April 2006 - Ya-Hoo, Mountain Do! 16U's Reach the Summit!

From skating lines at practice to off-key renditions of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, the mountain became a symbol for the 2005-2006 TI 16U team. A symbol of hard work, team unity, setting high goals, and going after them. So it was fitting that they concluded their season at the very peak of girls’ hockey….USA Hockey’s National Championship Tournament in Buffalo New York. They would represent the state of Illinois and the Central District extremely well as they battled some of the best teams in girls’ hockey from all over the country during the five day extravaganza.

They opened the competition Wednesday afternoon against Massachusetts champion Assabet Valley….long considered the standard setters in girls’ hockey. The game was played on the large Olympic ice surface and Assabet used their skating and passing ability to their advantage in the opening period. The game was scoreless until the nine minute mark when the bean-towners converted with the teams skating four on four. In the second period team Illinois began to take over and appeared to tie the game in the final minute but the referee lost sight of the puck and whistled the play dead just as a sprawling TI forward poked it between the goalies pads and across the goal line. On the ensuing face off, Assabet Valley added insult to injury by breaking out into a two on one and extending their lead to 2-0 with a half minute to play.

TI came out fast in the third period and scored an early goal to cut the margin in half at 2-1. They dominated play for the remainder of the game and came within a skate blade of tying it up but a sprawling Assabet netminder made the save of the game when she kicked the attempt out of mid air into the corner. Despite outshooting their opponents 28-20, TI would fall in the opening game 2-1 and set up a must win situation in game two.

…..and win they did, with a 9-0 shellacking of the Ohio Flames. They peppered the Ohio netminder with 20 shots in the opening period but could not get one to go in until over ten minutes had expired. After netting the first one, they maintained the pressure, eventually outshooting the Flames 52-1 en route to the lopsided victory which renewed their momentum heading into Friday morning’s contest with the Quakers from Pennsylvania…..

….but not before….the skills competition! In a true demonstration of teamwork, enthusiasm, creativity, and sheer VOLUME….the 16U’s (with some help from their little buddies on the 12U’s) cheered their teammates in the skills competition. Their efforts were recognized by the sponsor, Easton Sports, and they were awarded the prize for best team spirit.

With raspy voices and sore throats from screaming the night before, TI got up for an early morning encounter with the Quakers from Pennsylvania. TI got on the board just one minute into the game but the rest of the period was hard fought and it ended with TI clinging to the one goal lead. The Quakers tied it up early in the second and played with renewed vigor….an upset in their sights. But the girls in Blue stayed the course and added two goals late in the period to enter the third with a 3-1 advantage. TI would score the only goal of the third period to finish with a 4-1 victory that earned them a spot in the quarterfinals against the Syracuse Stars.

Syracuse earned their spot in the quarterfinals by tying last years’ national champ Cal Selects (more about them later) so they were fired up and raring to go. They got on the board early after applying good pressure in the TI zone and lead 1-0 until late in the first when TI tied it up. From that point on, the blue hats controlled the offensive play, outshooting the Stars 22-3 through the final two periods but Syracuse played tough and it was a physical battle that was not decided until midway through the third period when TI put the game out of reach. The final was 4-1 ….next up, the Cal Selects in the semifinals.

For the girls that were on the TI 16U team the year before, this would be a rematch against the team that beat them in the Championship game. They wanted it badly but the puck was not bouncing their way on this night and would end up in their net four times by the end of the second period to only one tally for TI. As they headed to the locker room between the second and third periods, they were in the unfamiliar place of being down by three goals. But one thing was for sure….there was no quit in this team and as long as there was time on the clock, they would continue to give 110%. Five minutes into the final frame, they narrowed the margin to 4-2 and a couple of minutes later converted a rebound to cut the lead to a single goal….with 8 minutes to play. They dominated the girls from the west coast throughout the third period, outshooting them 12-3 and pinning them in their zone for the majority of the time. However, they could not come up with that elusive tying goal and the final horn sounded with the score Cal Selects 4 TI 3.

Disappointed, and in shock that their season had come to a screeching halt, the girls in blue and white lined up to shake hands, received their bronze medals, and skated off to the locker room for the final time as a team. Up until this point, most of the year had been rosy and they had experienced much success as a team. However, the true measure of a team is how they react when things do not go their way …. And this bunch passed that test with flying colors as well. True…they could have played one more game and come home with a medal that was a different color. But they could not have made their parents or coaches Tony Cachey and Margaret Hug any more proud. Great job girls!

Cast of Characters

If you have followed this team throughout the year, you may have noticed that none of the articles included any names….a throw-back to the old school theory that the only name that matters is the one on the front of the jersey. But with the season drawing to a conclusion, it is only fair that you get a glimpse of the characters that make up this team. Apologies in advance if anyone is offended by the nicknames ….. with the season over ….. it is worth the risk.

#1 Beth (Hitch) Hitchcock – Younger half of dynamic duo between the pipes. Great year from start to finish highlighted by stellar performance in semi-finals against Connecticut Stars on the way to Polar Bear Championship.

#5 (Do or) Di Karouzos – Physical defender who laid it on the line repeatedly for her team and kept her goaltenders from harms way.

#8 Melissa (Carpenter) Kravich – Mel was a specialist at finishing and was always a threat around the net to light the lamp for TI.

#9 Katie (Crash) Cachey – The epitome of hard work in all zones. Opponents better be ready for battle if they go to the net or in the corners with #9.

#13 Katie (Danny) Daniels – Expert at thwarting opponent rushes and putting TI on the offensive. Quarterbacked the team from her defensive spot.

#14 Jenna (Dozer) Dancewicz – Immovable in front of the net and dominant in the corners, Jenna took no prisoners when there was a loose puck to be won.

#15 Katie (Iris) Iraci – A deadeye sharpshooter. If the opposing goaltender left an opening, she would find it.

#17 (Penalty) Killer B Wolf – Brianna used her speed, hustle, and determination to keep the pressure on opponents and create chances for her team.

#21 Haley (Slick Willi) Williams – Crafty skater and stickhandler kept opposing defenses guessing when she had the puck on her stick.

#25 Me-gan Bo---zek … say it with me…..then duck because she has a cannon of a slapshot and was a threat to score whenever she was on the ice.

#28 Randi (the Rookie) Jensen – How do you spell dedication? How about IOWA because that is where this smooth skating defender traveled from several times a week to be on this team.

#29 Jackie (JO) Otto – Heady defender who saw the ice well and knew when to jump into the offensive mode.

#30 (Brick Wall) Brittany Lemke – Veteran half of the outstanding goaltender combo. Awesome season …. Lasting memory of how she saved the day in the quarterfinals of the Polar Bear tournament with a highlight reel glove save against a tough Coburg team.

#31 Erika (Trouble) Greenen – “Trouble” is what she caused for opponents with her acrobatic moves to get to loose pucks around their net.

#71 Kim (Crazy Legs) Kowalczyk – Used her speed to create havoc on the forecheck and keep pressure on opponents.

#89 Mo (Money) O’Connor – Moira was a smooth playmaker that thrived in the clutch. With the game on the line, the puck was often on her stick.

#98 Ashley (Milli) Mileykovsky – Versatile team player who would do whatever it took to help the team. Contributed mainly as a forward but also called on to play defense on occasion.