Schools
Metro East Team Heads to Meijer State Games
Eisenhower's Jacob Ulicny, Jake Schmidt and Tyler Wakefield were chosen to participate on Metro East hockey team at the Meijer State Games of Michigan this weekend.
The 2011 Metro East boys high school hockey team only has six hours to get ready for the Meijer State Games of Michigan.
Six hours of on-ice practice time is all that is allowed for this team of 20 boys from eight different high schools to train together before heading to the Meijer State Games of Michigan in Grand Rapids this weekend. The team will compete in the eight team high school hockey showcase June 23-26.
"We'll have four skates of an hour-and-a-half each that these boys will go through and then we'll play next weekend," Metro East general manager Mike Ulicny said. "The toughest thing for all of the teams participating I imagine will be getting them to know one another. That will be the trickiest thing."
In its second year, the Meijer State Games of Michigan is an Olympic-style festival with the philosophy that everyone participates regardless of age or ability; everyone is welcome and everyone plays. The Games embody the values of participation and good sportsmanship and is centered in Grand Rapids.
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Lake Orion High School senior forward Nick Balavich participated in the Games last year.
"Playing in the tournament was a lot of fun last year and a really good experience overall," said Balavich. "Playing against other kids around the state was neat and it's great to play on a team with kids you've never played with before. We all want to win, so it's going to be tough competition. Last year we gave up a lot of goals so hopefully we'll be able to do better this year."
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Participants in the high school hockey event are required to play for their high school team; approximately 60 boys tried out for the 20-player Metro East roster.
This tournament is by no means a summertime boondoggle.
"There were 20 high schools per region and there are eight regions, so 160 high schools represented," said Ulicny. "Typically there are 20 players on each team. If you do the math, you'll see that there were a lot of players vying for these spots and these kids were selected. These are pretty high-level kids. We're hoping that this is a pretty heavily scouted event by juniors scouts and college scouts.
"We have a great group of kids here," said Ulicny. "They are polite and respectful which you don't always get at this age. The bulk of our team is made up of 1994 birthyears, 19 year olds, but we do have one player that has a 1996 birthyear. He filled all of the water bottles today."
That younger player is sophomore LA Grissom from University Liggett. He smiled when we joked about water bottle duty.
"I'm feeling really good about making the team," Grissom said. "There are a lot of older kids and I'm only a '96, so I guess that's a pretty good thing. I think the tournament will be a really great experience for me."
Most of the players will participate in the State Games' Opening Ceremonies that will take place June 24 at Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park, home to the West Michigan Whitecaps.
Metro East opens with divisional play at Grand Rapids Edge Arena on Thursday at 7 p.m. against Metro South. On Friday, they'll face Team West at 10 a.m. and Saturday at 8:30 a.m. they'll play Team North.
Cross-divisional play will be Saturday with medal play on Sunday at Griff's Ice House.
The 2011 Metro East roster includes Nick Balavich (Lake Orion), Dan Chapie (Lake Orion), Joe Costello (Stoney Creek), Robert Haney (Dakota), Drew Johnson (Marysville), Zach Koonce (Lake Orion), Sam Parise (University of Detroit Jesuit), Anthony Saleh (Grosse Pointe North), Jake Schmidt (), Jacob Soyka (University Liggett), Joe Vitale (St. Clair Shores), Matt Zuelch (Stoney Creek), LA Grissom (University Liggett), Jacob Hodges (University Liggett), Andrew Stanbury (Stoney Creek), Bradley Schornak (Dakota), Patrick Suchy (University of Detroit Jesuit), Jacob Ulicny (Eisenhower), Anthony Benvenuti (Marysville), Tyler Wakefield (Eisenhower), Austin Lane (St. Clair Shores).
Staff includes head coach Bob Hall (Eisenhower), assistant coach Paul Moretz (Marysville), assistant coach Lee Jenkins (Ford II) and general manager Mike Ulicny (Eisenhower).
For additional information on the Meijer State Games of Michigan, please visit www.stategamesofmichigan.com.
