Rocky Mountain District: Lady Coyotes Make Sure Absent Teammate Gets in Championship Photo

By Stephen Hunt, 03/21/18, 6:00PM MDT

Colorado and Texas teams also gain nationals berths

IRVING, Texas — Winning a championship is all about teamwork.

Even as the Arizona Lady Coyotes 19U prevailed at the 2018 USA Hockey Rocky Mountain District Girls Tier II Tournament, they felt the absence of forward Jocelyn Ju, who had to miss the tournament due to a family trip to Europe. That led to a unique celebration after the game.

In most tournaments, there are set rituals which occur after a championship game concludes. These start with players and coaches lining up in the middle of the ice to shake hands and congratulate one another on a great game.

Then, players and coaches from both teams receive their medals and are awarded a trophy.

But after coaches from the winning teams receive their medals at tournaments like a USA Hockey district tournament, the winning team also receives a championship banner.

And it’s customary for the winning team to then make their way in front of their bench for a group photo with the banner, exactly what the Arizona Lady Coyotes did after winning the 19U Tier II championship on Sunday.

However, as the triumphant Lady Coyotes lined up for their photo, head coach Todd Brodfuehrer added something to the shot — the No. 71 jersey of Ju.

That allowed Ju to still have a presence with her winning teammates as the Lady Coyotes parents and supporters took their photos.

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District Champions

Youth Tier I

14U: Dallas Stars Elite

15-Only: Phoenix Junior Coyotes

16U: Dallas Stars Elite

18U: Dallas Stars Elite

Girls Tier I

16U: Dallas Stars Elite

19U: Team Colorado

Girls Tier II

16U: Aspen Leafs

19U: Arizona Lady Coyotes

Jahnke Propels Stars Elite to Tier I 16U Title

Riena Jahnke scored six goals in two games for Dallas Stars Elite to help clinch the Girls Tier I 16U title.

Dallas defeated Colorado, who got two goals from Hailey Boyle, 4-3 on Friday, getting two goals apiece from Carlie Foxhoven and Jahnke, who lit the lamp four times in Saturday’s 7-1 title-clinching win.

Anderson, Haynes Score Hat Tricks for Colorado in Tier I 19U Championship

Team Colorado got hat tricks from Peyton Anderson in a 4-1 win over Dallas Stars Elite on Friday and from Kiara Haynes in a 5-0 win on Saturday to clinch the Girls Tier I 19U title.

Anderson finished with four goals in the tournament to lead Colorado, who also got two goals from Julia Volpe. Madison Lawson had the lone goal for Dallas.

Chesner’s Three Goals Huge for Aspen Leafs in TII 16U

Casey Chesner was simply huge for the Aspen Leafs in their run to the Girls Tier II 16U championship.

Chesner scored both goals in a 2-1 overtime win against Dallas Stars Elite on Friday. Chesner then scored the game-winner in double-overtime on Saturday as Aspen again edged Dallas 3-2 to clinch the title.

The Hard-Luck Lady Grizzlies

The Utah Lady Grizzlies finished second in Tier II 19U, but their three tournament losses were by a total of four goals.

On Friday, Utah lost 3-2 to the Idaho Lady Vipers in double overtime. And after edging the Littleton Hawks 4-3 on Saturday morning, the Lady Grizzlies lost 3-2 in a shootout on Saturday night to the Arizona Lady Coyotes, the same team that defeated them 2-0 in Sunday’s final.

“All the games that we’ve played against them have been within one goal this year,” Brodfuehrer said of the Lady Grizzlies. “Shootout yesterday [Saturday] and we had a shootout with them in San Jose. A well-coached team and well-respected, the girls respect one another.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.