“The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow” is one way you could describe the weekend of March 7-9 for the Traverse City North Stars U-19 Girls Travel Hockey Team. These 20 young ladies, ranging from ages 12-17 and representing at least 5 different towns in Northern Michigan came together last September and developed into a close “knit” family over the last 6 months all with the same goal in mind: A State Championship. Last weekend this team traveled to Canton, MI and found that hard work and determination does pay off by realizing their dream and being crowned State Champions!
The team knew going into the weekend that no team could be taken for granted, as everyone was there for the same purpose. The first game was against league rival Kentwood Falcons, Friday evening. The Traverse City defense would make their presence felt by scoring the first goal when Danika Baker found the back of the net assisted by Elizabeth Reinke in the first period. Both teams battled hard and the goalies stood tough as neither team scored in the second period. Knowing that one goal may not hold up against the tough hitting Kentwood team, TC picked up their game and Ginny Bonnee put it by the Kentwood goalie assisted by Elyse Hunt to give TC the 2-0 victory and a shut out to TC goalie Jorden Garber.
Saturday morning found the North Stars against the West Kent Hawks. The game was all TC as they beat the Hawks 8-0. Traverse scored 3 goals in the 1st period with the goals going to Allison Lee, Jessica Campbell and Elyse Hunt and assists going to Ginny Bonnee, Lisa Ball and McKenzie Mac. In the 2nd they tallied 2 goals, the first going to Devyn Fitzhenry, assisted by Kiersten Sprague and Campbell; the second goal was scored unassisted by Rachel Gillis. The 3rd period TC put up 3 goals 2 of which were scored by Jessica Campbell giving her the hat trick and the final goal scored by Fitzhenry. Assists were given to Elizabeth Reinke, Fitzhenry and Campbell. The shut out was credited to North Star goalie Whitney Strait.
In the night cap TC went up against the Mid-Michigan Spirit. Traverse City’s Danika Baker put in the first goal of the game unassisted. About 30 seconds later McKenzie Mac, assisted by Elyse Hunt and Maddie McCarthy followed suit with a second goal. Devyn Fitzhenry added the third goal of the period with an assist from Jessica Campbell. In the second TC was able to make it 4-0 when Campbell assisted by Fitzhenry and Courtney FitzGerald put it between the pipes. Mid-Michigan was then able to do what no one else had done yet that weekend, find the back of the net on a TC goalie making the score 4-1. But TC’s Alicia O’Connell would quiet the Mid-Michigan fans with a goal only 9 seconds later making the score 5-1 going into the 3rd. In the 3rd the Spirit were able to score their second goal but the North Stars would double that with an unassisted goal by Jenny Gies and a goal from ….assisted by Geis. TC and goalie Jorden Garber would get the victory 7-2.
The semi-finals took place on Sunday morning with the North Stars going up against another league rival the Livonia Captains. Both teams knew that a loss meant packing their bags and heading home early and neither wanted that, but who wanted it more. The score remained deadlocked at 0 until late in the first period when North Star Courtney FitzGerald assisted by Devyn Fitzhenry pushed it by the Captains goalie to take the lead 1-0. Both teams would stand strong until the 3rd period when TC’s Danika Baker would put in the insurance goal making the score 2-0. Goalie Jorden Garber would again get credited with the shut out and Traverse City was headed for the finals!
Sunday afternoon, the finals: Traverse City North Stars against the Mid-Michigan Spirit. Traverse City knew that their victory against the Spirit the night before meant nothing. They were the only team that had scored on them throughout the entire weekend and the Spirit had come back from a 4 goal deficit in their semi-final game to make it to the finals.
The North Stars scored first halfway thru the 1st period when Jessica Campbell found the back of the net, but Mid-Michigan scored 3 goals against the stunned TC team. After gathering themselves a bit TC was able to score two quick goals 40 seconds apart (the first by Campbell, assisted by Baker and the second by Fitzhenry assisted by Campbell) to make the score 3-3 at the end of the 1st period. From that point on the game went all Traverse City North Star way The first goal of the second period was scored by Campbell assisted by Fitzhenry and FitzGerald and 7 seconds later the same trio scored again only with Fitzhenry getting the goal. Later in ther period Campbell scored her 4th goal on an assist from FitzGerald and 5 seconds later Fitzhenry scored her 4th goal on a feed from Campbell. With 3 minutes left in the 2nd another North Star got into the act as Brittney Johnson assisted by Ashley Dotson and Jenny Geis scored. Campbell would score here 5th goal at the end of the second assisted by Dotson and Johnson. In the 3rd period a few more North Stars scored as the teams only Senior Allison Lee put it thru the pipes assisted by Alicia O'Connell and Ginny Bonnee. Defenseperson Rachel Gillis scored unassisted and with 9 minutes left Devyn Fitzhenry assisted by Maddie McCarthy scored the 12th and final goal. Traverse City North Stars would take the victory and the STATE CHAMPIONSHIP 12-3.
EXCELLENT JOB LADIES!!!
