Farmington Finishes Fantastic Run as #1
March 8, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
PLYMOUTH – Goaltender John Lethemon was right on all week for the Farmington hockey team.
In net, he was nearly unbeatable. And after the Falcons finished an unpredictable run Saturday with a 2-1 win over Sault Ste. Marie and their first MHSAA title, he said what everyone else was thinking.
“I don’t really think anybody in Michigan besides these 19 guys, our four coaches, the trainers and obviously our parents believed we could do this,” Lethemon said. “We knew all along that if we caught fire at the right time, some bounces would go our way … and we all just busted our butts the whole six games."
Well said.
It was tough a week ago to see the Division 3 tournament unfolding the way it did over the last five days, with reigning champion Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood considered the best by many in any division and a likely champ if the Cranes somehow were to stumble.
That was before Lethemon made 60 saves in a 3-2 win over Cranbrook-Kingswood in the Quarterfinal, 21 more in a 2-1 win over Grand Rapids Catholic Central on Friday and a final 29 as the Falcons dispatched of the Blue Devils – and then accepted his championship medal to student section chants of “M.V.P.”
But the Falcons felt the impact of a number of contributors this week.
In front of Lethemon were a strong group of defensemen including seniors Austin Meltzer, Grant Newton and Roman Firestone, who all likely played close to 40 minutes during the Final. Keying the offense was sophomore Jason Petras, who scored once in the Semifinal and both goals in the championship game.
And keying Petras, in part, was his guardian angel.
Jason’s mom Kim Petras, also a teacher in the Farmington district, died Feb. 4 after a fight against colon cancer. He played for the Falcons that night, and with his teammates has since rallied to her memory.
Farmington coach Bill Newton – himself currently battling the same form of cancer – called Petras “a warrior and the catalyst of this hockey team from that point.”
“My mom was watching down, definitely helping me,” Petras said. “I knew she was with me through thick and thin. She’s my number one fan, and I knew she had a lot to do with how I played the last couple of games; that’s for sure.”
Farmington had scored first in all of its first five postseason games, and Petras giving the Falcons the lead again just 38 seconds in provided another jolt of confidence to go along with their teammate defending between the pipes.
Petras added his second goal at 13:17 of the first period.
Blue Devils senior Blake Mastaw got his team on the board 18 seconds into the second period. But Lethemon and his crew of blueliners took care of the next 36 minutes and change.
“We thought if we could play with a first-goal lead, that might take them out of their comfort zone and leave their goaltender hanging out on odd-man rushes,” Sault Ste. Marie coach John Ferroni said. “But they got the first goal, and we had to play a different style.
“They always thought, hey, we could steal this game. A 2-1 game is just one good shot on goal and you’re back tied again.”
Sault Ste. Marie finished 25-3-2 and runner-up for the seventh time as it pursued its first MHSAA hockey title since 1989.
Farmington ended 21-10, giving Newton a championship in his first season as head coach after a decade as an assistant. Brother to Michigan State University assistant coach Tom Newton, Bill quoted Tom in describing how a coach never sits too far away on the bus from his goalie – and how he was careful to not let Lethemon too far out of his sight.
Nor did his teammates as they piled onto him moments after finishing their run.
“You can’t call me M.V.P. These guys played great the whole time,” Lethemon said. “I just made the saves I had to make.”
PHOTO: (Top) Farmington goaltender John Lethemon makes one of his 29 saves Saturday in the Division 3 Final. (Middle) Sault Ste. Marie players bump gloves, led by senior Benjamine LaCross. (Middle photo by Andrew Knapik/Southgate.)
Manistique Hockey Co-Op Off to Successful Debut
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
February 4, 2022
MANISTIQUE — There’s a new kid on the block in Upper Peninsula high school hockey this season.
The Manistique Emeralds, who launched a co-op program for the first time, already have made some noise while posting a 5-4-1 record through their first 10 games.
Manistique is fresh from a 2-1 triumph over Painesdale Jeffers on home ice Saturday.
Also included in the co-op venture are Newberry, Munising and Eben Junction Superior Central.
“It feels great to have a high school program here,” said Manistique junior forward Carter Miller. “This is a big change from house league hockey. The high school game is a lot faster. This has been a pretty big transition. We had to get in shape faster and start a little earlier.”
The victory ended a two-game losing streak for the Emeralds, who dropped a 6-5 overtime decision to Escanaba on Friday and absorbed a 2-1 loss to Kingsford at Iron Mountain Jan. 25.
“It was a very exciting game last night,” coach John Nutkins said after Saturday’s game. “We trailed by three goals twice and took them into overtime. I think that gave us a lot of momentum for the rest of the season. We outplayed Kingsford, but had trouble putting the puck in the net. The guys are pulling together. We have to keep working and improving. We feel we’re in a stretch where we can win some games.”
The Emeralds travel to the Copper Country this weekend to face Negaunee on Friday and Jeffers on Saturday at Michigan Tech.
“They (Negaunee) don’t have a lot of guys, but they take quick shots,” said sophomore goaltender Alex Noble. “We just have to put pressure on the puck.
“(Defeating Jeffers) is a big W for us. I think this will give us momentum going into next weekend. We’ve been in a lot of close games. We didn’t give up against Esky. That was a real big game for us.”
Dakota Maki, a senior forward from Superior Central, put the Emeralds on the board first in a 6-1 road loss to Escanaba.
“That’s definitely not a game we want to remember,” said Nutkins. “Although, it was exciting to get the early goal. They have a great hockey program, but I don’t think that’s who we are. It’s always kind of a feeling out process. In the first game at Iron Mountain they (Kingsford) were flying. It was kind of a culture shock. I feel we’ve improved a lot from the beginning of the season.”
Manistique dropped a 1-0 decision to the Flivvers on Nov. 18, then tied with Jeffers 1-1 and beat the Hancock jayvees 2-0 at MTU at the start of December.
The Emeralds followed that with a 7-3 triumph over Kingsford in their home debut Dec. 16.
“That was definitely exciting,” said Gavin Nutkins, a sophomore forward from Newberry. “There were more than 300 people here. I’ve never experienced that before. The fans have supported us very well. I think we’ve done very well. We are just getting into game shape, and it’s starting to show.”
Noble stopped 26 shots in Saturday’s victory over Jeffers.
“This is a big step up,” he said. “We just have to work hard for it. This is a bit stronger competition and a faster game.”
Gavin Nutkins said he got interested in hockey at a very young age.
“I played baseball and football, but nothing compares with hockey,” he added. “It’s really hard with school. My dad’s the coach, which makes it a little easier. It’s about an hour’s drive both ways. We usually get home about 9:30 or 10 p.m., then I have to study for 2-3 hours, get about six hours of sleep and go to school. Sometimes you get a little tired.”
John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
PHOTOS (Top) Manistique attempts to maintain possession against Painesdale Jeffers. (Middle) The Emeralds defend in front of their goal against Escanaba last month. (Photos by Veronica Edwards.)