Washtenaw United Rolls to Division 2 State Title

The Washtenaw United girls’ hockey team avenged two of its three division losses to claim the Division 2 state title with a 5-1 win over Cranbrook-Kingswood at USA Hockey Arean in Plymouth Saturday.

Washtenaw had lost to Cranbrook 9-6 in a wild game earlier in the season, but starting goaltender Trista Schreiber-Tracy left the game early due to illness and United was forced to have another player go to the locker room to change into goalie gear to finish the game.

Saturday was a different story as United dominated the Cranes from the start on both ends of the ice.

The teams went back-and-forth on the ice for nearly half of the first period before Daphne Grant chipped the puck over top of the Cranbrook goaltender and into the net for a 1-0 United lead at 7:25 of the first period.

Sydney Clark celebrates her goal to make it 2-0 Washtenaw. Photo by Mike Williamson

Washtenaw was called for roughing a few minutes later to put the Cranes on the power-play, but it was United who struck with a girl down when Sydney Clark took a pass from Lily Schlack and broke in on net lifted a shot that bounced off the goaltenders shoulder and into the net for a shorthanded goal to make it 2-0 with 4:02 left in the first.

A big moment came at the end of the first when Rylee Kennedy lifted what looked like a centering pass from the blue line that somehow found its way through the crowd in front of the net and just inside the goal post with 12 seconds left in the period for a 3-0 lead Washtenaw United.

Daphne Grant scores her second of the game in the third period. Photo by Mike Williamson

After another penalty kill to start the second period Sam Wawzysko knocked home the puck after mad scramble in front of the net to push the United lead to 4-0 and it stayed that way until the third period.

With 11 minutes left in the third, Grant picked up a rebound of her own shot and knocked it home to make it 5-0 United and the celebration was not far off.

Cranbrook scored with just over two minutes remaining to make it 5-1, but that is all they would get as Washtenaw rushed the ice to celebrate as the final horn sounded.

Schreiber-Tracy was stellar in net for Washtenaw, coming up with a big save time and time again to keep the Cranes off the board until the final moments of the game.

Trista Schreiber-Tracy came up with several big saves in net to keep Cranbrook off the board. Photo by Mike Williamson

The Washtenaw penalty kill was spot on as well, killing all four to Cranbrook’s power plays, while United did not have one power play in the game.

Clark picked up a pair of assists to go along with her goal, while Veronica Holmstrom picked up two assists as well. Abigail Schroeder, Schlack, Cecilia Henriksen, Kennedy, and Brynn Gordon had one assist each.

Accepting the MGHSHL state championship plaque for Washtenaw United were Julia Berkholz, Raegan Kopitsch, Sydney Clark, and Cecilia Henriksen. Photo by Mike Williamson

Washtenaw had gone 8-3 in the D2 regular season and avenged two of the losses with a semifinal win over Regina/Lutheran North and then the title game win over Cranbrook. They finished 11-3 on the season against D2 teams and 14-13 overall.

Photos by Mike Williamson