The team celebrates after claiming its second straight title with a victory over Howell.
BY BRIAN RZEPPA
After a 2-1 victory over Plymouth to capture the Great Lakes Prep Hockey League State Championship last year, the Trenton High School JV Prep Hockey team came into this year wanting to maintain their status as the top team in the state.
The team returned many of the players that had been champions the year before, but there was a change on the bench that noticeable. Carl Olds, who created the program six years ago, left his head coaching position and his assistant, Brian Hill, was elevated to the top spot.
Having been on the staff already, the move to head coach was a natural one for Hill. With experience behind the bench and on the ice, the JV Prep team managed to complete their back-to-back championship bid with a victory over Howell.
With familiarity already built in with many of the players, Hill had an increased level of comfortability with the team and he was excited about the program entering the season.
“I helped Carl Olds last year as an assistant coach so I knew most of the players that came back this year so I felt very comfortable with the players that were coming back. The expectation in Trenton, similar to the varsity team, is that we want to win a State Championship. I came in and saw that we had a really good blend of returning players and new players coming into the mix that brought some new energy to the team so I thought it was a great combination,” Hill said.
Hill noted that throughout the year there were some ups and downs, but the team really found their groove — interestingly enough — in a defeat.
“I really think the turning point for us was shortly after New Year’s. Believe it or not, it was during a loss against Catholic Central. Although we lost the game on the scoreboard I really thought the team came together and played one of their best games of the year.
“With that, we got the confidence to know that we could play with the best teams in the state so although we didn’t necessarily win that game, I think for me it was a turning point that our kids brought their game to another level. They saw that if they worked hard and stuck together, we could accomplish great things.”
It was a combination of effort from both returning and new players, but Hill felt some of the greatest contributions that were made — especially in key moments — were contributed by a core group of returners.
“Our captain, Nick Millhorn, was a returning player and a player I felt probably should have been on the varsity team. He came back and when it was all said and done he put up over 100 points for us and in the State Championship he scored the game-tying goal and the game-winning goal.
“Brendan Donovan was his line-mate and he had a great season as well. Those two played a lot together last year and just clicked and they picked up right where they left off last year. Every time they were on the ice together they were dangerous and they really did a great job leading the team.”
Though Millhorn and Donovan were two of the major drivers of the offensive attack throughout the season, Hill was impressed with the way the team came together in the playoffs and how everyone stepped up to fill their own role.
“I think for us since we had a good mix of returning players and new players, I think our returning players who had already played in big games really stepped up. All of our forwards that came back were extremely strong and we had a lot of returning defensemen and they did an amazing job on the back end.
“We also didn’t allow many goals in the state playoffs and only gave up one in the State Championship game. Both of our goaltenders, Luke Miklos and Tyler Plassman, were great all year long. With all of those returning players coming together and then the new kids finding their confidence, it just all came together at the right time for us.”
Though it was his first as a head coach, Hill had been involved with the team in previous championship pursuits. In fact, now in their sixth year of existence, the JV Prep team has reached the State Championship in each year they’ve been active.
Despite the continued runs at championships however, Hill noted that this team was able to accomplish something previous incarnations of the program had not.
“This team has been around for six years and every team has made the State finals. The one thing we had never accomplished was winning back-to-back so I’m really proud of this team of being the first team that was being able to win back-to-back and I think that’s a great accomplishment and a tribute to all of the players.”
With so much turnover from year-to-year, perhaps even more than a Varsity roster, the ability of the JV Prep team to maintain their excellence so consistently is a tribute not only to the coaching, Hill says, but to the community as a whole.
“We have to recognize Carl Olds, who started this program. He had a vision for creating a prep team in the city of Trenton that could feed the varsity team so he was the one who really created this team and he did an amazing job.” Hill said. “Secondly, Trenton hockey is part of the fabric of the community. It’s a big part of the city and a big part of the school and people rally around it. We are just blessed and fortunate that we get kids in the city that just rally around the game of hockey. Kids come in here with the expectation to do well and I just think that will thrive in this environment.”