Lumen Christi to Celebrate 50th Year in High School Hockey

Daniel Brady (9) of Lumen Christi Catholic High School looks for an open teammate during an eight-team scrimmage on Saturday at Optimist Ice Arena. Photos by Jeff Steers, JTV Sports.

By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports

(November 13, 2022 9:00 AM) Like the movie “The Blues Brothers,” Lumen Christi Catholic High School is getting the band back together for the 2022-2023 season.

Only this is a band of hockey players.

The Titans will have three former Tier 1 hockey players on their team for the school’s 50th season in high school hockey.

Senior player Brett Terry summed it up best.

“I have known them (the newest hockey players) forever and we have joined back together,” Terry said at the JTV hockey preview meeting last week. “Looking back at all of the kids I have played hockey with the last 15 years … it is an amazing thing.”

The Titans have 10 seniors on the team from a squad that went 17-6-0 overall and 12-1 in the South Central League.

Lumen Christi won the league a year ago.

Key returnees for the Titans include Nash Hanchett (12 goals and 15 assists last year), Terry (10 goals and seven assists in 2021-2022), and Josh Baker (four goals and six assists a year ago).

“Last year did not end the way we wanted it to … we want to have something special this season,” Hanchett said.

Baker believes having a number of teammates on the squad that have played hockey together for a number of years will be a key.

“Communication is such a key aspect of being successful on a team like this,” Baker said.

Some of the leading scorers from the Titans a year ago include Daniel Brady (15 points), Josh Dumont (15 points), Jake King (13 points), Cardan Kelley (12 points), Isaiah Dinverno (11 points), and Nolan Varner (nine points).

Senior Anthony Donnelly returns in net for the Titans.

The Titans expect to see football players Conor Smith – a four-year player – Gabe King and Isaac Rehberg after the football season ends.

Lumen Christi welcomes former Tier 1 hockey players Wyatt Long, Luke Sexton, and Zach Jaakkola.

Long, a senior, expects a smooth transition back into high school hockey with the Titans.

“Most of the seniors on the team have played together for a number of years so we have good chemistry,” Long said. “I have played with these guys on travel teams most of my life.”

Second-year Coach Dan Brady said the schedule is “home heavy up front” with a stretch of 12-of-13 road games to end the season.

“I guess you can call it rookie scheduling,” Brady said. “Last year I learned that everything is building up to the end of the season.”

The Titans will take a road trip to Sault Ste. Marie in a chartered bus during that road stretch.

Lumen Christi 2022-2023 Hockey Schedule

Nov. 19 Kalamazoo United at Lumen Christi (Optimist) 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 2 Kalamazoo Eagles at Lumen Christi 6 p.m.

Dec. 3 Eastside at Lumen Christi 6 p.m.

Dec. 9 West Ottawa at Lumen Christi 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 10 Mattawan at Lumen Christi 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 14 Flint at Lumen Christi 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 16 Lumen Christi at Big Rapids Tournament 6 p.m.

Dec. 17 Lumen Christi at Big Rapids Tournament 6 p.m.