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Team Ilinois ended an amazing playoff run by capturing the silver medal in the 2008 National Championships in Buffalo, New York.
The U18 team players lost their first game of the state tournament round robin back in late February only to go on an amazing 13 game winning streak that catapulted them into the National Championship game against defending National Champion, Shattuck St. Mary Prep from Farribault Minnesota. In that 13 game winning streak the team won the state tournament, went undefeated in the Central District Championship, and went undefeated in the round robin in Nationals as well as won their quarter final game and semi-final game.
Team Illinois had to play and beat the top 7 ranked teams all in succession in order to get to the National Championship game. “ I didn’t realize until after the championship game that our team had to play every top rated team in the country and get by them in order to advance to the National Championship game. That is really quite amazing”, said Head Coach Jim Marchi. “ Usually there is an upset along the way or you might be in a bracket where you don’t have to match up against all the best teams. Our team had to do it the hard way. We faced every one of the best teams in the country along the way and the top five rated teams in Nationals. Our players should be extremely proud of what they accomplished. That was an amazing run to end the season. I am very proud of what they accomplished. Finishing second at the National Championships is a phenomenal accomplishment”.
Coach Marchi went on to compliment the National Champions by adding, “Shattuck was the better team that day. They played a fantastic game and we just didn’t have enough energy left to stay with them. They are the defending champions because they have very talented players and are very well coached. They had a more experienced team than we did as well. They had quite a few returners from their championship team from last year and that really made them the favorites to win again this year”.
Team Illinois has finished 2nd In Nationals twice in the past five years. Both times they lost to perennial power, Shattuck St. Mary Prep. No other AAA program in Illinois has accomplished this feat. In fact Team Illinois is the only AAA program in Illinois to have had their U18 team advance to the National Championship game at the U18 level in the past 12 years! They have accomplished this feat three times, having won one Gold medal and two silver medals. Congratulations to the 2007-2008 Team Illinois U18 team:
Troy Grosenick, Nick Holmes, Ben Hughes, Frank Simonelli, Conor Allen, Calvin Reed, Anthony Orange, Marco Fiala, Freddie Csisar, Chris Bournazos, Garrett Petersen, Zach Schrotenboer, James Werner, Cody Murphy, Jason McAloon, Bryan Son, Kyle Meluch, Matt Wiggemansen, Jeff Fehrman, Anthony Coles, Assistant Coach Dave Thiel, Assistant Coach Brian Seery, Assistant Coach Jeff Kane, Manager Mickey SanGiacomo, Head Coach Jim Marchi
Team Illinois congratulates the following players on their selection to attend USA Hockey's National Development Camps in their respective age levels. We are very proud of you.
1994
Kelly Micholson
Cacey Maciejewski
1993
Hannah Bielawski
Giovanna Senese
Kailee Heidersbach
Stephanie Lemke
Taylor Mahoney
Samantha Ratty
1992
Ann Doherty
Claire Santostefano
