8 overtimes, 2 champions: St. Mary's, Marquette are co-champs after 1-1 tie

BY CHRIS LAU • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • March 9, 2008

They were hugging and smiling. They were congratulating one another. They were players from both teams.


After eight overtimes in the Division 1 state championship hockey game Saturday, players from both Marquette and Orchard Lake St. Mary's huddled together, posed for pictures and lifted the state championship trophy.
The score was 1-1 after 109 minutes of play, and the Michigan High School Athletic Association declared co-champions.
"It's unthought of," Marquette goalie Jon Nezich said. "Both teams deserved it. Both teams worked so hard."
It was the longest game in Michigan high school history and second longest in U.S. high school history.
"You know what? It is what it is," St. Mary's coach Brian Klanow said. "It's history, that's what it is. The kids -- hats off to all of them. What a tribute this is to high school hockey in Michigan."
Both teams had ample scoring opportunities. Mike Peterson scored for Marquette nine minutes into the second period. Tim Hooker tied it for St. Mary's (15-12-3) with 1:32 left in regulation after St. Mary's had called a time-out and pulled its goalie.
The goalies were the stars. St. Mary's goalie Ryan Morley-Stockton had 58 saves, a new Michigan championship game record. Nezich had 33 saves for Marquette (20-5-4).
Afterward, Morley-Stockton barely had the energy to celebrate.
"Most of us won't be able to walk our bags out of here," he said.
St. Mary's forward Shane Halaas was happy. He played on the St. Mary's football team that lost to East Grand Rapids in a state-record five overtimes, 46-39, in the Division 3 title game in November.
"I rather it go into a shoot-out, but in the end, it's all good," Halaas said. "It's better than if we lost. Everyone goes out a winner. It was different, but we're champions and we get rings."