It’s just an expression, where there’s a will there’s a way, but for the U19 girl’s hockey team, it’s a reality.

Following a third consecutive win at the state tournament on Sunday, the Lizard Heads are Colorado’s U19 girls state champs.

“It was number one in my coaching career and really exciting for the girls — they were really unbelievable,” said John Cohn, co-coach with Davis Fansler and Michael Ward.

Telluride, seeded second, topped all three of its opponents starting Friday against Arvada and ending with the finals on Sunday.

“They showed such clear determination that they weren’t going to lose,” Fansler said. “It was a treat to be a part of the team and a privilege to coach these kids.”

The girls faced fierce competition especially against Colorado Select, an all-star team from the Front Range.

“It didn’t come easy, they worked hard at every practice to get here,” Cohn said. “They really deserve it and no one will ever be able to take this away from them — they’ll be 70 years old and talking about this.”

Colorado Select defeated and tied Telluride during the regular season. Their goalie entered the state tourney with a scoreless record, as did the undefeated team, which was seeded first.

“Here we were with any girl who wants to play hockey competing against this elite team,” Cohn said of the three-year old Telluride team. “They have tryouts, matching bags and experience and here comes Telluride with our mix-matched socks.”

It was a Bad News Bears kind of moment, and the little team prevailed. As the underdog, the team waged a focused and determined tournament run, knocking their opponents off their games and gaining the upper edge. The result was a first-time state title for both the team and the local hockey club.

“They played at 110 percent most of the time and forced the opposing teams to play at 90 percent,” Fansler said. “They came out, played hard and played together which was not always a thing of beauty but it was a thing of beauty in their nonstop team effort, their strong character and their will to win.”

On Friday, a first round win over Arvada got the Lizard Head girl’s winning streak under way. Unlike the upcoming games, the opening contest was considerably effortless.
The Lizard Heads won 3-0 on goals by Samantha Kenney and Madison Ward and a shutout by goalie Katherine Hess.

Still, it was sweet revenge for Telluride, who lost to Arvada in the finals last season, 1-0, and finished second.

“We were excited to be there last year, and knew as a team how close we were to winning it all,” Cohn said. “With the same team coming back, we also knew that we were going to be competitive.”

Competitive, but not necessarily victorious. The next two days of hockey exceeded the team’s expectations.

“I’ve been surprised by this team for the last two years, and they continue to amaze me,” Fansler said. “They weren’t the most talented up and down the line, but they were the best team.”

Starting Saturday, the stakes rose as Telluride took on Colorado Select.

“The girls were anxious,” Cohn said. “We knew that it would be a difficult task to beat them, one that we hadn’t done during the regular season, and we’d have to right on top of our game.”

Cohn was correct. Colorado Select came out strong showing strength, speed and skill.
“It started out intense and they were smothering us,” Cohn recalls. “Davis and I looked at each other, recognizing that we had a problem, but the girls hung in there.”

Halfway through the second period and no score, a scuffle in front of Colorado Select’s net resulted in a penalty shot for Telluride — a defensive player covered the puck in the crease, a big no-no for every player save the goalie.

Sam Kenney took the shot, and put the puck straight through the goalie’s legs for the game’s first goal. It was also the first goal allowed by the Colorado Select goalie. The goal made the Telluride fans, around 75 supporters, in the bleachers go crazy, cheering for the Lizard Heads as they took a 1-0 lead.

Colorado Select laid down a ferocious counter attack, but Telluride stayed on their skates and staved off several goal-scoring opportunities.

With four minutes left, the Lizard heads sealed the victory with a second goal by Natalie Brown. The 2-0 win was only the first step to securing the state title, advancing the team to the finals on Sunday.

Colorado Select dropped into the loser’s bracket of the double elimination tournament, but advanced to Sunday’s finals for a second showing against the Lizard Heads.

“We didn’t want to play them again, and down deep I knew that if we had to play them again it would be hard,” admitted Cohn.

And it was. The second game started with the same aggressive pace.

“Colorado Select came out in the second game, thinking the first game was a fluke, and playing really strong,” Fansler said. “They scored the first goal which would normally send a lot of teams reeling.”

Not the Lizard Heads. They hung there, continuing to press the opponent’s goal.

Defense was key, like the penalty-killing plays of Lizard Head defenders Juliette Brown, Jacqui Distefano, Caitlin Bush and Nikki Gallen.

“We told the girls that there was plenty of time, and not to worry,” Cohn said. “They just needed to go out there and give 100 percent, which is a trademark of the team.”

While a battle was being waged on the ice, the fans were also feuding. Following the first meeting of the two teams, Colorado Select bulked up on fans and came to the bleachers bearing pots and pans in hand. Meanwhile, Telluride fans rang their bells fervidly, both sides screaming words of encouragement to their respective teams. The Lizard Heads also got the support of a handful of boy’s b-ball players, who, after a heartbreaking loss at regionals, came over to support Telluride’s other top-ranked team.

Samantha Kenny rifled a shot from the blue line and tied the game 1-1. Then again, in the second period, she put another shot into the top corner of Colorado Select’s goal for a score of 2-1.

“There was no room in the net but the top corner — and the goalie and other player were all standing in front,” Cohn said of Kenney’s go-ahead goal. “There was probably a square of four or five inches and she hit it.”

In the third period, Colorado Select scored on a power play, tying the game at 2-2.

Both teams beefed up on defense, destroying many an offensive chance. Cohn credits his team’s defensive skills, especially Hess in goal.

As the seconds ticked away, the push to score was at a frenzied pace.

“It was maddening — they had shots, we had shots,” Cohn said. “Once again it was who had the most will to win.”

Fansler saw the same determination in his players.

“There was a resoluteness and determination about [the girls] that was very evident,” Fansler said. “They knew what it was like to lose, and they did not want to feel that again — it was a big motivating force for them, and it made the victory so much sweeter.”

That victory came on a Natalie Brown goal with 40 seconds remaining in the third period.

“From way outside, she pick-pocketed one of Colorado Select’s players and made a shot,” Cohn said. “The puck had eyes — it just found its way into the net.”

Leading 3-2, the Lizard Heads held Colorado Select for 40 harrowing seconds, and when the buzzer sounded, they had captured the win, and the state championship.
“It was a feeling I’ll never forget,” said Cohn. “We’re on cloud nine right now.”

A trophy and banner will hang from the Hanley Rink rafters as proof the Telluride Lizard Head  girls won the state championship 3-2.

For seniors Katherine Hess, Caitlin Bush, Nikki Gallen and Maddie Fansler it was extra special. Since the girls U19 team was established just three years ago, these four girls got started playing with the boys.

“They are the foundation of girls hockey in this community,” said Fansler. “It was really special for the seniors. They’ve been around since sixth grade, playing with the boys, and have gone through some tough seasons with girls’ teams when they’ve gone 1-12.”

In three years, the U19 girls team has improved hugely. Even from last year, when they finished second in the state, the team’s taken a turn for the better.

“It was a much tougher division this year, and interestingly enough we finished in front of two teams that finished in front of us last year — Aspen and Arvada,” Fansler said.
“Not only did [Telluride] win states after being runner-up last year, but they did it in harder league.”

A league that touts tough teams like Colorado Select.

“I think they’re still scratching their heads, wondering what went wrong,” said Fansler.
It’s a two-word answer — Telluride hockey.

And more hockey excitement is in store. The Lizard Head Bantams, 13 and 14-year-old boys, won the Rocky Mountain Youth Hockey League Finals last weekend. The team took down Gunnison — in a shootout on Saturday, and  a 4-0 shutout on Sunday.

The winning results qualified them to the state championship, the Colorado Amateur Hockey Association’s State Recreational Playoffs, next weekend where the PeeWees, 11 and 12-year-old boys, will also compete.