Hockey rivalry heats up ice in Detroit Published Jan. 29, 2010 By Technical Sgt. Michael Lionberger 339th Recruiting Squadron DETROIT, Mich. -- The Air Force's involvement in high school football's Great American Rivalry Series has been ongoing for several years, but a new era dawned in Detroit, Michigan, January 17th. As a partner in the series, the 339th Recruiting Squadron encouraged fans of each school to participate in the rivalry action when they stopped by the Air Force Challenge tent. Fans were able to compete in a range of activities from pushups to brain teasers for prizes, while also learning about Air Force opportunities. Detroit, also known as Hockey Town, hosted two of Michigan's high school hockey powerhouses, Detroit Catholic Central and Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, in the inaugural Detroit Outdoor Classic, a game commemorating the 75th year of competition between the schools. The game took place outdoors with temperatures in the mid-30s, in front of approximately 2,000 diehard fans at Detroit's historic Clark Park, literally in the shadow of the Ambassador Bridge which connects the United States to Canada. The game also kicked off the inaugural Great American Rivalry Hockey Series, highlighting some of the best match-ups America has to offer in high school hockey. The rivalry game was broadcast on local access television and included a local radio interview with Lt. Col. Todd Weyerstrass, 339th Recruiting Squadron commander. The game also was highlighted by local media throughout the greater Detroit area. The two schools have dominated Michigan high school hockey with a combined 23 state championships. In this 75th anniversary contest, however, Catholic Central dominated the final two periods to pull away to a 5-2 victory. The winning team not only earned bragging rights and the Great American Rivalry Champion locker room hats, but the first ever Great American Rivalry Champion hockey trophy, presented by Lt. Col. Weyerstrass. The series also awarded the top student-athlete from each hockey team a college scholarship. Catholic Central's scholarship recipient was Anthony Rossi from Milford, MI, who carries a 4.287 grade point average. Cranbook Kingswood's recipient, Kevin Collon from Bloomfield Hills, MI, was a three-year varsity hockey letterman with a 4.48 GPA. He is also a National Merit semifinalist and a member of the Cum Laude Society. "It was an immense honor to be involved in such a unique event. I was honored to be able to present the scholarship to such a committed student-athlete," said Staff Sgt. Stephen Harper, 339th RCS recruiter who represents Cranbook Kingswood. The Great American Rivalry Series hockey tour will touch several states over the next two months, including Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont and Maine. The 339th Recruiting Squadron, located in Clinton Township, MI, covers a 54,000 square-mile area that includes Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.