Through the Years: Ice Hockey 1975-2016

August 19, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The ice rink has produced both one of Michigan's inductees into the National Federation Sports Hall of Fame and also one of the most storied championship game results in all of MHSAA history.

Both are highlighted below in today's look at the history of the MHSAA hockey tournament. This feature is from the spring issue of benchmarks, built and written by Rob Kaminski. Scroll to the bottom of the page for a link to our previous installments.


Previous installments 

August 16: Girls Gymnastics - Read
August 12:
Boys/Girls Swimming & Diving - Read
August 9:
Football - Read
August 5:
Girls Volleyball - Read
August 2:
Boys Soccer - Read
July 30:
Boys Cross Country - Read
July 26:
Girls Cross Country - Read
July 22:
Boys/Girls Lacrosse - Read
July 19:
Boys/Girls Tennis - Read
July 15:
Boys/Girls Golf - Read
July 12:
Girls Soccer - Read
July 8:
Boys Track & Field - Read
July 5:
Girls Track & Field - Read
July 1:
Baseball - Read
June 28:
Softball - Read

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.