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Central's Alex Homant got the game winner with a rebound shot and assists from Cam Brown and Dane Macdonell. Homant's goal came with 18.2 seconds remaining in the second overtime.

Traverse City West took third in the eight-team field, downing Dearborn Divine Child, 3-0, in the consolation game, while the Traverse Bay Reps earned fifth place with a 2-0 win over Grand Rapids Catholic Central.

Following an opening game loss to eventual champion TC Central, the Reps rallied with two wins to earn their fifth-place finish.

"We had a good week," Reps coach Rex Luxton said. "We had a heck of a game against Traverse City Central on Wednesday, and that really gave us some confidence."

The Reps scored twice in the opening period against Catholic Central while Elk Rapids goalie Nick Rausch kept the Cougars off the scoreboard to record the shutout.

Kalkaska forward Grayson Myas put in a rebound shot at 3:29 of the period with the assists going to Andrew Zelinski (Traverse City St. Francis) and Matt Zagers (ER).

Elk Rapids' Jed Dean took a pass from Andrew Walukonis (TCSF) and broke all alone in front of the net to beat the opposing goalie and get the insurance goal at 13:08.

Rausch had to stay sharp to get his shutout as Catholic Central out-shot the Reps 34-19 for the game.

TC Central 5, Bay Reps 3
The Reps and the Trojans were even at three goals apiece with almost 12 minutes remaining in the game on Wednesday, Dec. 28, but TC Central's Shane Darrow got the game winner with a tip in from the front of the net to advance the hosts to winner's bracket for the second round.

Central added an empty netter with 15 seconds left to make it a 5-3 final score.

"It was tough to get any flow in the game," said Luxton, as 15 penalties were called by the officials. The Reps were whistled eight times to Central's seven.

"The big thing was that we came out and skated hard and found out that we could skate with them. It was a great confidence builder," Luxton said.

Ryan Farley (TCSF) at 3:50 of the first, Dan Fisher (TCSF) at 12:56 of the first and Mike Kowalski (TCSF) at 0:17 of the second accounted for the three Reps goals. Assists went to Walukonis, Kowalski, Fisher and Dan Tinkle.

In other first-round games, TC West defeated Chippewa Valley, Orchard Lake St. Mary downed Grand Rapids Catholic Central and Dearborn Divine Child topped Saginaw Heritage.

Bay Reps 4, Saginaw Heritage 2
Zagers tallied two goals while Fisher scored one goal and assisted on two others as the Reps rebounded from their opening round loss by defeating Saginaw Heritage, 4-2, on Thursday, Dec. 28.

The Hawks, ranked No. 2 in Division III, scored first midway through the first period before Fisher tied the contest on an assist from Anthony Armour (TCSF) 11 minutes into the game.

Zagers put the Reps on top, 2-1, with a power-play goal from Fisher and Dean one minute and 30 seconds later.

Heritage drew even again with the only score of the second period.

In the third session, Tinkle scored from Fisher and Kowalski at 4:09 and Zagers added an unassisted goal one minute later to seal the win.

"I gave them a challenge in the locker room -- win the third period and win the game," Luxton said.

St. Francis goalie Cody Lindhorst got the win in the nets. Heritage out-shot the Reps, 25-14.

The Reps (5-6-1) will travel to Midland on Friday, Jan. 5, and open Northern Michigan Hockey League play against the Mid Michigan Storm in Gladwin on Saturday, Jan. 6.