By: Jonathan Szczepaniak | Novi Note | Published March 19, 2024
NOVI — For the third-straight season, Brighton High School attempted to stop Detroit Catholic Central’s reign in Division 1 hockey, but for the third-straight time, Brighton learned that the well-oiled machine of DCC just plays a different type of hockey.
Looking to win its fifth-consecutive Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 1 state championship, DCC blanked Brighton 2-0 March 9 at the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth behind goals from senior captain Joseph Curtin and senior Cael Rogowski.
Curtin opened up the scoring with a power-play goal in the first period, while Rogowski capitalized on a Brighton turnover near its own net before burying his own rebound to give DCC some breathing room.
Shamrocks senior goaltender Mathieu Chernauckas was stellar in net, stopping all 25 shots he faced in the win.
With the win, Detroit Catholic Central tied its longest consecutive title reign; DCC also won five-straight championships from 1999 to 2003.
DCC has now won 30-consecutive MHSAA tournament matchups, suffering its last loss to Brighton in the 2018 semifinals, while compiling 54-straight wins against in-state opponents.