Story by Janet Schultz; Photos by Andrea Burke
Adirondack United took the NYPHSAA Regional Championship in Women’s Varsity Ice Hockey this weekend by defeating Kenmore/Grand Island/Lockport (KengiPort) 7-3 at Nexus Arena in Utica.
In their second year of play they went undefeated with a group of players from schools in the northeast section of New York State. Players They are the only team in Section II of NYPHSAA and are made up of students from six schools–Corinth, Glens Falls, South Glens Falls, Queensbury, Hudson Falls and Saratoga. They competed with teams from upper New York State throughout the season and ended with a perfect 18-0 season.
This is their second appearance in the Regional Championship, losing last year to Section III Clinton.
The final days set up like this. Canton took the Section X title this year and lost 2-0 in the State Semi-finals to KengiPort. Adirondack beat Skaneateles 6-1 in Friday’s semi-finals to move on. Skaneateles has been a State Regional winner three times plus a co-winner with Potsdam when that game in 2013-14 went four overtimes at a tie.
Adirondack beat Beekmantown of Section VII in a play-in. KenGiPort played Webster of Section V, in its first season of play and the only team in Section V in a play-in for the trip to Utica. The Adirondack team also played the North Avalanche of Section I in a sub-regional to get to the States.
This was KengiPorts seventh appearance in the NYS Regional Championships in 14 years. They came out second three times and lost in the semi-finals four times. Their first appearance was as Kenmore in 2012 and then again in 2013; Grand Island and Lockport schools came in in the past few years.
The Championship game opened Saturday with quick scoring by KenGiPort. Just 30 seconds in Isabella Jayme scored, assisted by Goalie Samantha Horne. A minute plus later Isabella Shaft scored, assisted by Madalyn Jagow. The first ends 2-0 in favor of KenGiPort.
Adirondack’s first goal came at 5:46 of the second period by Emily Macaulay, assisted by Lillian Willis and Gianna Marcantoinio. Quickly after that, at 3:17 Bayley Duffy dropped one in, assisted by Willis. The second period ends 2-2.
It could have been anyone’s game as the third period opened. Adirondack gets on the board at 13:21 when Tekla Fine-Lease swcores at 13:21 unassisted. It was Adirondack all the way after that with goals by E. Maccaulay, Duffy, and a final one by EWmma Lemery. KGIPort’s Isabelle Bourgeault got one in at 5:21, assisted by Jayme.
This is Lemery’s second goal of the season.
Ava Reynolds stopped 8 of 11 for Adirondack and Samantha Horne stopped 21 of 28 for KenGiPort.
KenGiPort completes the season with a 19-4 record and takes the second place plaque.
“It’s a season that we’ll never forget. It can only be matched, but will never be beaten. We’re super excited that we continue to make history with this program, going to the state finals in Year 1 and losing, and now winning it all in Year 2 and running the table. I’m looking forward to keeping it going and building a legacy of excellence in girls ice hockey in Section 2,” Coach Jeff Willis told Kyle Adams of the Daily Gazette following Saturday’s game.
Congratulations to Sectional Champions: Section I: North Avalanche, Section III, Skaneateles; Section V, Webster; Section VII Beekmantown and Section X Canton. (NYHOL cannot find official State results so this is from scoring reports on several sites, if anyone has additional information, please email [email protected]).
Editor’s Note: Any Girl’s Varsity Ice Hockey Coach who wishes to submit a year end wrap on their team, please submit to [email protected] and we will post on our website. Photos also welcome.
