Photos and Story by Janet Schultz, NYHOL
The 16th season of the Western New York Girls Varsity Ice Hockey Federation has come to a close. It seems like it just begun with everyone wondering who will come out on the top. The answers are in and everyone in this League shares in the excitement of the season.
Clarence/Amherst/Sweet Home took honors this season by winning the Federation title, Section VI title and heading off for a showing at the New York State Regional Championship.
After 16 games in the regular season, CASH posted a 13-2-1 record; they then went on to defeat Frontier/Orchard Park in the semi-finals and Lancaster/Iroquois/Depew/Alden in the finals. With Section V having one team eligible for State Regionals, CASH had to play Webster in a Far West Regional and the winner of that heading to the States. CASH defeated them 2-1.
At the States semi-finals, CASH faced the Potsdam Sandstormers, no stranger to State competition. It was a scoreless first period, a scoreless second period and then Potsdam moved in to score two goals in the third, the final one an empty-netter and Potsdam moved on to face Adirondack in the finals. That ended with Adirondack taking their third consecutive State title.
Kiley Breeze was recognized for her play at the States as CASH’s Player of the Game.
On the Private school side of WNYGVIH, St. Mary’s of Lancaster defeated Monsignor Martin for the title.
All stats are in, the coaches have met and the All Federation Teams were named.
Offensive Player of the Year went o LIDA’s Leah Dowling, a senior from Lancaster who led the League in scoring this season with 26 goals and 21 assists in 19 games.
Defensive Player of the Year is Jenny Wild of CASH. Jenny will graduate from Clarence High School. She had much presence on the ice for her team in setting up plays, keeping the opposition from the net and she scored 15 goals and 15 assists as the Captain of the team.
Coach of the Year went to Nicola Adimey of CASH. She kept this team on an even keel as they moved through their wins, losses and a tie and right through their State loss.
Named to First Team All-Fed: Forwards Peyton Forcucci, FOP; Sam Latini, NICO; Sophia Phillips, HEWS. On “D” Jocelyn Smaczniak, FOP and Morgan Cooper, HEWS. Ella Celej is the Goalie from CASH.
Named to Second Team All Fed: Forwards Teagan Willats, KenGiPort; Avery Sczczesk, St. Marys; Emily Lysiak, LIDA. Defense Gabe Lowell, St. Marys; Brooklyn Forcucci, FOP. In goal Kate Kelley, MonMar.
Third Team All Fed: Forwards Brynn Cafferty, LIDA; Kiley Breeze, CASH; Brynn Holland, HEWS. On Defense: Layla Osinski, LIDA and Savanna Shaft, KenGiPort. Ella Buczynski, HEWS, was named Goaltender.
Honorable Mention went to Goalies, and rightly so this season; they were the key in many wins.
Rachel Fix, FOP; Betsy Accurso, St. Marys; Ella Johnston KenGiPort and Iris Schimenti, LIDA.
Bee Publications Sports Editor Patrick Nagy was presented with the Dr. James Rusin Award. This is presented to a person who has gone above and beyond in helping the WNYGVIH Federation in its endeavors by promoting and supporting the entire team. Nagy has done this through consistent publication of stories on the League.
Jenny Wild of CASH was presented the Derek Cline Memorial Scholarship. The award is presented to the player who best embodies what Derek was all about, love, laughter and dedication to the sport. Derek passed away in January 2021 and had been involved in WNY sports, especially ice hockey.
Past recipients from the WNYGVIH Federation include Camryn Brownschidle (MonMar), Trinity Kehoe (MonMar), Alexandria Franke (MonMar) and Georgia Mango (CASH).
CASH was honored by the Niagara Frontier Chapter of the National Ice Hockey Officials Association as the team that best exemplified the characteristics of sportsmanship, fair play and mutual respect to players, coaches and officials.