garrett Hamp and Gavin Winterstein are as dangerous of a duo as anyone. Brody Misiak, Ethan Walker… These are all young guys who played significant roles last season, ripe to build on that portfolio this winter. Wildcats haven’t beaten TCC since Feb. 17, 2023, and will be chomping at the bit to get on the right side of that game with the Trojans.

There are few rivalries in Michigan high school hockey as intense as Traverse City Central and Traverse City West. The Titans found a way to upset their cross-town rival last season and nearly did it twice, despite being significantly out-gunned. Top scorers Kallen Ray and Lincoln Seyferth are primed for their best season yet, with a coaching staff that’s loaded with strategists. Between Jason Fernsler, Anthony Palumbo and Zach Bargy, there’s no shortage of X’s and O’s, scheming and playing the matchups behind that bench. The Titans ain’t laying down for the Trojans either.

Petoskey didn’t just compete with TCC last season, they had a lead in both of their league games with the eventual champs. Madden Patemen and Anderson Ward were integral in both of those games, and having both of those guys coming back this winter keeps the Northmen in the BNC hunt for the foreseeable future. They could also return all 27 starts in net with Nick Timm and Evan Kring, who were a near 50-50 split last season with a combined 2.92 goals-against average.

So while the pick is for Central to repeat, it comes with caution and an expectation for the BNC to uber competitive with lots of young talent this season.

Check out Petey’s Picks on Instagram for complete conference standings projections!