skip navigation

Boston Lady Whalers 2006 Elites Capture U16 Beantown Classic

By Admin, 07/30/21, 8:30AM EDT

Share


BLW 2006 G - Rachael Irving

Marlborough,  MA -   Returning back to Boston after a heartbreaking 5-3 loss to a loaded Team Minnesota in the Championship Game at the ORION Series' North American Female Elite Showcase in Blaine, MN, the Boston Lady Whalers 2006 National Elite Team was driven to bring home the hardware in the final event of the 2021 summer season - and that is exactly what they did.  The 06's strung together a perfect 8-0 record, letting up just 4 goals over the course of the weekend, en route to claiming the top prize while competing against some of North America's strongest 2005 & 2006 teams in the U16 Division.

The girls hit the ice flying, and strung together two consecutive shutouts on opening day - backboned by Rachael Irving.  The weekend began with a 6-0 blanking of the Western Selects, which was followed up by a 4-0 defeat of the Jersey Shore Riptide 2005's.  On Saturday, the good times continued to roll as the BLW 06's surpassed the Florida Alliance by a score of 9-1 and then closed out a perfect Round Robin showing with a 5-1 win over the Detroit Belle Tire U16's.


BLW 2006 D - Ainsley Gray

Playoff Sunday landed our BLW 2006's in the Sweet 16 Playoffs of the U16 Division, and despite going 4-0 and allowing just two goals, the team earned the #3 Seed out of 16 teams that advanced to playoff Sunday.  In the Sweet 16, the BLW 06's cruised past the Mid-Fairfield Stars U16's by a score of 4-1 which set up a rematch with a scrappy Jersey Shore Riptide team.  Alanna Devlin played hero, scoring the lone goal of the contest with just 3:30 left to play, leading the BLW 06's to a 1-0 win over a well-coached Jersey Shore Riptide 2005 Team and launching our team to the semi-finals.

In what was arguably the craziest game of the summer, the BLW 2006's and Philadelphia Jr. Flyers U16's skated to a scoreless tie when the regulation buzzer rang final.  After overtime was unable to decide a winner, the contest proceeded to a best-of-3 shootout.  Of course that wasn't enough, and the shootout continued on in sudden death mode.  Rachael Irving made her 13th save in Round 16 of the sudden death shootout, and set up stay-at-home defender Ainsley Gray with a chance to play the hero role and advance the team to the Championship Game - and that's exactly what she did!  In what has to be a record as far as length is concerned, the BLW 2006's defeated the Philadelphia Jr Flyers U16's by a shootout score of 4-3 after 16 rounds to propel themselves to the Championship Game.


BLW 2006 F - Lola Reid

Matching back up against the Detroit Belle Tire U16's, one goal was all that it took, despite a wild back and forth contest - as Lola Reid punched home the sole tally in a 1-0 win.  It was a total team effort all throughout the day, and the weekend for that matter, with countless shot blocks and sacrifices of the body by multiple different players to collectively bring home the championship trophy.

"I am so proud of the way our girls battled," said Coach Michaela Boyle.  "From the effort that they gave in Minnesota and watching the disappointment on their faces after coming up just short, to how they rallied and carried one another to win all eight games this weekend was something special to be a part of," she continued.

The Boston Lady Whalers 2006 National Elite Team was crowned 2021 Beantown Classic Champions, and was made up of the following players:  Forwards - Alanna Devlin (NAHA Academy), Lola Reid (Shattuck St. Mary's School), McKenna Walsh (Chicago Mission), Courtney Lilley (Cushing Academy), Olivia Gordon (Westminster School), Sadie Klein (Chicago Mission), Ava Glab (Lawrence Academy), LuLu Gray (Shattuck St. Mary's School) & Annie Gallagher (Middlesex School).  Defenders - Molly Boyle (Phillips Andover Academy), Jaime Griswold (Nobles & Greenough School), Victoria Damaini (Toronto Nationals), Sydney Courtmanche (Kent School), Siobhan Kelleher (NAHA Academy) & Ainsley Gray (Nobles &. Greenough School).  Goaltender - Rachael Irving (NAHA Academy).

Congratulations to our Boston Lady Whalers 2006 National Elite Team on winning the 2021 Beantown Classic Tournament!!