Photos and Story by Janet Schultz, NYHOL©
The 2023-24 WNYGVIH Federation Season has come to an end. While Niagara County took the 2024 Federation Championship, they lost in the Section VI Championships to Kenmore/Grand Island/Lockport.
KenGiPort went on to face Canton in the NYS Regional Championship where they won and then lost to Adirondack United in the Championship.
On the Private Championship for the League, St. Mary’s of Lancaster prevailed over Monsignor Martin and placed 5th in the League.
The Coaches met and have named the 2024 All-Fed Teams.
First Team:
On Forward are Bella Jayme, KenGiPort, Izzy Bourgeault, KenGiPort and Maya Griffin, FFLOP.
On Defense, Jocelyn Smaczniak, FFLOP and Jenny Wild, CASH.
In Goal: Kennedy Ruest, NiCo.
Jayme and Bourgeault each had a record-breaking season landing them on the All-Time Scoring List at #6 and #8, respectively. Jayme has 69 goals and 56 assists in 95 games played and Bourgeault has 52 goals and 65 assists in 98 games. This season alone Jayme scored 23 goals and 24 assists and Bourgeault, 20 goals and 20 assists to put them in first and second place in Year-End scoring totals.
Griffin is fifth this season with 14 goals and 14 assists in 19 games played. She is on the “radar” for the All-Time Career Points list.
Defenders Smaczniak and Wild made their mark for their teams as they put pucks in the net and served penalty minutes in the box. Smaczniak had 3 goals and 11 assists, including one game-winner along with 13.5 penalty minutes. Wild had 4 goals and 2 assists, a game-winner and 3 minutes in penalties.
In Goal Ruest played 904.56 minutes, making 385 saves on 414 shots. She had four shutouts and a .930 save percentage and .930 GAA. Ruest record was 16 wins and 4 losses in regular and post-season play. Ruest is #22 on the All-Time Goaltending Record.
Second Team:
Forwards Sam Latini, NiCo; Abby Zimmerman, NiCo and Alexandria Franke, Monsignor Martin.
Defenders Lila Cudney, FFLOP and Madeline Marzec, KenGiPort.
Goaltender Samantha Horne, KenGiPort.
Latini put up 20 goals and 17 assists this season, playing in 20 games. Her teammate Zimmerman was just behind her with 19 goals and 17 assists in 19 games played. Latini had four game-winning goals and Zimmerman had two. Franke logged 12 goals and 2 assists, with three game-winners in her 17 games. Latini and Zimmerman are both “on the radar” for the All-Time Career Scoring List.
Cudney and Marzec could be counted on to help their goalie and keep pucks from the net. They also scored with Cudney having 7 goals and 9 assists with two game-winners. Marzec had a goal and three assists with nine penalty minutes.
Another outstanding goaltender in the Federation, Horne stopped 343 of 375 sog in 903.53 minutes of play. She had six shutouts and posted a 19-3 win-loss record. Horne had a .915 save percentage and 1.59 GAA.
Third Team:
Forwards Sophia Phillips, HHEWS; Emily Lysiak, LIDA and Avery Szczesek, St. Marys of Lancaster.
On Defense Hailey Cooper, HHEWS and Faith O’Connor, NiCo.
In Goal Kerrigan McCarthy, FFLOP
Phillips played in 18 games and posted 11 goals and 4 assists including 2 game-winners. Lysiak had 4 goals and an assist in 17 games. Szczesek kept St. Mary’s of Lancaster in the game with 13 goals and 8 assists in 18 games, including two game-winners.
H. Cooper and Faith O’Connor made their marks in the assisting with Cooper having six and O’Connor 15.
Another outstanding goaltender McCarthy posted 273 saves on 300 shots for a .910 save percentage and 2.29 GAA. She played 530.73 minutes posting a 9-5 record with two shutouts.
Honorable mentions went to: Brynn Cafferty, LIDA; Madison Mallone, NiCo; Teagan Willats, KenGiPort; Amelia Homac, LIDA; Gabe Lowell, St, Marys; Shannon Pogorzala, Williamsville; Morgan Cooper, HHEWS; Addison Cherry, Monsignor Martin; Ella Celej, CASH; Avery Hall, St. Marys of Lancaster; Betsy Accurso, St. Marys’ Ella Buczynski, HHEWS; Carly Irzycki, LIDA and ate Kelley, Monsignor Martin.
Accurso is #5 on the All-Time Goaltending List after just one season in the league. She played 530 minutes and made 161 saves on 171 goals. She has a 5 wins, 1 loss record with a .942 save percentage.
This year’s Coach of the Year is Gregg Grosskopf of NICo. Grosskopf and his assistants, Michael Dunlop and Shawn Latini, coached the NiCo team to a 13-3-0 regular season, going undefeated for 9 games before losing to LIDA in January. Grosskopf took Coach of the Year honors his first year out when NiCo fought hard with a new and young team, ending in last place, winless.
Honorable Mention:
*Statistics as of posting 2/13/2024 WNYGVIH Stats
