Being neighborly

By Brad D. Bates
C & G Sports Writer

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes The Utica High hockey team faces Berkley High at 7:15 p.m. Feb. 6 at the Onyx Ice Arena in Rochester Hills as part of the MAC/OAA Showcase.

Hockey leagues join forces in MAC/OAA Showcase

It will be a hockey fan’s delight when the puck drops to kick off the Macomb Area Conference/Oakland Activities Association Showcase Feb. 6 at the Onyx Ice Arena in Rochester Hills.

The leagues will combine to give fans, scouts and coaches a chance to see 30 squads in one day, in one building, on three rinks for one $5 admission.

“When we did the first MAC Showcase last year, we had the idea for a Macomb/ Oakland showcase,” Macomb Dakota coach Dave Koons said. “We actually got the idea from the wrestling teams who do a Macomb/Oakland meet of the top teams, but we’ll have all the teams.”

While the wrestling meet invites teams that finished at the top of their respective county meets, the hockey event brings together all 14 squads from the OAA and 16 of the 18 teams from the MAC — Warren Mott and Madison Heights Lamphere opted out of the showcase.

Matchups were decided by the state rankings from the United States High School Hockey Organization.

“We’ll have No. 1 play No. 1, and No. 2 will play No. 2, so it’s a natural progression,” said Rochester Hills Stoney Creek Athletic Director Shane Redshaw.

“That has really given us a good schedule highlighted by the top seeds playing at 6:30 p.m. on the main rink at the Onyx.”

The two No. 1 seeds — Farmington High from the OAA and St. Clair Shores Unified from the MAC — face off at 6:30 p.m. in the 13th matchup of the day.

Clinton Township Chippewa Valley and Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse, the two extra MAC teams, have the honor of getting the tournament under way. They’ll face off at 9:45 a.m. on rink 1.

“One of the benefits is the ability to showcase all the players,” Redshaw said. “We have a hospitality room set up for scouts and coaches, and there’s not many times that scouts can come out and in one day see 30 teams.”

The rest of the schedule:

The No. 4 seeds — Clarkston High and Macomb Dakota — will follow the Big Reds/Lancers game at 10:30 a.m. on rink 2.

The Utica Stevenson Titans (No. 5 seed) face Birmingham Unified at 11:45 a.m. on rink 1.

Stoney Creek, the OAA’s No. 8 seed, faces Romeo High at 12:30 p.m. on rink 2. 

Lake Orion High (No. 6) and Macomb L’Anse Creuse North square off at 1:15 p.m. on rink 3.

The No. 13 seeds take the ice at 1:45 p.m. on rink 1, as Fraser High represents the MAC against Royal Oak High.

On rink 2, the No. 2 seeds — North Farmington and Utica Eisenhower — play at 2:30 p.m.

On rink 3, Bloomfield United (No. 12) faces Utica Ford II at 3:15 p.m.

Auburn Hills Avondale (No. 14) collides with Marysville High at 3:45 p.m. on rink 1.

Rink 2 hosts the No. 3 seeds when Rochester United faces Port Huron High at 4:30 p.m.

Troy Athens (No. 7) and St. Clair High play at 5:15 p.m. on rink 3.

Troy High and Anchor Bay battle as the No. 11 seeds at 5:45 p.m. on rink 1.

On rink 3, Berkley High (No. 9) and Utica High play at 7:15 p.m.

The No. 10 seeds — West Bloomfield High and Warren-Sterling United — round out the showcase at 7:45 p.m. on rink 1.

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Brad D. Bates at bbates@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1029.