The Oak Park Ice Bears Squirt 1 team proved it doesn’t matter how you start but how you finish. After losing their first four games this season, the Ice Bears capped off a superb campaign by notching a 5-0 win over Fury 3 in the championship game of the NWHL on March 7.
Keegan Jones, Julian Hachem, Elias Hachem and Jake Baer all scored goals to pace a balanced offensive attack, while goalie Negron Well excelled between the pipes.
Showing tremendous team chemistry, the Ice Bears went undefeated after Jan. 18 en route to the title.
OPRF girls water polo
The Huskies (5-0) dominated four matches en route to winning the Northside Prep Tournament over the weekend. OPRF notched the following victories: 23-2 over Hinsdale South, 13-4 over Northside Prep, 17-0 over Marian Central and 7-2 over York.
Top scorers at the tournament for OPRF included Mia Andreoli (17 goals), Jilly Cronin (12 goals). Claire Rolfes and Grace Martin scored six goals apiece. Senior Jordin Hale, one of the best goalies in the country, played well the throughout the tournament highlighted by her 13-save, 3-assist performance against York.
Maille O’Donnell, Addie Steward-Nolan, Ellie Kennedy-Wood, Jocelyn Weisman also played key roles for the Huskies.
OPRF opened the season with a 18-2 victory against visiting Waubonsie Valley on March 12. Andreoli led the way with four goals and three assists, while Cronin contributed three goals, three assists and four steals. Rolfes and Kennedy-Wood each scored three goals and Kevan Casson tallied two goals. Steward-Nelson, O’Donnell and Martin joined the party with one goal apiece. Hale finished with nine blocks, three steals and four assists