Prep highlights: Hockey regional pairings revealed as season winds down

As the regular season winds down this week, the postseason picture is clearer for Livingston County’s hockey teams.

Schedules for regionals were released Sunday, with Hartland and Brighton getting first-round byes and Howell opening against Grand Blanc at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22 at Hartland Sports Center.

Hartland and Howell are in different brackets, so they can’t meet until the regional championship game. The regional features second-ranked Hartland and fourth-ranked Clarkston, which would be the Highlanders’ next opponent if they beat Grand Blanc.

Fifth-ranked Brighton and ninth-ranked Saline are the top seeds in the regional at Kensington Valley Ice House. They are separated until the regional championship game at 6 p.m. March 1.

Brighton beat Detroit U-D Jesuit 5-1 in its penultimate game of the regular season, scoring two goals 1 minute, 25 seconds apart late in the third period to break open a 3-1 game.

Charlie Burchfield’s second goal made it 4-1 with 5:43 remaining and Dylan Hunt completed the scoring with 4:18 on the clock.

Dominic Vincent and Winston Lerch scored first-period goals for Brighton (17-7). Ryan Nickerson made 23 saves for the Bulldogs.

Jesuit is ranked No. 8 in Division 2. Brighton will conclude the regular season at 6 p.m. Wednesday against No. 4 (Division 2) Birmingham Brother Rice at Kensington Valley.

Howell 7, Canton 2

Howell (8-13-2) is building momentum heading into the playoffs, winning for the third time in its last four games.

Canton was leading 1-0 when Marco Wolf scored with four seconds left in the first period to tie the game. The Highlanders took the lead for good on Dwight Bekkala’s goal with 9:27 left in the second period.

Joel Eskola had two goals and two assists, Hayden Sturos had a goal and four assists, Bekkala had two goals and one assist, and Chad Pietila had three assists for Howell.

The Highlanders will wrap up their regular season with home games against Northville at 3:45 p.m. Tuesday and Lake Orion at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Boys swimming and diving

MISCA meet

Fourth-place finishes by Brighton senior Sam Keranen and Hartland junior Issac Davis were the best by Livingston County athletes in the top regular-season meet of the season.

Keranen was fourth in the 200-yard individual medley in 1:57.78, while Davis was fourth in the 50 freestyle in 21.49 seconds.

Keranen was also 10th in the 100 butterfly (53.15) and was on Brighton’s eighth-place 200 freestyle and seventh-place 400 freestyle relay teams.

Davis helped Hartland placed 11th in the 200 medley relay and ninth in the 400 freestyle relay.

Hartland junior Tyler Davis was fifth in the 200 freestyle (1:45.29), seventh in the 500 freestyle (4:58.89) and was on the 400 freestyle relay team.

Brighton senior John McHugh was fifth in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.55), eighth in the 200 freestyle (1:46.56) and was on the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.

Other top performances by county swimmers were by Hartland’s Josh Ray in the 100 breaststroke (12th, 1:01.77), Howell’s Blake Kasprzak in the 500 freestyle (13th, 5:04.25), Pinckney’s Dylan Ray in the 200 freestyle (15th, 1:47.94) and Brighton’s Mason Staszel in the 100 freestyle (15th, 49.88).

Gymnastics

Howell was first with a score of 141.825, Brighton was second (140.8), Northville was third (136.275) and Novi was fourth (130.375).

Howell’s Kayla Forsyth was first all-around with a score of 37.825, winning on bars (9.375) and vault (9.5).

Howell’s Maria Petru was second all-around at 37.05, winning on beam (9.65) and floor exercise (9.55).

Brighton’s Anna Browne was third all-around (36.45).

Bowling

Regional Tune-up Tournament

Brighton’s boys and girls teams placed eighth at Thunderbowl Lanes in Dearborn.

Brighton’s Jimmy Chmielewski was sixth, rolling a high game of 218, and Johnny Saunders was 14th with a high game of 214.

In the girls tournament, Katilyn Daniels had a 167 while placing 12th and Hope Chmielewski’s high game was 174 while taking 16th.

New Lothrop Singles Challenge

Fowlerville’s Brent Wood finished fifth and rolled a personal-best 269. Also rolling career-best games for the Gladiators were Ethan Hall (244), Hayden Dexter (234) and Mason Kirby (209).

Hockey regional schedules

Division 1, Region 3

At Hartland Sports Center

Wednesday, Feb. 22

Davison vs. Saginaw Swan Valley, 4:30 p.m.

Grand Blanc vs. Howell, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 25

Davison-Swan Valley winner vs. Hartland, 4 p.m.

Grand Blanc-Howell winner vs. Clarkston, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, March 1

Championship, 5:30 p.m.

(Winner advances to state quarterfinals to face Romeo regional winner at noon Saturday, March 4 at Suburban Ice Macomb.)

Division 1, Region 8

At Kensington Valley Ice House

Wednesday, Feb. 22

Ann Arbor Pioneer vs. New Boston Huron, 5 p.m.

Woodhaven vs. Southgate Anderson, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 25

Pioneer-New Boston Huron winner vs. Brighton, noon

Woodhaven-Southgate Anderson winner vs. Saline, 2:30 p.m.

Wednesday, March 1

Championship, 6 p.m.

(Winner advances to state quarterfinals to face Northville regional winner at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 4 at Kensington Valley Ice House.)

Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillKhan.