Leading scorer Efe Oztorun put Cranbrook up 2-0 heading into the third period with No. 1-ranked Detroit Catholic Central. It was the Catholic League championship on Saturday, and the Cranes were counting down the minutes on CC’s 61-game win streak. A pair of goals from Jack Dorgan and Dominic Testani 5:39 apart evaporated Cranbrook’s lead, and senior Nick Leiter completed the comeback with just under 90 seconds left in the second overtime.

It was the closest any Michigan-based high school team has come to defeating Catholic Central in almost three years.

Even though the Cranes were unable to pull off the upset, a message was still sent and received around the state. Blake Tice — who stopped 37-of-40 shots faced in that game — and Steven Louiselle — who’s undefeated in four starts with a .929 save percentage — are the best goaltending tandem in the state. Combined, they share a 1.75 goals-against average through eight games this season with wins over No. 23 Sault Ste. Marie and No. 4 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s.

Cranbrook’s strong start to the season and subsequent showing in the Catholic League tournament has propelled the Cranes up 10 spots in my most recent rankings. That’s the largest bi-weekly improvement by any team in the two years I’ve been assembling my Top 25. They settle in at No. 9, and join my group of teams deemed legitimate Title Contenders. 

On the Rise
Challengers
In the Hunt
Title Contenders
Detroit Catholic Central

Now, the updated Top-25 rankings in Michigan high school hockey.

Honorable Mention

Calumet, Jeffers, Escanaba, Northville, Sparta, Riverview Gabriel Richard, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Grand Rapids Christian

One or multiple honorable mentions are going to play their way into the Top 25 very soon. The trio of Calumet, Jeffers and Escanaba are knocking on the door, looking to be the fourth — or fifth, or sixth — upper peninsula-based program to crack the rankings this season. Calumet makes the best case, with one-goal wins over its U.P. counterparts in the Jets and Eskymos. Jeffers may have the longest road to go to earn a number next to its name, even with a 4-2 win over Escanaba. The Jets’ biggest stretch of games won’t come until January, with a run against No. 10 Marquette, Calumet, Escanaba, No. 17 Grandville and No. 7 Houghton in order. But if senior forward Brit Heinonen can keep the Jets offense rolling into the New Year, they just might force their way into the Top 25 too.

Sparta’s 3-0 shutout victory over No. 23 Sault Ste. Marie was a resume-building win that offsets its 6-0 loss earlier in the season to a ranked opponent. Spartans are quietly building their way back up with two more games on the horizon against ranked teams Alpena and Caledonia. The duo of Caden Gleason and Tanner Guerra combined for 29 points in Sparta’s seven wins, but were held scoreless in the team’s two losses. Can they carry the Spartans into the Top 25 in the coming weeks?

On the Rise

25. University Liggett

They’re in the midst of arguably the toughest stretch of their entire schedule. A 4-2 win over Grosse Pointe South was slightly dulled by a 2-1 loss to No. 8 Flint Powers. The Knights were up 1-0 at the end of the first, but finishing the game getting out-shot 57-22 tells a far more detailed story than the final score. Two big games against No. 14 De La Salle and No. 18 Lumen Christi could either solidify Liggett’s place in the rankings or play them out altogether.

24. Midland Dow vv

An overtime loss to Grand Rapids Catholic Central — an honorable mention team on the fringe of the rankings themselves — and a 4-2 loss to out-of-state Bayport (WI) bumps the Chargers a couple spots down the rankings, but not out completely. The Chargers went 1-1 in their road trip to Wisconsin and will likely rattle off a few more wins ahead of their rivalry game with Midland next week.

23. Sault Ste. Marie vv

The Blue Devils are 2-2 since the last update, and the 3-0 loss to Sparta being the reason for a slight drop in the rankings. What a weird game, though, with just 40 total shots on goal in the game. I like this Sault Ste. Marie team and think it’s a really solid bunch; we’ll get a chance to see how good over the next two weeks too. And, despite being 4-4-0 there really isn’t a ‘bad’ loss on their resume thus far; at least not bad enough to take away their number.

22. Caledonia ^^ 

I went back and watched the Scots’ 4-2 win against Milford earlier in the season. Senior Tony Kauffman is a legit junior hockey prospect with a high motor and a knack for being around the play (a lot). The Mavericks certainly weren’t the toughest team Caledonia has faced, but I saw enough to justify them as a Top-25 team. 

21. Midland vvv

They’ve played three games, which as far as I can tell, is the fewest among any team in the state. The schedule ramps up over the next two weeks though, with five games in 10 days prior to winter break. We’ll find out real quick whether that 3-2 loss to Bay City last week was an outlier or a indicator of things to come. 

Challengers

20. Salem vvvv

The Rocks have lost three of their last four since the last rankings update, and five of their last six games. Cam Eichner and co., can stop the skid with a couple wins between now and winter break. But even that road won’t be easy with a KLAA-MIHL Showcase matchup with No. 9 Cranbrook, plus an intense rivalry game with Plymouth before Christmas.

19. Alpena ^^^^

The season’s still early, but the deeper we get into the schedule the more and more I like this Wildcats team. Only loss on the season is a 7-6 shootout decision to Mattawan. Huge test coming for Alpena at the D3 Showcase this weekend, playing Chelsea Friday and turning around on short rest to play No. 8 Flint Powers.

18. Lumen Christi v

The Titans have gone three straight games without allowing a goal against; the scoreless streak is now north of 153 minutes. That includes an impassioned effort against cross-town rival Jackson United 5-0 and a 2-0 win on the road at Chelsea. Two of Lumen’s next four games are against ranked teams. So this next stretch will be a great test as Zach Jaakkola and the Titans get their first look at formidable foes.

17. Grandville ^^

The Bulldogs have faced little resistance in their 5-0 start to the season thus far. What happens when Landon Smith and Bennett Eisma find themselves in a close, one-goal game with the likes of Cap City, No. 5 Howell or GRCC? They’ve gotten comfortable playing with sizable leads, but adversity is coming and I’m intrigued to see how this bunch handles it. 

In the Hunt

16. Clarkston vvvvvv

Well, the Wolves may be the most battle-tested team in the state just five weeks into the season. The wins aren’t piling up, but I challenge you to find a group that’s played more intense, meaningful hockey than this bunch. Four one-goal games, four overtime finishes, four Top-25 opponents. Results aren’t going their way but the experience is invaluable for a team with hopes of making another playoff run.

15. Brother Rice vvvv

The offense is picking up steam despite suffering two one-goal losses since the last rankings update. Twenty-five goals in the last four games from 10 different goal scorers. That volume of production and diversity of sources can help build confidence for the Warriors despite suffering two one-goal losses to ranked opponents and dropping four spots in the rankings.

14. De La Salle ^

The Pilots have played five straight games against ranked opponents, which explains their banged up 2-4-0 record at the moment. Senior Dylan Blackwood helped weather the storm and Cash Soulliere has emerged as a legitimate goal scorer in his first six varsity games. Watch DLS go on a bit of a run here with six or seven wins in its next eight games on the schedule.

13. Byron Center ^

Braxton McKee has stepped up big for the Bulldogs. Through seven games, he has 11 goals and 16 points, with a goal in all but one game so far. McKee has factored in on 10 of the team’s last 14 goals and solidified himself as a go-to-guy at this level. They’re also getting really good effort in net from junior goaltender Quinn Sall. 

12. Trenton ^

The Trojans have added four wins to their total since the last rankings, and the offense has gained some confidence in that span as well. That could spell a problem for upcoming opponents like No. 3 Livonia Stevenson, Calumet and No. 7 Houghton. Evan Sivi will keep all of those games close, and now the offense believes in itself; scary combination. 

11. Brighton ^

They might be the most overlooked one-loss team in the state right now. Brighton is quietly out to a 6-1-1 start, but flying under the radar a bit. Their next five games are against ranked opponents, so it’ll be hard to hide big performances moving forward but right now it feels like everyone’s sleeping on the young Bulldogs.

10. Marquette vv

After coming out of the gate on fire, the Sentinels have cooled off a bit with losses to Escanaba and No. 7 Houghton (twice). They’ve got three games coming up against Top-10 opponents that could catapult Marquette back into the Title Contender conversation, but for now, Brody Sheldon and the boys are comfortably In the Hunt. 

Title Contenders

9. Cranbrook ^^^^^^^^^^^

Moving the Cranes up 10 spots may be too aggressive from one rankings update to the next, but I’m convinced. I’ve been saying since the preseason that this squad could be better than last season’s state championship team and after the start to this season, you should believe it too. Blake Tice and Steven Louiselle are quite possibly the best goaltending tandem in the state.

8. Flint Powers v

The Chargers moving down in the rankings is less about what they’ve done — a 6-0-0 start — and more about what others — East Grand Rapids — have done. Powers’ schedule has been a little light so far, but a matchup as early as Dec. 21 could settle the debate between who should move up and who should move down in this section of the Top 25.

7. Houghton vv

Their first trip downstate was a successful one, playing No. 6 East Grand Rapids to overtime and a 3-0 win over Forest Hills Central. The Gremlins also solidified themselves as the top dogs in the U.P. with back-to-back wins over No. 10 Marquette. Jace DeForge’s hat trick in a 4-3 win over the Sentinels helped lock down Houghton’s reign.

6. East Grand Rapids ^^^

There’s a lot of programs talking about grit, but the Pioneers are the only ones living it right now. For a program that’s had several special groups, this ‘24-25 bunch seems particularly unique. A freshman goaltender in Charles Finch playing spectacularly, a top trio of goal scorers and a group embodying the phrase ‘next man up.’ This group just refuses to lose right now. 

5. Howell

They’ve only played one game in the last two weeks, but will take the ice five times in the next 11 days. All of them are games I’d have the Highlanders favored in, with an edge in offense, skill, goaltending or some other phase of the game. I like this group’s talent and the way they play together as a unit. Watch the wins pile up the next few weeks.

4. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s vv

After a 2-2 tie with up-and-coming Brighton and a 4-3 loss to a lower-seeded Cranbrook squad in the Catholic League playoffs, OLSM bounced back with a dominant win over U of D Jesuit and a gutty 3-2 victory over De La Salle. The Eaglets’ next six games are against ranked opponents, and .500-or-better hockey would be impressive the rest of the month.

3. Livonia Stevenson ^

The Spartans haven’t lost since opening night and they’re averaging 6.2 goals scored per game over their last five outings. Owen Hall, Christian Lang and Connor Buchanan have the offense buzzing at an impressive clip, and outside of No. 12 Trenton, I don’t see any of the Spartans’ upcoming opponents being able to slow them down enough to stage an upset.

2. Hartland ^

…There’s a chance this Hartland team could go undefeated in the regular season. The Eagles’ body of work thus far has been dominant and impressive. And I know we’re only six games in, but as I look ahead on the schedule, Hartland would be the favorite in all of its remaining games. Who else can you say that about?! The pressure would compound with each passing game, and I don’t expect the Eagles to compile a perfect record… but I’m telling you there’s a chance.

Detroit Catholic Central

1. Detroit Catholic Central

They’ve survived not one, not two, but three close calls since the last rankings update. A 4-3 win over No. 15 Brother Rice, a 7-3 win over No. 14 De La Salle and a 3-2 double overtime win over No. 9 Cranbrook. All three of those games, the Shamrocks were tied or trailing in the third period. That’s not a sign of weakness or vulnerability; it’s an inexperienced bunch facing adversity for the first time. All that’s going to do is sharpen this talented group’s tools and prepare them for bigger and more difficult challenges ahead. Eleven skaters with multiple goals scored and 25 different players inserted into the lineup so far. The Shamrocks remain in a class of their own.