2010 Nationals…Memories For A Lifetime - 4/10/2010
You’ve come a long way baby! The Cedar Rapids Lady RoughRiders returned from their trip to Lansing, Michigan April 7th-10th realizing that despite their 0-3 record, competitive tilts against teams from Michigan, Tennessee and Pennsylvania showed that this team truly deserved to be a part of the inaugural Tier II U-19 Girls National Championships. Not a bad accomplishment when you think that only 17 short months ago, a few parents, a handful of players, and Coach Brooks had just organized the first USA sanctioned all girls hockey team in the state of Iowa.
Over the course of the last year and a half, there are numerous other remarkable “firsts” for this young program that includes a historic trip to Boston, going 4-0 at the first annual Cedar Rapids Lady RoughRider Classic, being a runner-up in the regular season Varsity West Division of the Heartland Girl’s Hockey League and Midwest champion from the states of Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas. Throughout the 2009-2010 season, the team had its sights on reaching the national championships. In Fond du Lac, Wisconsin the Lady RoughRiders turned their hopes into reality by winning the Central District Championships and becoming the 1st girls team from Iowa to qualify for the national championships.
Although the Lady Riders have had a very successful and winning hockey season, the big winner with this team is not measured by wins or losses, goals-for or goals-against…it is really all about the camaraderie, team bonding and special relationships this group of girls developed over the course of two seasons that culminated in something they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. I don’t think anyone can ever replace the excitement and nervousness that each girl had when they first walked into the rink on Wednesday afternoon to play their first national championship game, the completely unexpected and absolutely crazy atmosphere in the rink cheering on teammates during the Easton Skills Competition, the team’s “pool jump” (with jerseys on), as well as the Friday Night “Improv” in the hotel party room with your best friends and family. Can you say Pancake dance? Absolutely Priceless!
This team is closing the 2009-2010 season with a bit of mixed emotion, as the first group of seniors played their last competitive hockey games this championship weekend. At the end of that final game, it was only fitting that every one of the blood and sweat stained jerseys worn by all 18 Cedar Rapids Lady Rough Riders became the catch all for a flood of endless flowing tears! We will miss these outstanding seniors.
They say “All good things must come to an end” but as far as the Lady RoughRider squad is concerned, this is only the end of a chapter that will include many other story lines in the future. Only time will tell if this team will look at repeating the miraculous feats of this year…in the meantime remember that the things that are hardest to achieve are the sweetest to remember. Enjoy the ride as long as you can!
Lady RoughRiders Realize Dream...Spring into Nationals - 03/21/2010
Spring is typically thought of as the time of rebirth, of growth and new beginnings. The Lady RoughRiders took that literally by moving past a disappointing performance a couple weeks earlier and, on the eve of spring, turned over a brand new leaf. In back to back games the Lady Riders convincingly beat the Chicago Bruins to become the 2010 U-19 Central District Champions and national qualifiers. The Lady RoughRiders will now compete at the Tier II National Championships held in Lansing, Michigan April 7th-11th.
A well thought out game plan and nearly flawless execution of that plan translated into two dominant performances where every girl contributed in the 2-1 and 6-0 triumphs. Along with stellar goaltending, great defensive stops and an offense geared toward finishing plays, it was all the little things that made this special hockey weekend memorable. Dozens of blocked shots, relentless fore checking and back checking, unselfish passing and a steady, workman like attitude on the ice characterized every minute of all six periods of hockey.
I can tell you for one, friends and family were very excited and proud of the team but the Cedar Rapids Lady Rough Riders Head Coach, Kevin Brooks, may have characterized the weekend best by dancing a little jig at center ice once the final victory was secured. That’s what a bit of Irish will do to you.
The two game sweep in the Central District Tournament signals the first time a girl's hockey team, and most likely any Iowa youth hockey team (boys or girls), has made it to a USA Hockey sanctioned National tournament.
Realizing that this is only the second year of the Cedar Rapids Lady RoughRider’s existence makes it all that much more amazing. Next stop on the Amazing Spring Tour…Lansing Michigan!
Bitter-Sweet Weekend - 02/14/2010
Valentines Day is supposed to be sweet. For the Cedar Rapids Lady RoughRiders playing in their next to last regular season Heartland League weekend, a 1-1-2 record tasted a little bitter. It wasn’t that the girls didn’t play well or that they even got outplayed, it was simply the fact that when you outplay and outshoot your opponents at a two-to-one ratio you are supposed to win.
For the weekend, the Lady Riders played as hard and as well as they have all season, outshooting their opponents a staggering 108 to 47. Game 1 saw a dominant performance against Twin Bridges slip away late as a called off goal and several close scoring chances failed to turn the tide. In game two against Oak Park/River Forest, a tough fought 2-1 lead late in the game was spoiled by a game tying goal by the top line of OPRF with 1:32 left. The early Sunday game against Springfield/Peoria brought some positive emotion back to the team as they convincingly beat the host team 6-0. Every player contributed to a fine offensive and defensive game plan. With only a 30 minute turn-around between the Sunday games, the final game against Kansas City saw the team give everything they had. KC played a well disciplined game and spread the ice. CR gave 110% but struggled to capitalize in the end. This entertaining game ended in an exhausting 1-1 tie.
Although the Lady Rough Riders only came away with 4 points for the weekend, the team played 12 complete periods of hockey. That has become the new standard for this team. If there is one lesson to learn on this Valentines weekend, maybe the Lady RoughRiders as a team need to learn that the little things like a little better positioning, a little more passing, and a little more communication can make the difference. As the team heads into this final weekend of league play, the girls need to recognize and focus on the little things that make a team successful. After all, this is the last time in the regular season that each player of this team will be together. Next year this team could look very different. So, focusing on team play, enjoying the moment and letting good things happen may just be the recipe for having things turn out sweeter in the end.
Tough Start to 2nd Half—Not A Bad Thing! - 01/24/2010
On the same weekend as the National Football League Championships, the Lady RoughRiders started the 2nd half of Heartland League Play in Chicago with their sights on pursuing their own championship. The goal for the weekend was to extend their lead in the tough Varsity West Division. Although the Riders left town clinging on to 1st place, a 2-1-1 weekend knotted things up at the top with Twin Bridges and Kansas City right behind in the standings.
In game one against host Chicago, the Riders extended their winning streak to eight games by showing good patience and discipline with their game plan. Even when they fell behind 1-0, good aggressive play by both the offense and defense eventually paid off. Maddie Rainey drew 3 separate penalties that ultimately resulted in two goals on the ensuing power plays. In the 3-1 win, Jordan Fencl, Makenzie Carey and Clara Gilbert scored with assists from Kayla Vermadahl (2), Maddie Flesner and Erica Kirgin. In the Saturday nightcap versus Oak Park, the teams provided the fans with very entertaining hockey. The game was filled with end to end rushes, numerous penalties and pretty even scoring chances. All the scoring happened in the second when the Riders' Makenzie Carey started things off by going hard to the net from the near corner just one minute in. Oak Park answered 5 minutes later scoring after a break down in the neutral zone to tie it at 1-1. But 16 seconds later, Kayla Vermadahl’s wrister from the point found the back of the net for the eventual game winner. Another Rider goal less than 30 seconds later was all that was needed to secure the 3-1 win. With a quick turnaround from the night before, an early morning match-up with the always tough Kenosha squad revealed some vulnerability or a bit of a chink in the Lady Rider’s armor. Through two periods the score was all tied up at 1-1 and it seemed as though most of the Riders struggled to get in touch with their usually reliable hockey legs. Despite the obvious fatigue factor, the Riders mustered up everything they had in the third, out-shooting Kenosha 16-4 but the game ended in a tie. The much anticipated match-up against Twin Bridges in the weekend finale lived up to its billing. Although the Lady Rough Rider’s came out on the short end losing 2-1 in a tough played game, the Rider’s showed strong team character and perseverance playing through multiple penalty kill situations and odd man advantages.
Battling through these tough games and grueling weekends is just part of the deal in Heartland League play. When you are in first place, every team is gearing up and focusing on knocking off the league leaders. The team that learns to respond, react and adjust (even when the results don’t go as expected) is the team that takes the necessary steps to continue growing and improving. Like the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints, a loss or tie mid season can only help a strong team to continue working hard to overcome the challenges and become League Champion. For the Cedar Rapids Lady Rough Riders, there is no need to panic…that is unless you are the unfortunate team to face-off against them in the near future!
First All Girls Tournament in Iowa a Big Success - 12/06/2009
They say timing is everything. Well, the Cedar Rapids Lady RoughRiders picked a perfect time to showcase their talent in front of home town fans at the inaugural St. Luke’s Lady RoughRider Classic, held this weekend at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. This was the first all girls tournament held in the state and this event provided plenty of memories for all that participated. Besides some great hockey, the teams got the full assortment of bells and whistles the facility has to offer. Announcers, music, light show, live action replay highlights, and apparel galore…you name it…it was all there in its glory. This, of course, could not have happened without Coach Kevin Brooks at the helm. Coach Brooks would like to personally thank all of the generous sponsors including St. Luke’s Hospital, Insync Apparel and Promotions, Zio Johno’s Spaghetti House, Buffalo Wild Wings, Imagine It Graphics and Dean Photography as well as all the devoted parents and community members for making this weekend possible.
Game 1 saw the Lady Riders spread the wealth in beating Springfield/Peoria with 8 different players netting points in a 4-0 shut out. Highlights included seniors Sarah Thompson getting her second shut out of the season and Alexis “Sanchez” Spitzner wheeling and dealing for an unassisted goal at the beginning of the second period. Game 2 saw the Lady Riders trailing the always tough Chicago Bruins after the 1st. But McKenzie Carey got things on track in the second when she slammed home a rebound started from a great centering pass from a rushing Stefanie Newhouse. From that point on, the Flesner, Fencl, Gilbert line scored the next three to secure the 4-1 win. Game 3 on Sunday vs Kenosha was tight due, in large part, to stellar goaltending from Kenosha’s net minder who faced 36 shots. Cedar Rapids clung to a 1-0 lead mid way through the third when Lily Moloney corralled a loose puck at the top of the circles and fired a rocket into the back of the net. Although the rookie sensation Sydney Fransiscus only faced 8 shots, she had two key saves worthy of any leagues hockey highlight real to key the 2-0 win. The final game of the weekend didn’t start out well. Oak Park’s strongest player scored 22 seconds into the game and the Riders trailed 1-0 through nearly two thirds of the game. But the Lady Riders never panicked. They were outplaying the Huskies and knew they would prevail in time. That time came with one minute to go in the 2nd when the Riders scored on the power play. That was followed up by goals from Maddie Flesner, Katelyn Larson, and Erika Kirgan to secure a 4-0 weekend record.
Going into the Christmas break, the Cedar Rapids Lady RoughRiders are now 10-2 and atop the Varsity West Heartland League standings with a league leading 7 game winning streak. Timing is everything. Just ask the girls how much ”timing” it took to get Coach Brooks into the locker room for the post game wrap up before they all doused him with a celebratory bucket of water.
Cool Start, Hot Finish - 11/23/2009
On an unseasonably warm weekend of Heartland League play in Kenosha Wisconsin, the Cedar Rapids Lady RoughRiders started cool and finished hot. After all was said and done, the girls finished with 3 great wins to push their season record to 8-2.
Things started out in rather chilling fashion as the Lady Riders experienced a disappointing 3-1 loss to host Kenosha . Giving a lot of credit to a very determined Kenosha squad, this loss was as much about what the Lady Rough Riders didn’t do as it was a Kenosha team looking to avenge an earlier meeting between the clubs. Sometimes a splash of cold water in the face does some good! In the 2nd Saturday game vs. the Springfield Lady Kings, it took the Riders a little while to warm up…but they eventually did! After 2 periods of play, the girls were only up 2-1. But a fury of shots in the third netted four more goals for a convincing 6-1 win.
On Sunday morning, game 3 vs. the Chicago Bruins was not recommended for the weak, elderly or those with heart conditions. Almost two thirds through the game Chicago led 2-0 and was outplaying and frustrating the Lady Rough Riders. Finally, with under two minutes to go in the second, Jordan Fencl scored on what looked like a behind the net lacrosse move to get the team back in it. That goal and a little “pep talk” between the 2nd and 3rd periods led to a dominant third period. Strong defense and tieing and go-ahead goals by Maddie Flesner within one minute of each other sealed an important victory. In the final game of the weekend vs. Oak Park/River Forest, the Lady Rough Riders strung together 3 full periods of complete team hockey for a very solid 3-1 win. Every player was focused, disciplined and involved. What a difference 24 hours can make.
This weekend showed that this is a good team that plays well together…on and off the ice. As long as the girls keep focus on playing each shift of each period of each game, the wins will come…and just maybe the hot streak will continue into the winter season.
Mark this Date! - 11/07/2009
There are not enough clichés to describe the atmosphere permeating from the Cedar Rapids Lady Rider’s locker room and out onto the ice this year. You can say the girls are playing “Light’s out!” Or that they are playing with a chip on their shoulder or as if they have “an ax to grind.” Any way you say it, as of 11/7/09, the Lady Roughrider squad is showing attitude, an attitude of knocking down anything that gets in front of them.
On Saturday, the Lady Riders took a pair of friendly games from the visiting Kenosha Komets, 4-0 and 7-1, respectively, to push their overall record to 5-1. Both games were characterized by timely goaltending and stingy defensive play. There were lots of offensive opportunities for Cedar Rapids and this was often started by Kayla Vermadahl and Maddie Rainey rushing the puck from end to end on a fairly regular basis during the afternoon. Once in the offensive zone, puck control, precise passing and ice awareness allowed for some creative scoring chances most of the afternoon. In game one, Jordan Fencl hit the tri-fecta, scoring a goal, registering 3 assists and accumulating 2 minutes in the penalty box. In game two, creative play making and time of possession in the offensive zone was rewarded frequently. Many players had great offensive games and that showed on the score sheet. Six different players scored in game two while Maddie Flesner netted two herself. This was a complete team effort.
Although we are only in the beginning of November, remember this date. It is the date that the Cedar Rapids Lady Riders showed they are for real, that they are at the next level of competitive winning hockey in the Heartland league. Hopefully, they can take their “light’s out” hockey all the way to the championships. My only concern is who is going to buy all the light bulbs.
Lady Riders Start New Season in Impressive Fashion - 10/11/2009
Even though this team is chock full of returning players from a year ago, the beginning of the Cedar Rapids Lady RoughRider’s second season in the Varsity West Division of the Heartland League feels very different...a good different! It’s like the newness and uncertainty of playing in a new league has disappeared. The team is more serious, more focused and most importantly, believes they belong in the league.
By the end of the weekend, that more serious attitude along with a higher level of intensity and effort paved the way to a 3-1-0 record. Note the other good difference this year…not a tie in site! In the first game, against Twin Bridges, the team played complete hockey for 3 periods with stellar goaltending from the veteran net minder Sarah Thompson. Cedar Rapids fell behind early, 0-1, but scored three unanswered. Aggressive play to the net was the trick as Jessica Carlson, Maddie Flesner and Kayla Vermedahl all scored to secure the 3-1 win.
In the Saturday nightcap against the host team, an old fashioned low scoring defensive “control” game ensued.
Along with strong position play and puck control as well as some outstanding goalie play by rookie Sydney Fransiscus, Cedar Rapids won 2-0 against a frustrated KC team. Game on!
Sunday morning, the Lady Riders fell behind 0-1 to Springfield/Peoria early.
But, that was short lived. A high powered offense peppered the opposing goalie for 6 straight goals. The highlight of the morning was Clara Gilbert’s 2nd period hat-trick. The Lady Riders were 3-0 and heading to the championship bracket against host KC.
In the finals, against a noticeably more focused KC team, the Lady Riders were simply out played and outscored for 1 ½ periods of play. A mid-game time-out by Coach Brooks worked well as the team responded positively for the remainder of the game.
Unfortunately, Cedar Rapids could not make up the early deficit and lost 3-1.
The Lady Rough Riders nearly started the season undefeated. Nearly! The reality is that they ended up 3-1 because there may have been a lack of being fully prepared for that final game. A proud Coach Brooks told his squad that this was the best complete weekend of hockey they have ever put together to date. He also told the girls he expects big things from this team this year in the tough Varsity West Division.
The great thing this year is that the girl’s don’t need assurance that they belong…their actions speak for themselves…they belong.
On the first full day in town the girls had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to talk and skate with former NHL/Olympian Mark Kumpel at Coach Brooks’ old rink. Not only were the girls impressed with the on ice practice, they were blown away by his speech. As one girl so eloquently put it “he was way positive!” I don’t think any of the girls will ever forget that experience with Mark.
The girls got the opportunity to play and compete against two east coast girls' clubs who epitomize the style of play the area is known for. Both opponents played complete hockey; moving the puck up the ice with speed and frequent little touch passes but also playing tough defense. But the Lady Riders came to play too and responded well with one tie and one win. Despite their tired travel legs, less than average sleep, the team once again left a memorable impression with the host teams. There may even be a little feature article in a little publication put out by USA Hockey?
Between games, the girls and parents spent a lot of time together, either seated in one of the vans (frequently singing-a-long to Taylor Swift’s Romeo and Juliet song), touring Faniall Hall, fully experiencing the sights and sounds of the Division I women’s hockey game in Providence or cheering on the Bruins at Boston Gardens or just hanging out together in the hotel lobby. The experiences, memories, and team bonding that went on in Boston has brought this team together like never before and will always be a special memory.
What’s
great with this whole trip was the fact that in a town where some
buildings are well over 200 years old, college and pro teams have been
around for nearly a century, and girl’s teams are the norm (rather than
the exception), our rookie Lady Rough Rider women came into Bean Town
completely uninitiated and fully embraced their dream. Too bad the girls
didn’t know about Tom Petty’s song “Running Down a Dream,” that would
have been a more appropriate travel song.
Summing it All Up - 01/15/2009
What do Springfield, Chicago and
Kansas City have in common? The answer…there’s good, bad and neutral in
each. In terms of hockey records, that means you win some, you lose some
and you tie some.
The Lady Rough Rider’s finished up their three city, 12 game swing of this inaugural Midwest Girls Hockey League schedule just 100 seconds short of a very balanced 4-wins, 4-losses, 4-ties record.
Beyond the lackluster record, this team has gained valuable experience playing in a very defensive minded U-19 league. The girls have quickly realized that they went from being seen as unknowns to surprisingly good “Iowans” to a respected program in a matter of weeks. Whether these girls were coming from behind against Twin Bridges, skating stride for stride with a tough Nashville team or hanging on to a 0-0 tie against St Louis, it is very clear that this young squad can play with the best in the Midwest.
Sure,
the ride back to eastern Iowa on Super bowl Sunday afternoon was not
exactly filled with jubilance….but, just consider this:
• 1 year ago Coach Brooks hadn’t even moved here
• 9 months ago these girls were playing on 8 different teams
• 6 months ago many of these girls didn’t know each other’s names
• 3 months ago there was only 12 girls on the team roster
So,
a couple more shots on net this weekend could have added a goal here
and there and maybe an extra win but, it didn’t work out that way….this
year. But maybe next year, with the girl’s skating
with each other and knowing what to expect in the league, it will work
out in the end as they test themselves in next years Midwest League
finals, held coincidentally in Kansas City. Just maybe next years ride
home from Kansas City will be filled with a different emotion. Only hard
work and time will tell.
Recharged and Raring to Go! - 01/15/2009
It looks like some rest and a
little re-tooling over the holiday season is just what the doctor, or in
this case, the coach ordered.
On Saturday afternoon, the 10th of January, the Lady Riders picked up
right where they left off before the long break. With Coach Brooks
observing from the skybox and Coach Larson and Manninen behind the
bench, the girls convincingly beat Mason City on home ice, amassing 75
shots on goal for the two games. What’s more, the girls played this well
without two of their newest additions, who co-incidentally are from
Mason City.
So, the next time the Lady RoughRiders don the game jerseys in Onalaska, WI the team will have two new players on the squad. Kayla Vermedahl brings maturity and lots of hockey experience to the club. She is an anchor on defense and will really solidify the defensive core of the team. Erica Kirgan also brings experience and adds real grit and physical presence to the club. Playing with the boy’s high school team, her toughness will be an added plus to this already tough nosed team. She will move into the 3rd center spot with the Riders, thus strengthening the offense and giving the team three full lines. Please welcome these young ladies and their families to the team as their additions will really help team endurance as the season progresses.
Other
important news includes the appointment of team leaders. On Sunday,
following the Mason City wins, Coach Brooks and Larson announced that
Team Captain is Lily Moloney and Assistants are Maddie Rainey and Jordan
Fencl.
• Coach Brooks picked Lily for the captaincy because “she put the team
first from day one. She brings a tremendous amount of character on and
off the ice and is always positive and brings the most of her teammates.
She is a natural leader.”
• Assistant Maddie Rainey was chosen because “she has some of the best
work ethic I have ever seen” Coach Brooks added that, “whether she is at
dry land, practice or a tournament weekend she demands the most from
herself and her teammates, which makes her a great leader. She leads by
example.”
• Assistant Jordan Fencl was chosen according to Coach Brooks because
she is the definition of “gamer”. She “elevates her game when the game
is on the line and knows how to take control of a situation and bring
the team along with her. Jordan also keeps things very light around the
rink, making people laugh and bringing a smile to her teammates faces.”
So,
with a few adjustments to the team, high expectations and renewed
anticipation are in the air as the 2nd half of this inaugural season is
about ready to go into overdrive. With trips to 4
different states in the next 20 days you better hope you have caught up
on your sleep. If not, too bad! There is a lot of great hockey coming
soon to an arena (generally) near you. Just fill up the gas tank, grab
that old hockey blanket and come along for the ride.
These Lady's are Raising Some Eyebrows - 12/07/2008
In September of 2008, when the inaugural season of the Cedar Rapids Lady
RoughRiders was just beginning, nobody truly knew what to expect. It
wasn’t that there were low expectations, it’s that there simply was no
expectations to compare to. Thirteen girls aged 13 to 17 from all across
eastern Iowa. Who would their competition be? Could this diverse group
come together and really compete? Even on a more basic level, could they
just string together three hard fought periods of women’s hockey?
After a “scary” blow-out victory in favor of the Riders over Dubuque and two convincing wins over Mason City early in the season, it was clear that this Lady Rider group was the best youth team in the state. But, despite the domination on the ice, there was still a question about how these hard skating girls would stack up against better competition.
By the end of November the answer to that question was clear. These girls will be just fine! On Saturday November 29th, a 5-0 win against Beloit and a 6-1 win against Stoughton, both Wisconsin programs with long histories of competitive women’s teams, showed that the Lady Rough Riders are for real.
This past weekend in Springfield Illinois, facing 4 seasoned U-19 Varsity Level women’s programs, the Lady Rough Riders raised some eyebrows. A tough 1-0 loss (the team’s first of the year) was followed by two solid wins and a gutsy come from behind tie to result in a very respectable 2-1-1 record in their first MWGHL regional play. By the end of the weekend, everyone knew that this rookie squad of Lady Rough Riders belonged on the ice with the best in the Midwest.
So,
in only 2 months, the Lady Rough Riders are sporting a very nice 7-1-1
record against teams from Chicago, St. Louis, southern Illinois,
Wisconsin, and Iowa. There is now one thing very clear about this team:
High Expectations. These Lady Rough Riders are up
for the challenge against ANYONE who wants to challenge them. Coach
Brooks added that the girl’s have had success without really putting
together three good periods of hockey in one game yet. Just watch out
when that happens…because it will.
All Articles Written by Jack Rainey
