By Janet Schultz
Photos by Janet Schultz© All rights reserved, for copy/purchase information email Janet@nyhockeyonline.com
History was made when Clarence/Amherst/Sweet Home took the Section VI championship in the WNYGVIH Federation. Up until this time the schools that have won were Frontier/Orchard Park/LakeShore (4), Kenmore/Grand Island/Lockport (8) and Williamsville (3).
CASH compiled a 13 win, 2 loss and 1 tie record this season. Their goaltending has been very strong in Ella Celej with 724.42 minutes in the net during regular season play and a .943 save percentage after facing 370 shots and stopping 349. Jenny Wild, the Captain, has made her mark in scoring with11 goals and 12 assists followed by Kiley Breeze, 15 goals/3 assists and Cece Watson, 6 goals/10 assists.
Their opponent was no easy one. Lancaster/Iroquois/Depew/Alden had the league’s top scorer in Leah Dowling with 24 goals and 17 assists during the regular season. She has added to that in the playoffs and championship game. They also had Brynn Cafferty with 13 goals/17 assists and Caitlin Sinclair who was consistent in her assists with 21 on the season, along with 4 goals. Emily Lysiak also fits that category with 9 goals and 14 assists. Like CASH’s Celej, Iris Schimenti was LIDA’s only goaltender facing 678.68 minutes in net and stopping 278 of 314 goals.
So they hit the ice at the Buffalo State University Arena on Monday night. CASH made their mark at 1:44 of the first when Mila Dominik got the first goal past Schimenti, assisted by Jenny Wild and Cece Bizub. LIDA answered right back at 2:32 when Leah Dowling made her mark, assisted by Layla Osinski and Claire Whiteford. Then it was CASH to close out the period with two goals by Kiley Breeze, one unassisted and the second had some help from Lyla Kinney and Celia Watson. First period ends 3-1.
LIDA opens the second period with a power play goal by Whiteford, assisted by Dowling. CASH answers back when Wild scores on a shorthanded goal, assisted by Dominik. C. Bizub scores what turns out to be the game-winner, assisted by Dominik. Second period ends 5-2 CASH.
LIDA came out in the third and scored two more goals, giving everyone a nail-biting third. Dowling scored, assisted by Sinclair and Lucia Lawrence and Hailey Muff scored assisted by Emily Rodriquez. Game ends 5-4 in favor of CASH.
Celej faced 48 shots, stopping 44 and Schimenti stopped 16 of 21.
CASH moves on to face Webster in the WNY Regional Championship on Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. at the Buffalo State University Arena. Tickets are required, go to the WNY Girls Varsity Ice Hockey Facebook page for a link to the ticketing. It is also on NYHOL’s Facebook page, just scroll down a bit.
The winner of the Webster/CASH game then moves on to the NYS Championship semi-finals. This year the NYS Championship series will be held at the Utica Nexus Center, February 20-21. Tickets are required and we will provide that information as soon as we can.
