Moment: Pendery Caps GRCC Comeback
April 9, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
When Jack Pendery scored 5 minutes and 25 seconds into overtime on March 11, 2016, he finished Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s comeback from a two-goal deficit and sent the Eagles to the Division 3 hockey championship game with a 3-2 win over Chelsea.
The Bulldogs quickly took a 2-0 first-period lead in this Semifinal. But the Cougars scored once in the second period and again in the third to tie the score, and for the game outshot Chelsea 53-24.
“All I heard was a bunch of screaming and roaring,” Pendery said postgame of his winning goal. “I didn’t honestly didn’t see the goal clearly go in, but at that moment I felt relief off my chest.”
Click for Grand Rapids Press coverage – Jack Pendery’s OT goal lifts Grand Rapids Catholic Central past Chelsea, into D3 state championship – and watch the game winner below with coverage from the NFHS Network.
Moment: Heritage Soars to 1st Final
April 9, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Saginaw Heritage has ascended to the ranks of the state’s high school hockey elite these last few seasons. And it’s fair to say Matte Cole scored one of the defining goals of that rise.
Cole actually tallied two goals during the Hawks’ 3-2 overtime win over Traverse City West in a Division 1 Semifinal on March 9, 2018. The second came 59 seconds into overtime to secure the victory, which sent Heritage to its first MHSAA Final in hockey.
"If you would have told us at the beginning of the year that we would be in the championship game I don't think that realistically … many people outside of our locker room would have given us that opportunity," Heritage coach J.J. Bamberger said that day. "But everyone in the locker room believed in it. We have kids who have won championships at younger levels and they showed today they're winners and they refused to lose."
Click for game coverage from the Saginaw News – Saginaw Heritage tops Traverse City West in OT, advances to first state championship game – and watch the game winner below with coverage from the NFHS Network.