A Recap of the Girls Windy City Elite Tournament

The 2021 CCM Girls Windy City Elite Tournament featured the top girl’s hockey talent in the United States. More than 72 teams, from across the country, traveled to Chicago, Illinois, to compete. This year’s tourney featured everything from intense one-goal games, to barn burners, border battles, revenge matches, and more.

“The Windy City tournament was a great competition and Burr Ridge was a perfect location to enjoy the holiday season,” said a parent of the Boston Jr. Eagles U13 squad. “Thank you 200×85, CCM, and Chicago. We will be back!” The Eagles have unfinished business in the Windy City, after falling one game short of a championship birth. 200×85 looks forward to hosting the Eagles next year, for a potential rematch with the Sno-King Jr. Thunderbirds.

The Eagles aren’t the only team that are looking for a chance at redemption, we can tell you that much. After a hectic weekend in Chi-Town, we’ve got a ton to go over. Let’s get into it.

U12 Tier 1: The U12 Tier 1 championship game saw two of the tournament’s most explosive teams duke it out for a CCM Windy City Elite Tournament title. The Chicago Mission racked up 17 goals throughout the tournament, before being halted by the Chicago Young Americans (CYA) in the championship game. CYA put up a blazing 24 to 1 goal differential and a perfect 6-0 tournament record.

U14 Tier 1: The Chicago Mission defended their home turf, against a gauntlet of teams from across the United States. In one of the largest divisions of the entire tournament, the home team battled competition from Alaska, California, Texas, and Florida. The Mission tallied 5 goals in their title bout against the Florida Alliance, improving to 4-1-1 on the weekend and earning a tournament banner.

U16 Tier 1: Gilmour Academy proved once and for all why they’re one of the only academy programs listed in the U16 Top 20 rankings. After tying a highly-ranked Team Colorado 1-1 in their first meet-up, the Gladiators got its groove back and won 3-1 in their championship round rematch, improving to 5-0-1 on the weekend.

U19 Tier 1: The Florida Alliance didn’t come to take part, they came to take over. They scored 27 goals, amidst a highly contested U19 Tier 1 division, finishing the tournament with a perfect 6-0 record and a brand new tournament banner to bring back to the Sunshine State.

U12 Tier 2: The U12 Tier 2 division was commanded by a gritty Naperville Sabers squad. Despite a slow tournament start where they tied 4-4 with the Alaska All-Stars, the Sabers immediately found their stride, finding the back of the net 10 times over their next two games. They took home the hardware after edging the Florida Alliance in a tough 2-1 battle.

U14 Tier 2: After tying 1-1 in their first meet-up, the Sno-King Jr. Thunderbirds and the Chicago Hawks were destined for a rematch. The two teams were both perfect throughout their next four games, allowing them to meet again in the championship game of the CCM Windy City tournament. The T-Birds got the better of the Hawks in their second meeting, rolling to a 3-1 win and a tournament title. 

U16 Tier 2: FH Little Caesars marched into the backyard of the Glenview Stars to battle it out for a CCM Windy City banner. After tying 2-2 in their first meet-up of the tournament, FH Little Caesars took down the Stars 2-1 in their championship round rematch. 

U19 Tier 2: The North Shore Warhawks entered the tournament as a heavy favorite, sitting at the number 5 spot in the U19 Tier 2 national rankings. After getting dealt a tough loss by the San Jose Jr. Sharks, on the first day of competition, the Warhawks dominated the remainder of their games. They clinched a one-nil win in their championship rematch with the Sharks, earning themselves a CCM Windy City banner. 

Is your team chomping at the bit to get in on this kind of action? Or maybe you’ve got some unfinished business to handle in the Windy City? Don’t worry, we’ll be running it back in 2022. 

Can’t wait that long? We don’t blame you! Join us at the Chi-Town Shuffle this April for a tournament that’s guaranteed to be a blast. Click here to register!