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WNYGVIH Week 5 Recap

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Janet
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Story and Photos By Janet Schultz, NYHOL

The Niagara County Lady Warriors come into 2024 on a winning streak that spans all 12 games in the W column, 10 of those are League games and putting them into a playoff position as we enter week 6.

HEWS follows with an 8-2-1 record and is 4.5 points behind NICO. Then it’s KenGiPort, FFLOP, St. Mary’s of Lancaster, Monsignor Martin, LIDA, CASH and Williamsville.

On top in scoring are Madison Mallone with 11 goals and 7 assists for 18 points; Sam Latini, 8 goals/9 assists, Isabelle Bourgeault 6 goals/10 assists, Isabella Jayme with 9 goals/6 assists and Marina Mansfield, 9 goals/5 assists.. Mallone, Latini and Manfield are from NICO with Bourgeault and Jayme from KenGiPort.

Goaltending has been a key factor in several games with Rachael Fix of FFLOP having a .976 save% followed by Kennedy Ruest (NICO) .945, Ella Buczynski (HHEWS) .938, Betsy Accurso (StMarys), .938 and Samantha Horne (KGIP) .928. 

Several teams have goalies that play each and every game and are racking up minutes between the pipes including Ruest (NICO) with 540 minutes and 4 shutouts; Olivia Lookman (Williamsville) 448.2 minutes and Kate Kelley (MMAA) 449.10 minutes. Along with Ruest, Buczynski has had 4 shutouts and Avery Hall (St. Marys) and Kerrigan McCarthy (FFLOP) have each had two shutouts.

So in the New Year it was KenGiPort 3-1 over LIDA. Jayme, Bourgeault and Madelyn Jagow scoring, Bourgeault with the game-winner. Horne stopped 23/24 sog. LIDA’s Leah Dowling had the lone goal with Irzycki stopping 17/20.

This week saw several shut-outs.

NICO beat Monsignor Martin 4-0 with Lawrence, Sam Draper, Julia Hoffman and Zimmerman making the score board. Ruest stopped all 19 shots for the shutout win. MMAA Kelley stopped 26/30.

In the “Nut Bowl” HHEWS shutout CASH 3-0 with scoring from Meghan Waszkielewicz (2) and Alexandra Hodil with Buczynski and Rakoski making the saves. CASH’s Celej stopped 36/39.

FFLOP beat CASH 3-0 at home with Sophia Lestingi having the game-winner plus another goal and Peyton Forcucci scoring the other goal. McCarthy made 26 saves for the shutout. Celej stopped 33/36 for the lsos.

St. Mary’s shutout Williamsville 6-0 with Avery Szczesek having a hattrick, including the game-winner. Also scoring for St. Mary’s were Gall, Pagano and Brooklyn Vitez. Hall made 10 saves for the win. Lookman stopped 27 of 33 for Williamsville.

Meghan Waszkielewicz had the game winning goal for HHEWS’ 1-0 victory over Monsignor Martin. Buczynski stopped 14 shots for the win. In goal for MMAA Kelley stopped 24/25.

NICO stopped LIDA 2-0 with Sam Latini scoring both goals for the Lady Warriors. Ruest made 20 saves for the win. In goal for LIDA Irzycki stopped 23/25.

In the sixth week of WNYGVIH play it will be LIDA vs St. Mary’s of Lancaster at 4 p.m. and FFLOP at HEWS at 8:55 pm on Monday.

Tuesday will be a triple-header with CASH at LIDA, Webster at Monsignor Martin (Non-League at Dwyer) and Williamsville at KenGiPort.

Niagara County faces Williamsville at Northtowns on Wednesday.

A double-header on Thursday with KenGiPort at FFLOP and St. Mary’s at CASH.

Admission is free, come out and support these teams and your high school.

Penfield’s Walsh Had Quite The 2023

By
Janet
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The Cornell men's hockey team competes against Massachusetts on December 29, 2023 at Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, N.Y.

By Warren Kozireski —

Forgive Cornell University freshman Ryan Walsh if he would like to take a bit of a breather after 2023 was quite the whirlwind.

After being named to USHL First All-Star Team after logging a second best in the league 79 points in 61 games with Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, breaking the previous franchise record that stood for 17 seasons, he was then selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft by Boston, attended their summer development camp and then began his freshman season with the Big Red.

The 6’1”, 181 lb. is already centering Cornell’s second line and had nine points over his first 13 collegiate contests. Three of his five goals have come on the power play.

“He’s one of the best players I’ve ever played with,” fellow freshman and Rochesterian Jake Walsh said about his teammate with Cedar Rapids and now Cornell. “We grew up playing against each other our whole lives so it’s fun to get out and play with him and we ended up here together.”

“Definitely a little bit of a surprise to be given such a role which has been awesome,” Walsh said. “I’ve been trying to take that role…and perform as much as I can and keep that role and get more roles in the future, but (Cornall head coach Mike) Schafer has definitely given me a lot of opportunities for sure.”

Head shots of Cornell student-athletes, coaches and staff taken on Aug. 21, 2023 in the Hall of Fame Room in Ithaca, N.Y.

Walsh spent some of his development years with the Rochester Coalition and the Rochester Selects and spilt the 2021-22 campaign with Salisbury Prep and the Buffalo Regals U18 team where he netted a combined 98 points in 56 games.

“My youth I stayed in Rochester and ended up going to private school my junior year of high school, but up until then I had a great coach (in Rochester) in Chris Collins and I was thinking about switching organizations, but he was such a good coach to me so I stuck with him for multiple years and I’m glad I did.”

Walsh did not attend the NHL Draft in Nashville but stayed home with his family watching on TV.

“My adviser (Vin Fensore) was at the draft, and he texted me ten seconds before the pick came on the TV, so I had a little bit of a warning, so it was cool. All my family was there. I had an idea; I had couple of teams I thought if I was going to get picked it would be those, but Boston showed the most interest. Every single week I was doing zoom calls, in person interviews, Facetimes, but I talked to a bunch of teams, so I wasn’t sure exactly where I was going to go.

“(Then summer development camp) was awesome; I got to meet other draft picks and the coaching staff, and it was good to meet all the player development guys, because they are the ones I talk to all the time. They’ve been to a bunch of my games.”

Now at the halfway mark of his first season at Cornell, Walsh scored his first collegiate goal in his first game against Minnesota-Duluth and garnered points in four of his first five games, so in many ways, he is not playing like a freshman.

The Cornell men’s hockey team competes against Massachusetts on December 29, 2023 at Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, N.Y.

“We have a lot of freshmen (10), so Schafer has definitely given us a lot of opportunities to fill big roles early on which helps build confidence right away. It shows that he trusts you a little bit. He likes a lot of fluidity like first guy back is center. He wants everyone to play every position…he’s instilled that in all the guys.”

(Photos Provided by Cornell Men’s Hockey Dept.)

Clarkson’s Taylor Returned To His Families Home

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Janet
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0

By Warren Kozireski —

The first thing that jumps out about Clarkson University senior defenseman Kaelan Taylor’s biography on the athletic website not seen among many hockey players is that, in his spare time he enjoys surfing.

The second is that the Golden Knights assistant captain, though born in California, is the third generation from his family to attend Clarkson.

“My dad’s whole side of the family is from here,” Taylor said after the Adirondack Winter Invitational held in Lake Placid. “My dad went to Clarkson back in the 1980’s. I’m in California so everyone is a little surprised that I ended up here, but I’ve been coming here my whole life.

“I get to see the family at Thanksgiving and Christmas; it’s pretty nice.”

Dad, Patrick, is the second generation, but his mom (Julia) grew up in the Saranac Lake region and her father, Robert F. Wrench graduated from Clarkson in 1950. His parents met in Elmira.

Taylor had, by his estimates that 15 or 20 family members attended the Friday night game and had fewer, but they were still present on Saturday.

“Cousins, aunts, uncles, they all showed up. Pretty much every game I go to someone is going to be at it—it’s awesome to have them here. The Munn’s and Taylor’s are here.”

The Golden Knights won the consolation game of the tournament in overtime against UMass, but have disappointed some with a 9-6-1 start.

“We know we’re a really good team and we’ve kind of been waiting for a game to show it.”

And back to that third generation.

“When I got the opportunity to go to Clarkson, I knew this would be a special thing. Nothing like (family pressure); I was really excited for the opportunity.”

And pressure to make it four generations?

“I’m going to get some pressure on them…keep it going.”

(Photos provided by Clarkson University Men’s Hockey Program)

“Happy New Year!”

By
Janet
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0

From the staff of NY Hockey OnLine including Janet, Koz, Michael and Randy, we would like to wish all of our followers a very “Happy New Year.”

Let’s Take A Look At: CASH Girls Varsity High School Ice Hockey Team

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Janet
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BY RANDY SCHULTZ –

When a person takes a look at a printed out version of the CASH (Clarence, Amherst, Sweet Home High Schools) girls varsity ice hockey team’s roster, the first thing they notice is that there is only one senior on the team and no juniors.

This appears to be a very young team. But as CASH coach, Nicola Adimey explains, there is more to this team than meets the eye.

“I think in general we have a lot of returning players plus we have two new players,” said Adimey. “I know everybody says that we have a really young team.

“We have one senior (Sara Ablove, Clarence), no juniors but a good group of sophomores and freshmen players. Add to that one seventh and one eighth grader.

“We have a core group that are made up of travel players that play on really good travel teams. They are the players we will look to carry our team this year, even if they are ninth and tenth graders.”

There is one seventh grader, Sidney Litwiller (Clarence Middle School) and one eighth grader, Mya DeSantis (Clarence Middle School).  Adimey cited DeSantis as an example of what the general hockey observer sees on the ice when a game is going on.

“Mya looks amazing out on the ice,” remarked Adimey. “She plays well against players who are seniors and four or five years older than her.

“But people watching the game don’t realize the difference in age between these players. They see the little battles on the ice. Players like Mya win some and they lose some. But they continue the battle from the beginning to the end of a game.”

Adimey also pointed out the players that lead on and off the ice.

“On defense Jenny (Wild, 10th grade, Clarence) is an amazing player,” commented Adimey. “Kiley (Breeze, 10th grade, Clarence) is a very positive person and has great energy back on defense.

“They are both the kind of players that make great comments between periods and help the game refocus.

“We have great players up front at forward positions as well including Polina (Stremiakova, ninth grade, Clarence), Tessa (Kwiatowski, ninth grade, Clarence), Ella (VanDuuren, ninth grade, Clarence) and Mya. They have a lot of playing experience with the travel teams that they are on.

“And with a team that is small in number, those forwards and defense are out there every other shift.”

When it comes to goaltending, CASH looks to one player: Ella Celej (10th grade, Clarence).

“Ella has a great attitude, works hard in practice and in a game,” said Adimey. “We’ve had a goaltending instructor come out and work with her, as well as with the rest of the team that plays around her.”

Despite having a young team, Adimey knows she has a hard-working team.

“Our team will give it everything they have, no matter if we’re leading in a game or if we are trailing,” concluded the CASH coach. “They will be giving it their all from the opening faceoff to the final buzzer.”

(Photos by Janet Schultz Photography/NY Hockey OnLine)

“Happy New Year” From “Small Saves”

By
Janet
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0

Here is this week’s edition of “Small Saves.”

Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Let’s Take A Look At: The Monsignor Martin Girls Varsity High School Ice Hockey Team

By
Janet
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0

BY RANDY SCHULTZ –

For any head coach of an athletic team, preparation time is an important factor in preparing for an upcoming season. Lack of prep time can certainly make for an interesting season’s result, to say the least.

Just as Darren Palaszewski, head coach of Monsignor Martin’s (made up of Sacred Heart Academy, Mount Mercy Academy, Nardin Academy, Mount St. Mary’s Academy and Buffalo Seminary) girl’s varsity high school ice hockey team. What a difference a year makes for him as well as his team.

“I came in late last summer and really didn’t have much time to prepare,” recalled Palaszewski. “I came in kind of blind, but we got through the season.

“This season I had the summer to prepare and get ready. I got a chance to know the players a bit more as well as the parents.

“I got to work with the other coaches on different things. We worked on a team project.

“With more time it does make a difference.”

With that said, the Monsignor Martin coach feels this team has no place to go but up. They finished in seventh place last season in the WNYGVICF with a record of 2-11-1-0-2.

“We’re a bit of a physical team,” said Palaszewski. “We’re a young team too.

“We’ve got a good core of freshmen that just came in this year. They’re a big tenacious.”

Those ninth graders include Lena Hurley (Sacred Heart), Michaela Murphy (Mt. Mercy), Dylany Dee (Sacred Heart), Gabby Kazmark (Sacred Heart) and Avery McDonald (Mt. Mercy).

Palaszewski talked about the leadership of his team as well as its goaltending.

“We have an outstanding goalie with Kate Kelley (10th grade, Sacred Heart),” remarked the Monsignor Martin coach, now in his second season with the team. “But our leadership comes from the seniors on the team,”

They include Ryan Honadle (captain, Mt. St. Mary’s), Reese Honadle (alternate captain, Mt. St. Mary’s), Alexandria Franke (alternate captain, Mt. St. Mary’s) and Mary Kate Christ (Sacred Heart).

On defense, Palaszewski feels he has four solid players.

“We have Addison Cherry (Nardin), a very smart, heady player,” said the coach. “We got Mara Vukelic (Nardin) back this year and missing last season with a broken ankle playing field hockey.

“Lena Hurley has been great. And we have Norah Carrol (Mt. St. Mary’s) back after being injured.”

When it comes to scoring on the team, he looks to three players.

“I look to the Honadle twins as well as Franke,” stated Palasewski.

Overall, Palasewski feels he has a good team to work with this season.

“Despite our youth, I think we get better with each game we play,” concluded the Monsignor Martin coach.

(Photos by Janet Schutz Photography/NY Hockey OnLine)

Woodbury’s Tabakin Playing Key Role For Nationally Ranked Sun Devils

By
Janet
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0

By Warren Kozireski —

Brandon Tabakin decided at 23 years old to change everything, so he departed Yale after four seasons (one cancelled due to the pandemic) and transferred to the other coast with Arizona State.

And that decision is paying off on the ice. As of this writing, he stood second in the nation in plus/minus at +18 over 19 games. In fact, he has been at least a plus player in every game this season.

“I had a great experience at Yale and met some of my best friends that I’m going to talk to the rest of my life, but in terms of hockey and school I just wanted a complete changeup in terms of the league and where I was,” Tabakin said after game one of the Adirondack Winter Invitational in Lake Placid.

“ASU was really appealing to me with the new rink, and I really bought into what coach (Greg) Powers had to say and the group that was coming back I knew we had a lot of potential, so all in all I just wanted something new and it’s been really good so far.

“I’m doing the right things and playing with really good players who put the puck in the net. I just try to play my game and really don’t worry about stats too much; just wins.”

Good in that Arizona State was ranked 13th in the nation as of the poll just prior to the holiday break and were seeded 16ht in the NCAA tournament deciding Pairwise, which puts them on the bubble.

Despite being on the smaller side for a defenseman at 5’10” and 175 lb., he uses superior skating to his advantage and winning seems to find Tabakin wherever his hockey career has taken him. Two-time Atlantic Youth Hockey League Champion (AYHL) and Tier-1 Elite League Regular Season Champion and League Champion (2015) with the North Jersey Avalanche, 2016 Four-Nations Tournament Gold Medalist with USNTDP and a Clark Cup championship in 2018-19 in one of his three season with Sioux Falls.

“No secret, I just think play the right way and, if all of us have the same goal, we’re going to have positive results. Growing up power skating was always the big thing I would work on and was something I really bought in and understood that to be successful in this game in this age that you have to be a good skater. I’m not the biggest guy, so I need to be elusive and try to use it to my advantage.

“The gold medal is a little bit different because I was actually a call-up for that USA team. It was still an unbelievable experience, but it wasn’t my true team; I was just really happy to be there for the ride honestly and contribute in any way they asked me too. Clark Cup was really cool. It’s a really long season in the USHL and we actually beat Chicago, which was the team that traded me, so that was pretty nice.

“But that’s four or five years ago now, so it’s time to win something else I think.”

The final half of Tabakin’s collegiate career is underway, and he would like to pursue hockey at the next level but has a Mathematics degree to fall back on.

“I’d like to play pro depending on the situation obviously, but if not maybe have a quarter-life crisis and figure it out from there. Here I’m doing a certificate called digital audience strategy which is kind of like marketing, but I just wanted to try something new for school. With math I can do maybe accounting or finance. My brother works in finance in New York City, so I talk to him a lot about his career and what he does and (I) might be able to do something similar to that.”

(Photos provided by Arizona State Men’s Hockey Dept.)

Holiday Greetings From: “Small Saves”

By
Janet
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0

Sorry, this is a few days late.

It’s the holiday “Small Saves.”

Enjoy!

Let’s Take A Look At: The LIDA Girls Varsity Ice Hockey Team

By
Janet
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0

BY RANDY SCHULTZ –

LIDA (Lancaster, Iroquois, Depew and Alden High Schools) girl’s varsity high school ice hockey head coach, Kevin Miller, is facing a situation with his team that several other teams in the WNYGVIHF are dealing with this year.

“We have a younger team this year,” said Miller. “We have four upperclassmen players on the squad (including Carly Irzycki, senior, Depew; Amelia Homac, senior, Iroquois; Hailey Kenyon, junior, Lancaster; Ava Gauld, junior, Alden) returning from last year’s team.”

Last season’s LIDA squad finished fifth in League standings with a 7-8-0-1 record.

“Most of the rest of the team is made up of ninth and tenth graders, along with a couple of seventh graders,” continued Miller. “It’s a very young squad but it is one full of energy.

“Our team this year is built on speed. They’re trying to build up their confidence levels.

“Some of these players have been practice players for the past two years. Now it is their turn to step up and put forth the effort for their team.”

One player that the team lost through graduation from last year’s team is Sydney Radecki. Redecki not only led the LIDA team in scoring, but the entire WNYGVIHF in scoring with 30 goals and seven assists for 37 points.

“I know that you don’t have players like that every year on a team,” stated Miller. “But collectively, as a team, our girls have to find the back of the net.

“We need production from three, four or five of the girls to score goals.”

Miller believes that the strength of this year’s LIDA team will come from its defense.

“Our returning group of players who play defense is the strength of our team,” remarked Miller.

That would include players like Kenyon, Emily Rodriguez (Lancaster), Homac, Layla Osinski (Iroquois), Lucia Lawrence (Lancaster) and Caitlin Sinclair (Lancaster).

While the team may lean on their defense, there is one player that stands behind them.

“We’re very fortunate to have Carly Irzycki as our goalie this year,” said Miller. “She has been in our program now for six years.

“But she never really got her official start until last year. She had been behind a couple of goaltenders from Iroquois High School. And she learned a lot from them.

“When she’s on her game she is fantastic. She’s one of the hardest workers on the team.”

Overall, Miller believes he has a team that could surprise a lot of people this year.

“Young players may make a mistake here and there, but I truly believe that they do better and better as each game comes along.

“Our goal right now is to play the best hockey we can at the end of the season. We need to be playing our best hockey when it comes playoff time.

“As we all know, anything can happen in the playoffs.”

(Photos by Janet Schultz Photography/NY Hockey OnLine)

Future Sabres: Nikita Novikov

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Janet
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Nikita Novikov #74 ROCHESTER, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 22: Rochester Americans v Laval Rocket November 22, 2023 in Rochester, New York. (Photo by Micheline Veluvolu)

By Warren Kozireski —

It has been two-plus years since the Buffalo Sabres made Russian 6’4”, 198 lb. left shot defenseman Nikita Novikov their sixth-round selection in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, and they could not be happier with his development through the first third of his first professional season in North America.

It began when the 20-year-old led all Sabres players in scoring at the Prospect Challenge in September with five assists in three games.

Since he is one of three defensemen on the Rochester Americans with ten or more assists through 27 games (23 played). He is also the only Amerks regular blueliners on the positive side of plus/minus at +7.

“He does a lot of really nice things both defensively and offensively, competitively,” Rochester head coach Seth Appert said. “We know there’s a lot there as a player and it’s going to take time. He’s raw right now, but he works, he’s coachable, he competes, and we really like what that young man has inside of him.”

Nikita Novikov #74 ROCHESTER, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 5: Rochester Americans v Syracuse Crunch October 5, 2023 in Rochester, New York. (Photo by Micheline Veluvolu)

This AHL level playing against men is not completely new to Novikov. He played 94 games over three seasons with MHL Dynamo Moscow against men when he was 17, 18 and 19 years old—the fourth most in league history for a teenager.

There has been the adjustment to a new continent, a new language and a smaller ice surface, but Novikov uses his extended reach and is learning to use his large frame in the defensive zone more effectively.

“It’s all good, but it’s my first time playing in North America so it’s getting better,” Novikov said, sometimes through his interpreter wife, Arina. “I love playing offense so much. In the beginning (of the season) it was hard with the speed…but now I’m getting used to it and now my speed is better.

“My preparation in camp in Buffalo made me better and now I can skate with more speed.

Having two Russian teammates in fellow Sabres prospects Aleksandr Kisakov and Viktor Neuchev has also helped Novikov with the early transition. Many times, Neuchev and Novikov can be seen toward the end of a game warmup feeding each other passes for one-timers.

“Kisakov knows more than me (with language) and he helps me and “Neuch” with English. “

Novikov has also been helped by the coaching staff putting him on a defensive pair with a veteran player—usually Ethan Prow, but lately Jacob Bryson or Joseph Cecconi with Prow out with an injury. And assistant coach Nathan Paetsch has also been a key part of his transition.

Off the ice has, of course, been quite the adjustment as well.

“I love to cook, and I like healthy food and I hate bad food,” Arina said. “We don’t like oily food, but I cook burger at home and his health is better with vitamins and we have amazing meals…pork, chicken and beef but only in burger.”

Nikita Novikov #74 ROCHESTER, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 20: Rochester Americans v Cleveland Monsters December 20, 2023 in Rochester, New York. (Photo by Micheline Veluvolu)

And on the rare off days? Getting a taste of western New York and Americana.

“Sit at home or walk around and we like shopping. We spend a lot of time together in Wal-Mart and Wegman’s and we choose healthy food together. And we want to go to concerts maybe in Buffalo. And we went to (see) Adam Sandler, but it was so hard for us with the language, but we tried to understand.”

Late round draft picks are usually longer-term projects and, if the Sabres can be patient with Novikov’s development for a few seasons, they may have a keeper.

(Photos Provided by Rochester Americans Hockey Team)

Camryn Brownschidle’s Journey at RIT

By
Janet
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0
Cam Brownschidle

BY RANDY SCHULTZ –

Camryn Brownschidle didn’t exactly have the freshman year she had dreamed about having when she decided to attend Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Many thought she would be majoring in the Physician’s Assistant program and playing some D1 hockey for the RIT Tigers.

“By the time I got to school I had been sick all summer,” recalled Brownschidle, who played high school hockey for Monsignor Martin in the WNY Girls Varsity Ice Hockey Federation, where she was captain of the team in her junior and senior years. “I had mono as well as Lyme Disease.

“Lyme Disease is difficult because it is something you will have the rest of your life. For me, it was chronic and a lot of the symptoms were going away.

“But I had to get IV’s twice a week and had to see special doctors, some in Canada and some in the States. It was a journey.

“But my coaches and teammates were super supportive. So I was lucky.”

Camryn Brownschidle as a member of the Monsignor Martin High School Team in 2020 with the WNYGVIH League

Brownschidle admits that it wasn’t the easiest situation to be in, especially if you are a freshman.

“It was really difficult,” stated the daughter of Pauline and Mark Brownschidle and sister of Sydney. “It was hard enough being a freshman and not knowing a lot of people on campus.

“But the hockey team made it better for me and would allow me to come to practice if I felt up to it. My parents were great too. I couldn’t have done any of this. They were both awesome.

“And having my home an hour away from the school was nice. I got to go home a lot, which was nice.”

Despite not having much playing time yet with RIT, Brownschidle has many fond memories of her days at Sacred Heart Academy and playing for Monsignor Martin.

“It was a lot of fun playing for our hockey team, which my dad coached,” remarked Brownschidle, who earned First Team All-WNY honors in her sophomore and senior seasons. “It was a positive experience there.

“Plus, I’m still close with a lot of the friends I made there. That has been awesome.”

Although she wasn’t able to play much hockey, Camryn was able to spend more time focusing on her academics.

“I’m in a tough program (Physician Assistant), but I’ve managed to get through the first year,” said Brownschidle, who played in only five games last season for the Tigers, but it was enough to get her named to the CHA All-Academic Team. “I’m continuing my studies, which are still hard, this year.

“I have to give a lot of credit to my high school for preparing me for handling a tough college academic program.”

Despite her health issues, Camryn is once again on the RIT Tigers roster and has played in just four games to date. Despite everything she is going through, the RIT sophomore has words of advice for students and hockey players still in high school.

“Learn good time management skills, especially if you are playing a sport and going to school at the same time,” advised Brownschidle, who also played hockey for the Buffalo Bisons and was a member of two Bison teams that won State Titles and made two trips to the Nationals. “Figuring that out in high school really helped me when I got to RIT.

“They should get good study habits too. Go that extra mile and get the extra help if you need it. It will help when you get to college.”

Camryn concluded by sending out one final message.

“I don’t think I could have made it this far at RIT if it weren’t for my coaches, teammates, parents, sister and teachers,” concluded the RIT second year player who plays defense. “I couldn’t have done it without their help and support.

“I will always be grateful to them.”

(Photos by Janet Schultz Photography/NY Hockey OnLine)

Let’s Take A Look At: HEWSH Girls Varsity High School Hockey Team

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Janet
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0

BY RANDY SCHULTZ –

Could this be the year that the HEWSH (Hamburg, Eden, West Seneca and Holland High Schools) girl’s varsity high school hockey team takes a serious shot at the Section VI girls high school hockey championship?

The team came close last year, finishing third in league standings with an 11-3-1 record, winning the quarter-final round of the playoffs against FLOP, 2-1, before losing to Niagara County in the semi-finals, 2-1.

HEWSH has a pretty solid team returning again this season, according to head coach, Eric Cooper.

“With this team, we have several seniors and juniors returning to the team that have been with us for a long time,” stated Cooper. “They include seniors Hanna Barrett (Eden), Hailey Cooper (Eden), Liliann Drzazgowski (West Seneca) and Alexandra Hodil (West Seneca) as well as juniors Kayla Pelc (Eden) and Samantha Miller (West Seneca).

“That group forms the corps of our leadership group. But we’ve also got some good young talent including some sophomores, some freshmen and even a couple of eighth graders who are stepping in and making some good contributions.”

It should be noted that HEWSH has six eighth graders on their team this year. Most are being worked into the team’s lineup as the season progresses.

But Cooper will be the first to admit that he had some concerns coming into this season.

“My biggest concern coming into this season was replacing our leading goal scorer and scorer from last season (Riley Andzel, who finished second in the league in scoring with 36 points in 16 games, including 26 goals),” commented Cooper. “It’s tough to make up those 36 points.

“But we’ve got the players on this team who can contribute. We’ve got a strong defense.

“Our defense seems to be able to lock down other teams and we don’t give up that many quality scoring opportunities.

“But I think our scoring this year will be spread out a bit. We’ve got players like Sophia Phillips (West Seneca), Brynn Holland (West Seneca), Hanna Barrett (Eden) and Kayla Pelc (Eden) who have all stepped up at different times to score.

“And if you look at last year’s scoring on our team, after Riley the scoring got spread out a little bit. So I think this year’s team will continue that way again.”

Goaltending this season will be handled by a ninth grader, Ella Buczynski (West Seneca) and eighth grader, Gigi Rakoski (Hamburg).

Cooper admits that this HEWSH team has come a long way in the past two years.

“A couple of years ago we only had one or two seniors and maybe one or two juniors and the rest were younger players who were eighth, ninth and tenth graders,” remembered Cooper. “But now those girls have experience under their belt and it is showing.

“And I think our team works well together. I don’t have anybody who is trying to carry the whole load and doing it all themselves.

“I think if we do that the whole season, we will have a good season.”

(Photos by Janet Schultz Photography/NY Hockey OnLine)

Let’s Take A Look At: The Williamsville Girls Varsity Hockey Team

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Janet
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BY RANDY SCHULTZ –

In his 14 seasons as head coach of the Williamsville Varsity Girls Ice Hockey Team, Rick Hopkins has seen it all. But the 2023-24 hockey season may be the biggest challenge yet for the veteran hockey coach.

When the WNYGVIHF season opened this year, the Williamsville girls’ hockey roster was dotted with five seventh graders as well as four more eighth graders.

To make matters even more interesting there was only one senior returning to the team: Shannon Pogorzala. And one junior: Sophia DePrima.

What it all adds up to is an interesting and challenging season for Hopkins and his girls’ varsity ice hockey team.

“This is a new era of hockey for Williamsville girls varsity hockey,” commented Hopkins. “We’ve never had as young a team as we do this year.”

Despite the fact that it is a young team, the entire coaching staff for Williamsville’s girls’ varsity hockey team is very excited.

“The satisfaction we’re getting is seeing the learning curve and the improvement that they’re making,” remarked Hopkins. “And a lot of it is the mental improvement.

“Remember, you have seventh grade girls playing against seniors, there is a difference in height and weight. But our girls are staying positive.”

Hopkins remembered back during this past summer when he realized that he had only 11 returning players for the 2023-24 campaign.

“I knew we were going to be thin, as far as varsity experience went,” recalled Hopkins. “I was thrilled when I found out that we had nine middle-school girls taking the test that has to be passed before they can try out for a varsity sport.

“For me, that was a victory for the team before the season even started. We ended up with 21 girls at the tryout.”

While leadership usually comes from the veteran players on a team, it proved to be an interesting situation for Williamsville.

“Shannon Pogorzala is our only senior on the team,” said Hopkins. “She had been voted a captain on the team as a junior, which shows the kind of leadership skills she has.

“Sophia DePrima, who is the only junior on the team, is our other captain. She was an alternate captain last year.

“But we have a core of sophomores on the team, who feel like seniors because they have been on the team for three to four years already.

“There is Allie Besancon, Scarlet Canna, Kaitlyn Laudico, Alena Lombardo, Caydence Curran, Anna Meyer, Addison Stachura and Scarlet Canna. In what I’ve seen so far of their play this season, they have shown the maturity of seniors, which is what I was hoping I would see.”

When it comes to goaltending, that is in the hands of seventh grader Olivia Lookman.

“From the first day of practice this year, I could see that Olivia was an experienced goalie for her age. She is calm and cool and is playing beyond her years.”

With all this information, this year’s edition of Williamsville Girls Varsity Hockey knows the winning tradition of the team as well as the past success teams have had.

“This is a team that plays with grit and never backs down,” concluded Hopkins. “Age and grades are just numbers to these girls.

“The girls will put in the effort in every game. That’s all we ask.”

(Photos by Janet Schultz Photography/NY Hockey OnLine)

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