From Holy Trinity Teammates to Opposite Benches in a U.S. College Final

There’s something different about seeing two local names on a U.S. college championship game sheet.

Not just because it’s rare.

Because you know the rinks they grew up in.

This past weekend in the CCWHA Conference Championship, Ella Pell (Indiana Tech) and Grace Taylor (Michigan-Dearborn) faced off for the first time in their lives.

Not as teammates. As opponents.

The two Holy Trinity Catholic High School graduates spent years skating side by side AAHBN Champions, CWOSSA champions, OFSAA competitors. They grew up in the same small-town hockey circles, learning the game from many of the same people.

Now they were meeting on a different stage.

For Pell, her freshman season at Indiana Tech has been about growth — on and off the ice.

“My first year went good,” she said. “In hockey it wasn’t the outcome we hoped for, and the first semester kinda sucked as I couldn’t play, but just the overall experience was amazing. The people I’ve met, the places we’ve traveled for games — everything just made it so amazing.”

Indiana Tech battled its way into the conference final, an all-or-nothing game with a championship on the line.

“The experience was surreal,” Pell said. “It wasn’t the outcome we hoped for, but just giving our all and being able to be in that championship game was a very cool experience.”

Then she looked up and saw No. 15 on the other side.

“It was crazy playing against Grace. We’ve never played against each other ever in sports. We’ve always just played together.”

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Taylor made the moment count. She scored Michigan-Dearborn’s tying goal — and later added another.

“That made me a little upset,” Pell admitted with a smile. “But I was proud of her.”

There was even one play that perfectly captured the competitive friendship between them.

“She toe dragged around one of our girls and I got a stick on her and just thought to myself, ‘Not today, 15.’”

That’s hockey. That’s friendship. That’s small-town pride.

For Taylor, her freshman year in Michigan has been everything she hoped for.

“My first year has gone really well,” she said. “Being able to walk into a new school and country with a group of girls who were already there to help you settle in was very helpful. The academic part has gone well too, and being part of this team has been the best thing.”

When the final buzzer sounded and Michigan-Dearborn captured the first conference championship in program history, the moment felt bigger than just one game.

“Being able to be part of something our team has accomplished for the first time in history was amazing. We knew the game was going to be difficult, but that made it much more exciting to play and definitely made the win feel even better.”

The matchup meant even more considering the two had almost played earlier in the season but were ruled ineligible due to age.

“When we first committed to our teams, that was what we were both looking forward to,” Taylor said. “So being able to play her in the finals made it even more special.”

Behind every moment like this are the people who built the foundation.

Pell points to her dad, Tim Pell, who coached her for years, along with Bryan Martin, Bryan Snyder and Autumn Grant — coaches who helped shape her defensive game and prepared her for the jump to U18 AA hockey with the Waterloo Ravens and now ACHA competition. She also credits her best friend Sylvie Legault, now her teammate at Indiana Tech, as a major reason she chose the program.

Taylor’s journey was shaped by coaches who demanded the best from her.

“Coach Mark has been a big part of my hockey career all the way from atom,” she said. “His belief in me, honesty, and the standards he held me to pushed me to become a better player and person. I will be forever grateful. The time and effort he gave me, and all the lessons he has taught me, I will carry with me forever.”

She also thanked Brent, another coach who challenged her along the way.

“Brent, thank you for everything you have done for me. You challenged me to work harder and always expected the best out of me. Your feedback and support helped me grow not just as a player, but in how I approach the game.”

And then there were the people who never missed a practice.

“To my parents — thank you for every early morning ride to practice, every reminder to keep working hard, the constant support and encouragement, and being there no matter what. You believed in me, pushed me to keep going, and taught me the value of hard work and commitment. I wouldn’t be where I am without you. I am so grateful for all the sacrifices you have made and for always being in my corner.”

That’s the part families understand.

The 6 a.m. drives.
The gas money.
The hotel rooms.
The sacrifices no one sees.

This weekend, two Holy Trinity graduates stood on opposite benches in a U.S. college championship game.

One lifted the trophy.
One walked away proud.

Back home in Haldimand and Norfolk, both are winners.

Because long before the conference finals, before the U.S. jerseys and championship banners, they were just two kids learning the game in local rinks — pushed by coaches, supported by parents, and sharpened by each other.

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