2003 12U#1 Central District Champions

Team Illinois Girls 12U#1 Capture

2003 Central District Championship! 

Team Members: 
Kari Asick, Erin Bradarich, Jaclyn Camardo, Nicole Camardo, Lauren Davis, Sydni Espey, Casie Fields, Paige Hoppie, Aleca Hughes, Lauren Jones, Kristi McKee, Lindsay Newman, Jacquelyn Otto, Jessica Puig, Kathy Shei, Kelly Wallace, Hayley Williams  
Head Coach: Bill Martin 
Assistant Coach: Margaret Dumiak 
Manager: Tammy Hoppie 

Three weeks after winning the Illinois State Championship, Team Illinois U12 major team anxiously entered the Central District Regional Championship weekend on March 21 in Madison, Wisconsin. Besides Team Illinois representing Illinois, the Madison Capitols represented Wisconsin and the St. Louis Cyclones represented Missouri. The Madison Capitols and TI started the competition with a game late Friday afternoon. The 1st period quickly became a game between the two blue lines. Opportunities for a shot on goal were as scarce as Blackhawk Stanley Cup wins. But with most of the period vanished, a sharp pass from Jessica Puig to Kathy Shei at center ice provided TI’s first goal of the regional. But as the luck would have it a TI breakdown leads to a Capital goal with only a half of a second left in the period. 

The defensive battle continued into the second period again with nominal shots on goal. Fortunately for TI, the line of Aleca Hughes, Kelly Wallace and Hayley Williams demonstrated their quick puck handling skills and Aleca Hughes lit the lamp for TI’s second goal. For the rest of the second period and most of the third period, the struggle for momentum was fiercely contested. Time after time, the TI defense of Kari Asick, Erin Bradarich, Lauren Davis, Casie Fields, Lindsay Newman, and Jackie Otto turned back any Capital offensive threat. Half way through the third period the TI line of Hayley Williams, Kelly Wallace and Aleca Hughes again showed their magic, resulting in a goal for Aleca Hughes. Aleca’s goal combined with the immense back checking of Jackie Camardo, Paige Hoppie, Nicole Camardo and Lauren Jones, swung the momentum and the day went to TI. Final score was 3 – 1 in TI’s favor with Kristi McKee stopping a total of 13 Capital shots. 

The second game for TI was against the St. Louis Cyclones late Saturday afternoon. This was the second game for the St Louis team on Saturday as their first game resulted in an enormous 13 – 0 loss to the Madison Capitols. TI started the game full of confidence after their earlier win and the St Louis loss. Early in the 1st period the line of Jessica Puig, Lauren Jones, and Kathy Shei engaged in a sterling puck battle in front of the Cyclone’s net with defenseman Erin Bradarich assisting Kathy Shei for her first goal of the game. From this point forward, TI totally dominated the game. With the defense rarely challenged in the TI zone, they concentrated on keeping the puck in the St. Louis zone. The Aleca Hughes, Kelly Wallace and Hayley Williams line quickly went to work and netted the puck twice. Aleca Hughes and Kelly Wallace both lighting the lamp with shots from fantastic passing and teamwork. 

The second and third periods saw more TI dominance and great teamwork. With only minimal challenges in TI’s own zone, the defense focused on keeping the puck in the Cyclone’s zone. As could be expected, the TI scoring machine was overwhelming. Four times on eleven shots, TI’s offense blasted the puck in the net. Kelly Wallace and Kathy Shei each lit the lamp twice. Coach Bill Martin and Assistant Coach Margaret Dumiak used the 3rd period to work on passing and puck control. However, TI still showed their offensive style of play. Nicole Camardo and Paige Hoppie assisted with Jackie Camardo’s goal and Aleca Hughes kept the TI scoring alive with two more goals. The game ended with three TI girls getting “HAT” tricks and an easy win of 10 – 0. TI goal minders, Syndi Espey and Kristi McKee stopped all 9 shots on goal. 

The Central District Regional Championship game featured Team Illinois against the Madison Capitols. This was the third game between the two teams and TI was to be tested by the theory that it is extremely hard to beat a good team three consecutive times. The offensive minded TI team went to work from the drop of the first puck. Solid play by the offensive lines and zone control by TI’s defense resulted in 8 TI shots on goal with none penetrating the goal line. Then the second period opened with the offensive dangerous line of Aleca Hughes, Kelly Wallace and Hayley Williams finally scoring with a great backhand from Aleca Hughes assisted by Jackie Otto. After some good shifts from every line on both sides of the puck, Hayley Williams scored with a deadly accurate pass. TI net minder Syndi Espey had several solid saves that kept the Capitols from netting a goal. 

As the 3rd period started, TI had the momentum and appeared to be on the way to an easy win. Another goal from Aleca Hughes surely was meant to put the game away. With only five minutes left in the 3rd period, TI sent a player to the penalty box and the Capitols had a one-girl advantage. The Capitol’s coach took full benefit of the situation by pulling the goalie and after a brief struggle the Capitols scored their first goal. With both teams at full strength, the Capitols again pulled their goalie and quickly scored their second goal. Now with less than 2 minutes left in the game, the momentum had shifted to the Madison Capitols. Quickly the Capitols charged the net with all players leaving no one to mind the blue line. The coach of the Capitols changed the strategy and left the goalie in but used all offensive players. Unfortunately, TI’s attempts to clear the zone failed and the Capitols scored on a questionable goal. This Capital goal had tied the game and left what appeared to be decisive momentum on the side of the Capital’s. While both teams would get a chance to represent the Central Region at Nationals, it was clear neither team wanted to go as the second place team. Quickly in the overtime period, TI took control of the puck and the game. A razor-sharp pass from Lindsay Newman to Aleca Hughes gave TI a scoring opportunity that Aleca was not going to waste. As Aleca broke through the Capital defense, her determination and power netted a precise shot of the puck leaving the Capital goalie with no defense to stop the goal. TI had emerged with a win and the Central District Regional Championship. Congratulations Team Illinois! Good luck at Nationals!