Clarkston hockey has separated itself by a rather wide margin as top dog of the Oakland Activities Association (OAA). Under coach Nathan Bryer, the Wolves have been a mainstay in the Top-10, winning 60 games, two regional titles and one Final Four appearance in the last three seasons. No other team in the OAA has sniffed the Top 25 in MyHockeyRankings during that stretch. 

But third-year coach Tucker Penning has rejuvenated a Rochester United program. At one time, RU was a Division-I Final Four team. A proud program that had achieved playoff success and produced NCAA talent like Marshall Bowery and Max Harper. But when Penning took over ahead of the ‘23-24 season, RU was coming off of one of its worst seasons in more than a decade. Fast forward just 24 months later, and Rochester United sits atop the OAA White Division, with a 20-win season and an overtime goal away from a return trip to the Final Four. 

Clarkston still remains the cream of the crop, and a statewide powerhouse. But RU has come a long way in a short time under Penning, and could be a sneaky contender this winter. Nolan Hizer and Brayden Buckler could return for a second act, after sensational sophomore seasons in which they combined to score 31 goals and 80 points. The strong ‘24-25 campaign pushed RU up to the Red Division and will go toe-to-toe with the Wolves for OAA supremacy. Other changes around the association include the addition of Lakes Area, who joins the White Division; a 22-win program that dominated the LVC last season. 

Last Season’s Champion: Clarkston, Rochester United

The Wolves have achieved ‘reload’ status. A team doesn’t rebuild with young talent after losing key graduating players, they simply re-up the roster with the next man in line. Three-year senior Gavin Anderson should step in seamlessly for last year’s top forward Kyle Lynch. Anderson spent this fall with Michigan Hockey Advancement’s (MHA) top 18U team, playing against AAA competition. On the back end, MHA Red teammate and four-year letterman Ryan Wilford will fill the void left behind the departure of ‘24-25 leading scorer Trey Damian. There’s a chance this iteration of the Wolves is even better than last year’s that went undefeated in OAA action and won a Division-I regional title.

RU moving to the Red Division leaves the White Division of Farmington United, Lakes Area, North Oakland, Stoney Creek and Troy United wide open. Top scorers like Troy’s Kaiser Ascencio and Owen Sims from Farmington United could really exploit this opportunity to put an unsuspecting team atop the division standings. Newby Lakes Area may be the team to beat though, with sophomore standout Logan Scheidt coming off of a 50-point season last winter. 

Returning Players to Watch

Gavin Anderson, Clarkston Senior Forward

An ability to finish when he gets an open look. I love Anderson’s pace, and he’s engaged in all three zones. He’s gotten better and better each of his past two seasons with the Wolves, and I expect Anderson’s senior season to be his best yet.

Nolan Hizer, Rochester United Junior Forward

Twenty-seven of Hizer’s 46 points came in the final eight weeks of the season. Once he got up-to-speed with varsity hockey, he was tough to stop. I expect him — and Buckler — to pick up where they left off last season and have monster junior years this winter. 

Logan Scheidt, Lakes Area Sophomore Forward

With 56 points, Scheidt was the highest scoring player from the Class of 2028 last season. With Lakes Area making the move from the LVC to the OAA, he could see stiffer competition this time around going against RU and Clarkston; a good test for the young prospect. 

Ryan Wilford, Clarkston Senior Defenseman

One player no one’s talking about that everyone will know by season’s end. Wilford has played behind Trey Damian — currently in the NCDC — and Evan Adams — currently in the NAHL — for the last three seasons, but ‘25-26 is his time. Arguably the best defenseman this fall for 18U MHA Red.

Mason McCaughtry, Rochester United Senior Defenseman

Played through an injury for much of the ‘24-25 season, and still led RU from the back end with seven goals and 26 points. McCaughtry is one of six returning D-men for Rochester United, and should provide solid production at both ends of the ice.

Brady Damian, Clarkston Senior Goalie

A four-year guy for the Wolves who’s played in 38 career varsity games. Damian has played in some of the biggest games in high school hockey, including six starts against Top-25 teams as a junior. Damian is 9-0-0 all-time against OAA opponents. 

Petey’s Prediction: Clarkston, Lakes Area

The Wolves are an easy pick here, and will get strong Top-5 consideration for my Preseason Rankings down the road. As much as I like RU, it would take a lot for them to dethrone Clarkston for the top spot in the association. Clarkston is more than an OAA contender; they’ll push teams like Detroit Catholic Central, Howell, Hartland and Brighton for a Division-I state title at the end of the season.

Lakes Area exploded onto the scene with 22 wins last season. Outgoing senior goaltender Jakob Van Zweden was a huge part of that and it’ll be a challenge to replace a prospect like that at such a crucial position. But I do believe this program has achieved a level of success that is sustainable, and if they can replicate that success to an extent in the OAA, it will add legitimacy to the growth Lakes Area has experienced over the last few seasons. Guys like Scheidt and Carl Merkle could help carry the torch for a program still in its infancy, looking to gain a stronghold in the high school hockey space.

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