Bears Hockey Team Joins MIHL

Coming off a huge , the Bears hockey team has achieved a new milestone.

Starting next season, the team will skate in the Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League, arguably the state’s most competitive prep hockey league.

MIHL President Andy Weidenbach called Wyandotte’s team “a newer, but rising program.”

“As a league, we thought the time was right to expand as we continue to adjust to the changing landscape of high school hockey,” Weidenbach said in a press release. “The goals of their programs are consistent with the goals of the MIHL, which are to promote quality high school hockey, good sportsmanship and player development.”

Roosevelt head coach Mike Quint said his guys are up for the challenge.

“We are pleased to be accepted into the MIHL,” Quint said. “Our schedule just got a little harder, which is good. We expect the competition in the MIHL, where every contest has playoff intensity, to be excellent preparation for the state tournament. Every game will be challenging.”

The MIHL was founded by Birmingham Brother Rice, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, Detroit Catholic Central and Port Huron Northern and started play in the 1999–2000 season.

Grosse Pointe North joined the league in the 2000-01 season, followed by University of Detroit Jesuit in 2002-03. De La Salle came into the league for the 2007-08 season and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s was added in 2010–11.

The league expands to 10 teams now, with the addition of Wyandotte and Trenton for the 2011-12 season.

“It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved,” Catholic Central head coach Todd Johnson said. “We strengthened our league and our schedules. Some members of the league already have a natural rivalry with Trenton and we all look forward to developing a rivalry with Wyandotte. Additionally, expanding to 10 teams at this time gives us options for future scheduling."

The MIHL has a track record when it comes to winning state titles. Nine of the last 12 Division 1 state champions and seven of the last 12 Division 3 champs have been from the MIHL.