Girls Fed Championship Preview: The ‘Ville vs the FLOP

The WNY Girls Fed Championship will be decided late Sunday downtown at the HarborCenter when No. 1 Williamsville (North/South/East) takes on No. 2 Frontier/Lake Shore/Orchard Park (FLOP).

The ‘Ville finished the regular season with an impressive 15-0-3 record but were bounced from the Section VI playoffs in the first round. Meanwhile the FLOP team (14-3-1) made a run all the way to the State finals, eventually losing 5-1 to Sec III Skaneateles.

During the past season the ‘Ville beat the FLOP 3-2 in the first two match-up’s but in the final game between clubs they tied 3-3.

“They are really fast” Junior forward Holly Schmelzer of the ‘Ville said at Media Day Friday. “We know we can beat anybody and we are pretty focused for Sunday.”

Williamsville better be. The FLOP came on late in the season. Other than a lop-sided 5-0 defeat to the Monsignor Martin team and the 3-3 tie with the ‘Ville, Frontier/Lake Shore/Orchard Park went on a scoring binge, tallying 25 goals in a span of five games.

Four girls from the FLOP finished in the Top-8 in scoring with Megan Roche a senior at Frontier leading the way with 34 points. Her teammate Mary Kromer, a freshman at Lake Shore led the team in goals with 18.

Frontier/Lake Shore/OP have two mobile, but steady blue-liners in Sirena Fitzery and Brooke Becker. Frangelica Bautz and Jessica Peters, both from OP are dangerous with the puck.

Mary Kromer, Emily’s older sister is one of the leaders on the team along with Riley Johnson and Gabby DeMeo. Victoria Cottrell is a solid net-minder and proved her worth in the Section VI finals versus Kenmore West/East/Grand Island (KenGI).

First year head coach Bob Klimowicz knows his team has the tools to win the Fed this Sunday. “This is going to be a great game. I expect we’ll be burning the midnight oil Sunday” coach said Friday while introducing his squad at the Media Day scrum.

Most of the focus during Friday’s Media Day event at Key Bank Center centered around Super Monday and the six Boys Fed teams that were also on hand. This was the first Media Day where both Boys and Girls Fed championship team contenders were present.

“It took a lot of work to get to this point” Williamsville head coach Rick Hopkins said. For six years we went to board meetings just to have a league for the girls but here we are in our 7th season.” Hopkins along with the late Dr. James Rusin and Kenmore native Bill Pavone were instrumental in starting the girls program.

The Girls Fed have a two playoff system. First, the Section VI Girls Fed team is crowned which excludes the Monsignor Martin team from competing. After the NYSPHSAA girls hockey finals are completed, the Fed Playoff’s begin. The Monsignor Martin team was eliminated 2-0 by the FLOP in the semi-final round.

The ‘Ville received a 1st round bye in the Fed playoffs for finishing the season in first place. They struggled in the semi-final round versus Clarence/Amherst/Sweet Home (CASH), needing OT to win 4-3. Clearly, the sting from the KenGI loss was fresh on their minds. “We just have to go out and play our game” Schmelzer said. “We still have confidence and beat them twice before so we know we have what it takes.”

Leah Czerwinski a senior at Will North and Oswego bound in the Fall is their best player. In 20 games played she led Williamsville in goals (19) and points with twenty-nine. Besides Czerwinski and Schmelzer (2nd leading scorer on the team), The ‘Ville receive contributions from Jenna Woods, Amanda Gaffney and Elizabeth Sidorski. Rachel Juneau is a very good defensive player and junior goaltender Jenna Lukomski is as good as they come.

The Fed final has the makings for an instant classic. Puck drop is set for 8pm Sunday at HarborCenter and admission is just $5.