In addition to the extraordinary season from the Bradford Blizzard’s U14 team in 2019-20, the Bradford Youth Hockey Club also declared successful Western New York Amateur Hockey League teams at three other levels as well as hosting an independent mixed U16/18 team.
The U10 team, coached by Hope Hollebeke, had the arduous task of going through the season with just 6-8 players, nearly impossible in the sport of hockey.
“Despite the constant short bench, this resilient group of kids poured their hearts into each and every game, which earned the attention and respect of many opponents throughout the year who were surprised and impressed at the outcome of several close games,” said Paul Matheson, president of the BYHC.
Team members included: Rory Hollebeke, Jacob Calkins, Crosby Kushner, Logan Coppersmith, Mikah Geist, Jaxon Canfield, Evan Soto and Dustin Bailey.
Meanwhile, the U12 team was poised to win a year-end tournament in Fredonia, N.Y. before it was canceled due to the spread of COVID-19. The team had won its first game of the tournament in convincing fashion and “felt good about their chances to bring home the title,” according to Matheson.
Highlighting the team’s season was a win in the consolation game of the Rochester Presidential Power Play Tournament where the Blizzard defeated the rival Olean Arrows.
The team was coached by Jude Dach, Alex Coustenis, Mike Tate and team manager/coach Melissa DeCasper. Making up the roster were: Dawson Bailey, Dustin Bailey, Evan Confer, Kruz Coustenis, Brayden Dach, Matthew DeCasper, Nicholas Degolier, Benjamin Difonzo, Matthew Galbraith, Jace Geist, Cooper Haight, Sean Storer, Gabe Tate, Rory Hollebeke and Thomas Bryce.
The U16/18 team, led by coach Matt Degolier and team manager Jill Owens, also had a solid season and won most of their independently scheduled matches.
That team’s roster included: Nolan Norcross, Connor Maze, Brooks Hayden, Connor Weilacher, Jake Dombeck, Zach Difonzo, Christian Greaves, Joshua Carter, Xavier Porterfield, Reese Redeye-Desposito, Wade Daniels, Dylan Burdick, and Michael Hill.
“A few of the players from this team now age out of the Bradford Youth Hockey Club,” Matheson noted. “The club thanks this group of young men for their hard work and dedication to the program over the past many years and wish them all well.”
Any parents that would like to register their child for one of the four teams next year can do so by visiting bradfordhockey.org.
