Story and Photos by Janet Schultz, NYHOL
The WNYGVIH Federation honored their Seniors at special ceremonies at the end of the season.
From Clarence/Amherst/SweetHome it was Georgia Mango from Amherst High School. Mango played four years on CASH, serving as Assistant Captain this past season. She plans on playing Lacrosse at Oswego State University while she majors in biology and minors in criminal justice. Mango posted 3 goals and 2 assists this season.
Franklinville/Frontier/LakeShore/Orchard Park (FFLOP) graduated Maya Griffin and Lilah Cudney.
Griffin, Orchard Park High School, played for FFLOP for 5 years and served as team captain during her junior and senior year. She ended in first place in over-all scoring this season and was selected as Offensive Player of the Year this season. She was named to the First Team All -Fed Team in 2023-24, Second Team All Fed in 2022-23 and Honorable Mention in 2021-22. This season she celebrated her 100th career point and placed 8th on the WNYGVIH All-Time Scoring List with 127 points. She was a three-sport athlete at Orchard Park, playing Lacrosse and Soccer in addition to Ice Hockey. Griffin will study nursing at Youngstown State and play Lacrosse. Her parents are Mother, Pam Salerno, stepfather Craig Robertson; father Todd Griffin and step mom, Amy.
Cudney will graduate from Franklinville High School. A member of FFLOP for 3 years she earned an Honorable Mention on the All-Fed team this season and was Second Team All Star last season. Cudney served as Team Captain this season. Cudney had 4 goals and 8 assists this season. She will continue her hockey career at SUNY Canton while studying Sports Management.
Graduating from Hamburg/Eden/West Seneca (HEWS) were Samantha Miller, Kaelynn Wittschack and Kayla Pelc.
Miller is graduating from West Seneca High School and was a three-year starter on the HEWS team. She also plays lacrosse and soccer at West Seneca and plans to attend Buffalo State College majoring in Biology. Miller played defense.
Wittschack transferred from FFLOP to HEWS this season and will graduate from Hamburg High School. She was a member of National Honor Society, played soccer and flag football for Hamburg. She plans on attending SUNY Cortland and study childhood education.
Pelc is a four year member of HEWS and attends Eden High School. Known as the “HEWS Curse” for her ability to NOT score when she’s presented with seemingly the easiest chances to do so, Pelc played forward. She plans to attend SUNY Cortland for marketing. She is also an accomplished lacrosse player.
Kenmore/Grand Island/Lockport (KenGiPort) graduated its largest senior class to date, which will impact the program. As a class this group has 73 wins, 43 losses and five ties with a 65-12-4 record in just the last four years as high schoolers. Graduating this June are Jillian Hager, Lockport High School; Natalie Kopf, Grand Island; Isabelle; Madeline Marzec, Kenmore West; Savannah Samplinski, Grand Island; Isabella Jayme, Grand Island; Isabella “Izzy” Burt, Grand Island and Isabelle Bourgeault, Kenmore West.
Hager played her second season with KenGiPort and plans to attend Oswego State to study cinema and screen studies. Hager played in goal for 105 minutes making 13 saves on 13 shots for a 1.00 save percentage. Her parents are Michael and Michelle Hager.
Kopf played four seasons with the team and plans to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to study Business Analytics and Business Management and playing softball. Kopf was a defender for KenGiPort and scored 1 goal and had 4 assists this season. Her parents are Rob and Jenn Kopf.
Burt is in her fifth season with KenGiPort as a Forward. She plans to study biochemistry in college. Burt had 5 goals and 13 assists in 16 games this season. Her parents are Ian and Alanna Burt.
Samplinski played 6 seasons with KenGiPort as a defender. She had 4 goals and 13 assists this season in 18 games. She was named to the First Team, All Fed Team for 2024-25. She plans to study biology in a college yet to be determined. Her parents are Steve and Amy Samplinski.
Marzec is also in her sixth season with KenGiPort as a defender with a goal and an assist this season. She plans to study biochemistry at a college to be announced. Marzec’s parents are Chris and Kate.
Jayme is another 6-season player. As a Forward she placed 8th on the 2024-25 Scoring List with 18 goals and 14 assists in 18 games and she was named to the 2024-25 First Team All-Fed Team. Jayme is Second on the WNYGVIH Federation All-time Points Record with 87 goals and 70 assists in 113 games. She is the daughter of Kent and Jill.
Bourgeault is a sixth season player with KenGiPort and was named to the First Team All Federation Team this season. She placed tenth on the season’s Scoring List with 16 goals and 13 assists in 18 games and she is 5th on the All Time WNYGVIH Federation Scoring List with 78 goals and 68 assists in 116 games. Izzy will be attending SUNY Canton to study finance and play DIII ice hockey with the Roos. Her parents are Coach Marc and Amy Bourgeault.
Monsignor Martin graduated one senior this season. Norah Carrol, pictured above, is s a 4-year Varsity athlete in Soccer and Hockey at Mount St. Mary’s Academy. She served as captain of both teams. Carrol is an officer for the National Honor Society and a member of Student Council and the Serve Club. She plans to further her education in political science.
Seniors from Niagara County Lady Warriors include Ella King, Niagara Wheatfield; Olivia Terranova, Starpoint; Natalee Lawrence, Starpoint, Madeline Remus, Lewiston-Porter; Abby Zimmerman, Niagara-Wheatfield and Jaylin Beaver, Niagara-Wheatfield.
Terranova scored 2 goals and 6 assists in 18 games on defense. Lawrence scored 10 goals and 11 assists in 17 games as a Forward. Remus played defense with a goal and3 assists.
Zimmerman placed third on the Season Scoring List with 23 goals and 13 assists in 16 games. She is 13th on the WNYGVIH All-Time Scoring List with 65 goals, 45 assists in 71 games. She was also named to the First Team WNYGVIHF All-Fed Team this season.
Beaver played in goal for 475.43 minutes, making 152 saves on 204 shots giving her a .475 save percentage.
Graduating from St. Mary’s of Lancaster were Avery Hall, Riley Kumrow, Danielle Cottrell, Alanah Pagano, Samantha Hatt and Emma Babock.
Hall is an original member of the St. Mary’s team and played in goal. She is a member of the National Honor Society with a 3.3 GPA. Hall record St. Mary’s first win, first shutout and first win in the Private School Championship in 2024. She played 217.23 minutes between the pipes this season making 111 saves on 121 shots. She will study Sports Medicine and Exercise at John and Wales University where she will also play ice hockey.
Kumrow is also an original member of the STM team, carries a 3.8 GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society. The Defender served as an Assistant Captain last season and Captain this season, had 3 goals and 6 assists in 18 games. Kumrow earned an Honorable Mention on this season’s WNYGVIHF All-Fed Team. She plans to attend Kings College where she will play ice hockey and study marketing.
Cottrell played Forward, scoring two goals and two assists in 16 games. She will attend Ithaca College to study architecture. Cottrell is an original member of the STM team.
Another original member, Hatt carries a 3.6 GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society. She played on defense in 17 games, scoring 4 goals and 2 assists this season. Hatt will be attending Niagara University in the nursing program.
Babcock in the 2024 recipient of the Character and Kindness Award. She has a 3.7 GPA and will study sports management at Niagara University. Babock played Forward with a goal and 6 assists in 16 games.
Pagano is another original member of the team and played in 17 games with 5 goals and 3 assists on Forward. Pagano has the distinction of scoring the First-ever goal for SMH and the winning goal in the Private School Championship in 2024. She plans to study nursing at the University of Southern Carolina. A member of the National Honor Society, she carries a 3.6 GPA.
Williamsville graduated two seniors this season. Honored were Sophia DePrima and Gabriella Bellacose.
DePrima played Forward and will graduate from Williamsville North High School. She had two goals and two assists in 15 games.
Bellacose will graduate from Williamsville South High School and played Forward for the team. She saw action in 15 games.
Also honored during graduation ceremonies from ice hockey was KenGiPort’s Assistant Coach Marc Bourgeault. Bourgeault joined the coaching staff the same year this year’s graduating class was in 7th grade. He gave his time and expertise for 6 seasons as a volunteer coach, sharing memories with his daughters Carolyn and Izzy. He will now retire from this program and move on to other interests.
Lancaster/Iroquois/Depew/Alden had no seniors this season.
Gallery
(All Photos property of NYHOL. For copies email [email protected])
(Editors Note: Due to several changes in scheduling, Janet was unable to attend all the ceremonies and NYHOL apologizes.)
