Detroit Catholic Central in Notre Dame Academy Showcase Dec 27-29

By Matt Carey, Contributor, 12/23/24, 10:45AM CST

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed in this article are solely those of Matt Carey and do not reflect the opinions of Wisconsin Prep Hockey or its partners.

Winner of five straight state championships

The Detroit Catholic Central (CC) Shamrocks are Michigan’s powerhouse of high school hockey. After winning its fifth straight state championship in 2024, Catholic Central now has won a whopping 22 state championships. The Shamrocks are currently 10-0 and are the top ranked team in Michigan.

The last time Detroit Catholic Central visited Wisconsin was in December 1999 when they won the inaugural Joe Raymond Memorial Tournament in Waukesha. I was an assistant coach at University School of Milwaukee (USM) that season and Catholic Central dominated a good USM team.

The Catholic Central team that visited Wisconsin in 1999 was loaded with talent. Two players went on to play in the NHL, several additional players went D-1, including current Shamrocks head coach, Brandon Kaleniecki. Kaleniecki played four seasons for the Michigan Wolverines, becoming one of the captains his senior year, and he also played multiple seasons of professional hockey.

“We are excited to come! The last few years we have had some great games with Notre Dame Academy. We thought it would be a great opportunity for us to go there and play games against different competition. Most years we haven’t had flexibility with the schedule, so I am happy it worked out for us to play in the Notre Dame Academy Showcase. We are excited for the weekend!” Brandon Kaleniecki, head coach, Detroit Catholic Central.

Notre Dame Academy Showcase Game Schedule

All games at Cornerstone, 1640 Fernando Drive, De Pere

Friday, December 27, 2024