CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Junior Cyclones 19U girls hockey team made it to nationals for the first time ever, advancing all the way to the championship game and inspiring the next generation of players.
"Legitimately just getting to nationals was the goal, so after that it was playing with house money, the girls did phenomenal, it was so much fun," Head Coach Nevin Bisgaard said.
The team quickly advanced out of pool play. In the quarterfinals, the girls came back from a deficit to keep their championship hopes alive.
"To get a goal at 8.7 seconds left in regulations was bananas," Bisgaard said.
The girls put in a goal with just seconds left in regulation and then in overtime team captain Zoey Worsley put in the game-winning goal to send the team to the championship game. Worsley said she had some nerves leading into the tournament.
Watch as we speak with the team about their first championship run:
"We were scared and nervous at the same time, but we were excited," Worsley said.
Following the quarterfinal victory, Worsley feels a little differently.
"It was amazing, I felt so proud," Worsley said.
The girls advanced to the finals but ultimately fell short of the championship.
"We weren't sad that we lost, I think it was just that the season was over," Bisgaard said.
Despite the loss, the team's success is sending ripple effects through the local hockey community.
"Here at Queen City Sportsplex, there are a bunch of girls who can see what's possible and to see our girls do something special is huge for the program," Bisgaard said.
"It just shows how much we've grown in such a small amount of time — that there's going to be so much to look forward to in the future," center Katie Sparks said.
The team said the experience was about more than just hockey.
"It's a sisterhood and a bond ... it's being able to grow together," Assistant Coach Molly McElhaney said.
The team's success is also paving the way to make the journey easier for future players. Many of these girls played on co-ed teams in their younger years. Many times, locker rooms dedicated to female players didn't exist. So many girls had to get changed in side closets or restrooms.
"We are never getting dressed in a broom closet or a bathroom again," said Worsley.
"Never getting dressed in a closet again, we are going to have our own locker room from now on!" said Sparks.
The players proved their toughness on the ice and showed they belong on the national stage.
"I mean, I argue that they are tougher (than the boys), you make a girl mad and give her a stick, what do you think's gonna happen?" McElhaney said. "And here we are a little team from Cincinnati. We are here to show what we got. We are here to compete."
Girls hockey tryouts for the Cincinnati Junior Cyclones are this weekend. Registration numbers continue to grow as the team builds on its national success.
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