Buffalo Bisons U12 girls win state hockey title

The Buffalo Bisons U12 girls hockey team defeated the Rochester Edge, 3-1, to win a New York State Championship. The Bisons are one of 12 teams around the country to advance to the Tier I National Championships in Philadelphia, Pa. Members of the team, pictured from left, are: first row - Madison Sansone Amherst), Allison Gasuik, Ana Orzechowski Tonawanda), Madison Welch (Amherst), Courtney Weslowski (Cheektowaga), Casey Thur (Clarence), Juls Iaffalo (West Seneca); second row - Teagan Faran (Amherst), Rachel Grampp (Amherst), coach Don Battista (Tonawanda), Natalie Goeddertz, Justine Capuson, Lizzy Viola (Amherst), Alanna Herne (Tonawanda), Jill Battista (Tonawanda), Hannah Rice (East Aurora), Emily Burow (Amherst), Jordan Roetzer (Amherst), and coach Kevin Orzechowski (Tonawanda).

The Buffalo Bisons girls U12 hockey team recently traveled to Syracuse, N.Y. and won a New York State championship.

The Bisons defeated the Rochester Edge, 3-1, in the finals, avenging a 6-0 loss in preliminaries.

Buffalo's confidence grew in the rematch. Alanna Herne broke a scoreless tie in the second period. Rochester forward Jenny Ryan went the length of the ice and tied the score at 1-1.

With 8:08 remaining in the third period, Julianna Iafallo intercepted a clearing pass and went in on a breakaway and buried a beautiful wrist shot in the top right corner of the net.

Moments later, Ana Orzechowski found herself in front of her own net with the puck and threaded a pass up the center to a streaking Allison Gasuik, who skated in on a breakaway and went top shelf.

Goalies Maddie Welch and Wesolowski were solid between the pipes all weekend. Defensemen Emily Burow, Justine Capuson, Teagan Faran, Rachel Grampp, Orzechowski, and Lizzy Viola were amazing, never relenting to the Edge's pressure.

Forwards Jill Battista, Gasuik, Natalie Goeddertz, Alanna Herne, Iafallo, Hannah Rice, Jordan Roetzer, Madisone Sansone, and Kasey Thur provided timely goals, pin point passing, and a relentless forecheck all weekend long.

In other preliminary round games, the Bisons defeated Amherst, 8-0, and the Syracuse Stars, 5-3.

Iafallo's hat trick and Herne's goal and three assists, Grampp's goal and assist and a goal each by Gasuik, Rice and Goeddertz led the Bisons' offense versus Amherst.

The Bisons scored four times with over six minutes remaining in the third to come back and beat Syracuse. Sansone jumped on a rebound and tied the game. Justine Capuson scored the game-winning goal with two minutes remaining.

The Bisons will travel to Philadelphia, Pa. to represent New York in the Tier 1 National Championships.