"Let's go Braves!"

Complete Schedule revised 1/27

Girls Under 10 
2001 STATE CHAMPIONS 

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME REPORT:

Wilmette’s Girls Hockey Team wins the first-ever Illinois State Girls 10 & Under Championship! 

3/3/01   Wilmette Braves 3 – Crystal Lake Leafs 1 

Girls’ hockey passed another milestone on Saturday when teams from Wilmette and Crystal Lake met at the Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville to contest the first ever Girls 10 and Under 2001 AHAI/Blackhawk Cup State Championship.  The girls from Wilmette prevailed in a tightly played, intense game that exceeded the expectations of everyone present.           

            Prior to the game, the two teams, which consist of girls 7-10 years old, were introduced with all the theatrics of a major sporting event:  a darkened arena, flashing lights, swirling mist, loud music, the national anthem, the works.  Crystal Lake, as the higher-seeded team, was introduced first.  In a gesture of good sportsmanship, the Wilmette Girls presented each member of the Crystal Lake team with a gold “good luck“ star.  

And then the game began!  The fans really did not know what to expect. The first time the two teams met, Crystal Lake prevailed 7-1 in a high-scoring mismatch typical of games between young teams.  Instead what they saw was a tight, tense game between two talented teams that both rely on strong team defense and occasional breakaways on offense. 

            Perhaps inspired by a sign posted behind their bench by both New Trier High School Girls hockey teams, the Braves took the early play to the Leaf’s zone.  They generated some good pressure but were unable to penetrate the Leaf’s tough defenders.  Play swarmed back and forth with neither team able to dominate.  Wilmette forward Hope Fairclough broke in cleanly midway through the first period for a clean shot only to be robbed at close range by the Leaf’s netminder.  Wilmette Goalie Kelsey Ingram had to come up with a big save of her own when an un-marked Leaf forward came through the goal crease, on her way to the far post and an easy tap-in, only to be thwarted by an adroit poke-check.  The first period ended without a score with both teams’ defensemen firmly in control. 

             Between periods Crystal Lake’s coach fired up his troops and the Leafs came out flying.  They penned the Braves deep in their zone for minute on end and generated several good scoring opportunities.  The play of the Leafs’ defenders at the points was particularly effective; sending the puck back into the zone time after time.   But the Wilmette defense held and the momentum began to turn as the Braves, using their newly installed secret LISA play to put a forward behind the Leaf defense, began to generate break-away opportunities.  Wilmette forward Claire Santostefano earned two such breakaways, only to be robbed on the first by a spectacular stick save by the Leaf goalie and to miss an open net by inches on the second.  As the period ended, Julia Cowan, moving up from defense to work a shift at forward, broke in pursued by two black-clad Leafs.  The Leaf’s goalie was again equal to the challenge but a few seconds later Hope Fairclough was able to collect the puck in the right circle and fire a hard shot to the far post.  The Leaf goalie made the pad save but Julia Cowan was there to tap the rebound home and put Wilmette on the board first with 17 seconds remaining in the period.  The fans went nuts!

            In the third period, the Leafs attacked with even greater ferocity - aided by several penalties called on the Braves’ defense.  Much of the play was in the Wilmette zone and the Braves defenders – Laura Kitchie, Elizabeth Hitchcock, Maggie McNair, Julia Cowan and Maggi Tyska – really excelled, holding the opponents at bay, and forcing repeated off-sides at the blue line.  With the game winding down and Wilmette still clinging to a tenuous one goal edge, Claire Santostefano picked up a pass from Katy O’Malley high in the slot, skated in and lifted a beautiful shot high over the goalie’s outstretched pad to score what would prove to be the game-winner at 1:45 remaining.  The Leafs responded by pulling their goalie to gain an extra skater and finally got on the board when an onrushing Leaf broke through the Braves defense and jammed home a rebound with 48 seconds remaining.  The fans’ hearts were in their throats as the Leafs fought hard to score again but Hope Fairclough was able to ice the game when she scored an empty net goal with 4 seconds to go. 

 What a game!  Both teams received a standing ovation from the many fans as they collected their flags and trophies.  May all the future championships in this age group be as exciting as this!

Congratulations to the 2000-2001 Wilmette Braves Girls 10 and Under Team:  Kathryn Bayley, Erin Callahan, Julia Cowan, Rachel Daniels, Stephanie Dubin, Hope Fairclough, Elizabeth Hitchcock, Kelsey Ingram, Laura Jordan, Laura Kitchie, Sara London, Barrett McBride, Maggie McNair, Katy O’Malley, Carmel Russo, Claire Santostefano, Katie Theiss and Maggie Tyska.  Congratulations also to Coaches Tom Cowan, Biff Fairclough, Randy Jordan and Vince Hitchcock for making this first season so successful. 

ROSTER

Feb 10, 2001

Feb 4, 2001  It doesn’t get any better than this! 

You can put down $4-500.00 for a family of 4 to go and park, snack and buy tickets for a United Center hockey game, or, you can go to Wilmette’s Centennial Arena with free parking, free tickets and the best $1.00 box of French fries anywhere and be guaranteed to watch a great hockey game. 

Within 24 hours, the Wilmette girls 10 and under team played two of the most enjoyable and exciting hockey games this writer has seen in a long time. 

After squeaking out a tough 6-5 victory over the talented Winnetka girls hockey club Saturday afternoon, the girls played the equally challenging Wilmette A2 boys team coached by star coaches Rafe Aybar and Josh Cecil. 

The game, reminiscent of a memorable New Years eve game, played many years back, where all of Canada suspended celebration to witness the Russian champion Red Army team play the Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens to a 3/3 tie. Likely one of the most exciting games ever played. 

Similar to that fabled game…the goaltending was stellar at both ends. The puck movement was crisp, and the goal scoring chances never ended until the final buzzer.

Predictably, after enduring the hectic game the day before, the girls squad let down noticeably in the first period as they got down 2-0. The second period was very even and ended at 3-1, with Cowan scoring the girl’s goal. 

End to end action with both goaltenders stopping numerous clear cuts shots in the third looked like the score would remain in tact. However, Elizabeth Hitchcock kept the troops in the game in the third while Hope Fairclough’s goal pulled the girls to within one.

This is when the coaching masterminds of Biff Fairclough and Tom Cowan took over. They pulled goalie Hitchcock in favor of a sixth attacker, even when the faceoff was at center ice. A gutsy move to say the least. Strategically placing Julia Cowan in the quarterback position off the draw, and gifted by an open net miss by the A2s, Julia secured the puck at center ice, burst into the clear and made no mistake tying the game. 

The final 20 seconds was like a shark frenzy in the girls’ end, but they prevailed, holding on to the tie.

As one happy fan was heard remarking as he left the rink following the game “that was the best game I’ve seen in 3 years”, and his son plays AAA hockey. 

ROAD TRIP TO MILWAUKEE
1/13/01 at Milwaukee (B)

When the fans are out of their seats cheering their respective teams, then you know it is a great competitive match-up, regardless of the score.  The U-10 girls road trip to Wisconsin to play the Waukesha Warhawks was a thriller.  Early in the first period, the Warhawks scored.  The Braves became fired up to get back in the game, and Katie Theiss put the puck in the goal on a perfect corner shot.  The two teams continued to battle for the lead, and Claire Santostefano came up with a breakaway and made an awesome “top shelf” corner shot.

In the second period, the Braves played tough, allowing just one goal to the Warhawks.  Goalie Beth Hitchcock played like a Patrick Roy as she blocked, pounced, and protected the net, making several unbelievable saves.

November 18, 2000 (Inaugural Game)   

For the first time in the 50 years of Wilmette youth hockey, a girls only team played an official hockey game.  The 10 and under girls took on the Winnetka 12 and under team in what was expected to be a harsh learning experience. The older , more experienced Winnetka club came out of the gate with restless abandon scoring a goal in the first two minutes of play. 

The first period was marked by understandably tentative play by the Braves as the players became accustomed to each other. Had it not been for the spectacular goaltending of Maggie Tyska and the positive spirit of Coaches Biff Fairclough and Tom Cowan the Braves could have lost hope early. However, these proud ladies would have nothing to do with that. A brilliant head man pass from Claire Santostefano sent Sara London into the clear, where she made no mistake, leading to the first goal ever scored by a Wilmette girls team. 

From that point on, it was end to end action with both goaltenders dominating. Great defense anchored by Kelsey Ingram, Maggie McNair, Katie Theiss and Katy O'Malley made Tyska's  job easier as the game progressed. Forwards Carmel Russo, Elizabeth Hitchcock , Laura Kitchie  and Laura Jordan all contributed solid work along the boards and continually created opportunities by their unselfish head manning of the puck. Demonstrating great leadership, Hope Fairclough and Julia Cowan gave lessons in the importance of a full effort in both ends of the rink. Cowan's effort eventually paid off. Another brilliant pass from Santostefano freed up the speedy Cowan, who put the biscuit in the basket, ending the Braves scoring. 

Although the Warriors scored a couple of more tallies than the Braves, the strong management team of Lisa O'Malley and Chris Cramton and coaches Cowan's and Fairclough's fears that  it was going to be a long road to competing with the talented Warriors was far from reality. Things can only get better with the return to action of missing players Kathryn Bailey, Rachel Daniels, Stephanie Dubin and Barrett McBride. Come see Wilmette's brightest new team in action. Next game is Dec 3., 5:00 pm at home. Get there early, and                            

DON'T BRING FLOWERS!