On Sunday, June 16, the Frisch Girls Hockey Team faced off against the eight-time defending champions, the Ma’ayanot Rapids, in front of a packed crowd at the Frisch School in Paramus. This game was to be the rubber match between the two teams as they split their regular season matchups: an impressive 3-0 victory by Ma’ayanot just two months earlier and a 1-0 nail biter on May 1, when Frisch ended Ma’ayanot’s unbeaten streak dating back to 2005.

The Western Conference second-seed Rapids were coming off a 7-3 victory over the eastern conferencesф number one-seeded team, SKA, while the West’s number one-seeded Frisch Cougars were coming off of a dominant 8-1 victory over the East’s second-seed, HAFTR.

Ma’ayanot was looking to extend its dynasty and avenge its first loss in nine years, while Frisch fought to break out of the shadow of its local rivals. The Ma’ayanot team was led all season by goalie sophomore phenom Sara Hiller, who did not yield a goal in her entire freshman season, and a first-line offense of captain and lone senior Chani Dubin, junior Shira Sohn and sophomore defenseman Alex Fuchs. The Frisch team was led this year by senior goalie Jenna Kirshenbaum, an offensive juggernaut sophomore line of Michal Michael and Kayla Blumenfeld—who combined for 26 goals in eight regular season games—and a steady defensive core led by senior captain Avigayil Weinberger.

The Rapids came out strong dominating the first period peppering Kirshenbaum with shots, but she stood her ground. Senior Jordana Fremed took a penalty with 5:51 remaining in the first, but freshman spark plug Miriam Reichman and Blumenfeld did an outstanding job of killing off the penalty. The Cougars, in the meantime, just could not muster any offense, failing to register a shot in the first period.

As the second period began, the malaise started to wear off and the Cougars began to generate some offense. The Rapids continued their pursuit of the back of the net, but Jenna refused to let one by as the crowd chanted “Jenna is a wall!”  But then, in the middle of a Frisch line change, Michael and Fremed broke in 2 on 0. Michael ripped a wrist shot from the right wing that squeezed its way through Hiller’s leg pads to put Frisch up 1-0 with 3:39 remaining in the second period.

The goal gave Frisch new life and a newfound source of energy. As the game continued, its play got stronger and stronger. With 9:19 remaining in the third, Talia Levisent an outlet pass off the boards to Michael, who again broke in along the right side and buried a snap shot inside Hiller’s right foot, just inside the far post, putting Frisch up by 2.The Ma’ayanot coaches called a time out to settle their team down and get them going. But Frisch would not back down even when it appeared Blumenfeld had scored on a wrap around with 2:32 remaining,and the referees did not see it that way. The Rapids tried to mount a comeback and Frisch’s defensemen held them off for a while, but it was only a matter of time before Ma’ayanot broke through. With 1:09 left in the game and time running out, Fuchs blasted the ball just inside the left post passed a screened Kirshenbaum on a beautiful drop pass from Dubin.

Frisch Coach “Yaak” Liskerthen called a timeout to help regain the team’s composure and refocus on the last 1:09 left on the clock.

Ma’ayanot now pulled its goalie, giving their team an extra attacker on the court. The ball was dropped andthe seconds ticked away, too slowly for Frisch but too quickly for Ma’ayanot as the final buzzer sounded.

A dynasty broken and perhaps the beginning of a new one, the Frisch Cougars made school and league history by winning its first ever Yeshiva Girls Hockey League Championship.

Little league and school leagues are winding down, the summer is coming. Send all of your local sport stories and pictures to the sports editor at sports_jewishlinkbc.com.

By Yaakov Lisker