16U GIRLS FILLING NET, FEEDING OFF EACH OTHER DURING HOT-SHOOTING START

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The gold plate makes its presence known, propped up in the Bishop Kearney hockey office.

“It almost stares at us,” said Rochester native Lucy Fitzsimmons, a forward on the 16U girls team.

The plate in question represents the first USA Hockey national championship in nearly a decade of BK Selects girls hockey, won by the 19U team last spring in Massachusetts.

And if you’re wondering if seeing the trophy on a near-daily basis is motivating for the 16Us to go get their own …

“An insane amount,” Fitzsimmons said. “Especially from the seniors last year pushing all four years and finally making it happen. It proved to us it was possible for our girls program to win.”

Of course, the BK Selects girls have done plenty of winning over the years, even if winning Nationals eluded them. That goes for the 16U team as well, which is once again ranked in the top 10 for its age group after starting the new season with a 19-5 record. They’ve also already claimed a banner, taking home the bronze U18 AA championship in the Stoney Creek Showcase.

Beyond the wins and losses, head coach Jake Anderson’s team has scored 92 total goals, for an average of 3.8 per game. After a challenging 2024-25 in that category, the offensive output has been both refreshing and welcomed.

“We’re super-talented all-around, but especially at forward,” said Anderson, who’s in his sixth season in charge of the 16Us. “This is probably the deepest forward group, top to bottom, that I’ve had here.

“We struggled to score goals last year, and we’ve blown that out of the water.”

Fitzsimmons is an integral member of that pyrotechnic attack, which the second-year BK Selects center said is intentionally multidimensional.

“I feel like on the offensive side of the game, we’re dominating,” Fitzsimmons said. “Our forwards know what to do and when to do it. Getting pucks deep and chasing down the other team is never a problem for us to get possession. Although we’re definitely a smaller team, it doesn’t stop us from being physical in the corners, winning those battles, and creating chaos in front of the other team’s net.

“We keep continuously trying to perfect taking advantage of zone entries and 3-on-2 (rushes) in practice, and lately it has been showing in games. Stacking our shifts in the (offensive) zone is something we strive to control every game, leading to more goals.”

Beyond the obvious increased margin for error, a powerful offense also has another benefit: It means less time spent defending. Considering that the 16Us’ defense corps leans toward the younger side, that’s helpful to lighten the load on those newcomers.

16U veterans like Fitzsimmons can also offer their support, whether that be verbal or tactical — like a forward making sure to stay high in the offensive zone when a defender steps up to boost the attack.

“As a team we have all collectively been trying to help the younger ‘D’ group by answering their questions, being patient with them and helping them understand the position the way we play,” Fitzsimmons said. “As a center this season, I have been trying to really communicate with the defense in the (defensive) zone.”

Plus, if there’s a letdown, there’s always the last line of defense in the crease.

First-year goalie Rylee Allison is off to “a ridiculous start,” to use Anderson’s words. Entering last week’s Roc City Girls Fest, the Pittsburgh-born Allison had allowed more than one goal just twice.

Allison credits input from her coaches and teammates for helping her adapt to a 16U pace of play that’s “definitely faster.” Clearly, it’s not too fast for her to step in and excel.

“I’d say my biggest strengths are my athleticism, skating, and how I read the play,” said Allison, who lists Team USA and PWHL Boston star Aerin Frankel as a role model.

“I’m not the biggest goalie, so I play pretty aggressive, which makes me appear bigger. I stay calm under pressure and don’t let big moments get to me, which helps my team stay confident in me.”

Filling the net and feeding off one another — sounds like an effective formula so far.

Throw in a dose of inspiration from that 19U national title and the 16Us' engine is primed for the long winter.

“The lessons we learned, to have perseverance and keep going, were awesome,” Anderson said. “In terms of a boost to our program, I think it justified some of the hard times, because it’s all worth it.

“It’s not all about wins and losses, but it helps us as a program, knowing what we do works. There are a million ways to do what we do, but this is the way we do it. We can stick to it and not rest on our accomplishments.”

Reach the author at matt.gajtka@gmail.com.