After leading White Lake Lakeland to a Division 2 hockey state semifinal two years ago, it makes sense that 17th-year coach Tim Ronayne put together the toughest schedule of his career.
Only this year might not have been the best time to face so many powerhouses.
Why?
Because Lakeland isn’t a hockey team anymore. This past offseason, it merged with its biggest rival, Milford, to form the Huron Valley Titans co-op, a nod to the Huron Valley Schools district.
Following a 4-4 tie Feb. 7 at Birmingham Unified, the Titans are 14-10-1 with just two games left before regionals begin.
Some might say maybe don’t schedule so aggressively during your first season merging two fierce rivals into one program. Ronayne hasn’t minded the challenge. The success of his recent Lakeland teams meant plenty of the state’s best wanted to play the Titans.
As of this writing, seven of their opponents are ranked by the Michigan High School Hockey Coaches Association, including Cranbrook, Flint Powers Catholic and Livonia Stevenson, which appeared in last week’s Super 10 poll that ranks the state’s top teams regardless of division.
“This has been a tough year, schedule-wise, but when you start to play well year after year, people want to play you,” Ronayne said. “Yeah, it’s our toughest schedule, but I’ve designed it that way, so hopefully it pays off at the end. We’ve faced adversity all along, and sometimes it didn’t work out how we wanted. But hopefully this pays off at the end.”
Iron sharpens iron, as the saying goes.
Fortunately for the Titans, the tough losses haven’t gotten in the way of team bonding.
“Absolutely not,” Ronayne said. “Milford and Lakeland have been heated rivals since their inception, but not having enough hockey players to form two teams is the climate right now in our area. I don’t know why. There are a lot of different reasons. But as far as the merger goes, it’s been great. It’s been fantastic, actually.
“The kids want to be coached. These guys have all become really good friends. Some of them have even become best friends now, and they’re coming from competing schools.”
Ronayne said the rising cost of hockey has been one sticking point, especially for parents forced to buy multiple $300 sticks. He also believes the recent struggles of the Detroit Red Wings have played a role in fewer kids trying the sport.
“When the Red Wings are going hot, it seems like hockey picks up at the younger end and just filters through,” Ronayne said.
Despite coming off a heartbreaking 4-3 loss earlier in the week to last year’s state runner-up, Cranbrook, the Titans battled Birmingham Unified, especially after trailing 3-2 entering the third period.
Levi Weinberger and Nathan Dell each scored to give Huron Valley a brief lead before BU’s Marty Graney netted a late goal to force overtime.
“We competed pretty hard when we had to,” Ronayne said. “I just wish we could have continued that throughout the game and been more consistent. But we’ve had two tough games in a row, back and forth, and this was equally tough because Birmingham just kept coming.”
Even after the late letdown, Ronayne was pleased with the effort.
The Titans outshot BU 45-27, with goalie Henry Stewart making 23 saves. Zane Austin and Austin Scanlon scored goals, and players from both Lakeland and Milford worked together to salvage the tie in overtime.
“I’ve had great support from both athletic departments,” Ronayne said. “I’m from Lakeland, but the Milford AD (Jim Marszalek) has been great, along with the others. We’ve had no challenges whatsoever.”
No, their only challenges have come on the ice, and that’s exactly how Ronayne scheduled it.
Brandon Folsom covers high school sports in metro Detroit for Hometown Life. Follow him on his new X.com account at @folsomwrites.
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