Niagara Junior Purple Eagles Hockey League
Squirt Major heading to New York state tourney

Grand Island Dispatch, March 7, 2008

The Squirt Major Niagara Junior Purple Eagles hockey team is traveling to Clifton Park near Albany for the state hockey tournament this weekend. The Squirt Major team earned the trip as the No. 1 ranked in New York state. Above, the team celebrates a recent tourney victory in Perinton.

Tourney hockey in the Niagara Junior Purple Eagles Hockey League is reaching a fever pitch as several teams head out of town for competition.

The Squirt Major NJPE team heads to Clifton Park as the No. 1 seed in the state tourney this weekend.

In girls hockey, the U12 Niagara Junior Purple Eagles hockey team qualified in its first year of eligibility to compete at the NYSAHA State Championship, held in Camillus from Feb. 29 to March 2. The girls, all between the ages of 9 and 12, advanced to the semifinals and were defeated by the Mamaroneck Tigers.

The team includes: Rachel Farmer, Jillian Long, Madison Akin, Kaeli Mathias, Paloma D’Auria, Kati Marotta, Kyra Johansson, Alessandra SantaRosa, Lauren March, Alyse Borelli, Brianna Mathias, Cara Porto, Rochelle Cataffo, Ann Marie Catalano, Abigail Nashwinter, Marielle Buffamonte, Taylor Schiffhauer and Taylor Scheuing.

The team is coached by Paul Mathias, Bob Schiffhauer and Anders Johansson.