Little Caesars is No. 1 after winning MAHA’s first 15U state championship. (HWAP)The Little Caesars Midget 15U team is the first Michigan Amateur Hockey Association AAA state champion at that level.

The Caesars 15U team defeated HoneyBaked 5-1 on March 13 at the Taylor Sportsplex to win the state crown.

“This was a really good one,” said coach Pat Peake, who is now into double figures in state championships. “We had about 11 kids who had never won a state championship before.”

Arthur Kaliyev scored two power-play goals in the first period to spark Little Caesars to a 3-0 lead at the first intermission.

“It was a good effort,” Peake said. “The kids competed. We came out hard in the first period.”

Matt Kessel, Jack Dawson and Oliver McDonald also scored for Caesars and Chase Johnson got the win in goal.

Caesars had to go to triple overtime to beat Belle Tire 2-1 in the semifinal. Ryan Laughtonback got the winner to send Little Caesars to the state final.

Caesars opened the tournament with a 2-2 tie against the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies.

“We were actually disappointed with that, the way we started,” Peake said. “ But we were able to bounce back.”

Members of the Little Caesars 15U team are: Chase Johnson, Mitch Connolly, Chris Tamer, Jake Burkhardt, Brian Smith, Blake Conley, Zach Faremouth, Oliver MacDonald, Ryan Lautenbach, Dylan Montie, Nick Azarovitz, Arthur Kaliyev, Stephen Guadalajara, Brock Grandbois, Tyler German, Matt Kessel, Jack Dawson and Ryan Kerchoff.