Badgers 4, Mid Michigan Raptors 1
The Lakeshore Badgers made the trip to Mount Pleasant on Friday night, December 12, and came away with a strong 4–1 win over the Mid Michigan Raptors at Martin Arena.
After last weekend’s games against Jenison and the Kalamazoo Eagles, Lakeshore put a major emphasis on pre-game preparation and getting off to a better start—and the response was immediate. The Badgers came out hard, carried play early, and opened the scoring with 6:06 remaining in the first period when Ryan Higley (LHS junior) buried a goal off feeds from Levi Young (MCC senior) and Jayden Mirretti (LHS senior).
Lakeshore struck again late in the period to seize momentum heading into the break. With just 19 seconds left, Tristan Horrigan (MCE senior) found the back of the net to give the Badgers a 2–0 lead after one.
The second period was heavy on special teams and light on rhythm, as both teams spent extended time killing penalties. Lakeshore stayed composed and cashed in at the perfect moment—Young tipped home a power play goal with just two seconds remaining in the period, with Mirretti credited with the assist, pushing the lead to 3–0.
The third period remained physical and choppy, but the Badgers didn’t sit back. About three minutes in, Jacob Bielski (Manistee freshman) “dented the twine” to make it 4–0, finishing a play set up by Higley.
Mid Michigan answered a minute later with their lone goal, but Lakeshore stayed steady the rest of the way to close out the win.
In net, Joel Knobel (Hart junior) was excellent, stopping 22 of 23 shots to earn the victory.
The win levels Lakeshore’s record at 6–6 on the season. The Badgers were pleased with the effort—starting strong, staying disciplined when the Raptors tried to get physical, and continuing to push the pace throughout the night.
Up next
Lakeshore is back in action Saturday, December 20 at West Shore Community Ice Arena against Kalamazoo United. Puck drop is set for 11:00 a.m.
Sailors 9, Saginaw Heritage 5
Mona Shores head coach Chris Benedict reached a major milestone Saturday, recording the 100th victory of his varsity coaching career as the Sailors continued their strong showing at the Bay City Showcase.
Mona Shores capped the event with an offensive surge, defeating Saginaw Heritage 9–5 to finish the weekend on a high note.
Cullen Conrad paced the Sailors with a hat trick, while Cooper Nellis added two more goals to the tally. The scoring depth didn’t stop there—Jackson Beezley, Eli Habetler, Quinn Addicott, and James McDowell each found the back of the net to round out the nine-goal effort.
In goal, Willis Nolan was steady throughout, turning aside 27 shots to secure the win.
Up Next
Mona Shores returns home next, hosting Forest Hills Northern/Eastern on Wednesday.
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