1st-ever girls hockey tourney in C.R. this weekend

The Cedar Rapids Lady RoughRiders are hosting what they are calling the first-ever girls hockey tournament in Iowa at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Saturday and Sunday.

The St. Luke's Lady RoughRider Classic consists of five teams: the Lady RoughRiders, Springfield/Peoria (Ill.), Kenosha (Wis.) Komets, Chicago Bruins and Oak Park River Forest (Ill.). Play in the round-robin tourney begins Saturday afternoon at 12:45 with Cedar Rapids and Springfield/Peoria and concludes Sunday afternoon at 2:30 with Cedar Rapids against Oak Park River Forest.

"For the girls, they have never really been given a chance to play at home, so this is a big deal," said Coach Kevin Brooks.

Brooks is the youth hockey director at the Ice Arena and helped create the Lady RoughRiders last year, billing  it the first all-girls hockey team in the state. The team traveled out of state for all of its games last season, even taking a trip to Boston.

The Lady RoughRiders have joined the Midwest Girls Hockey League this year and have an 8-2 record competing in the Varsity West 19-Under division against clubs from Illinois, Wisconsin and Missouri.

"Pretty much since we are a member of the Midwest Girls Hockey League, we spoke to teams in our league about this tournament," Brooks said. "We are trying to get the bid for our league playoffs next year. That's our big goal right now. We think if we put on a good show this weekend, that will help us get that bid."

Brooks said each team in this weekend's tournament will be introduced prior to one game using the spotlights and video boards the USHL RoughRiders use for pregame introductions.  The Lady RoughRiders have 17 players on their roster this season from Cedar Rapids, Atkins, Clinton, Mason City, Ankeny, Forest City, West Branch, Iowa City, Hudson and Waterloo.

Here's the tourney sked:

SATURDAY

12:45 p.m. - Cedar Rapids Lady Riders vs. Springfield/Peoria

2:15 p.m. - Oak Park River Forest vs. Kenosha Komets

3:45 p.m. - Cedar Rapids Lady Riders vs. Chicago Bruins

5:15 p.m. - Springfield/Peoria vs. Oak Park River Forest

6:45 p.m. - Chicago Bruins vs. Kenosha Komets

SUNDAY

8:30 a.m. - Springfield/Peoria vs. Chicago Bruins

10 a.m. - Cedar Rapids Lady Riders vs. Kenosha Komets

11:30 a.m. - Chicago Bruins vs. Oak Park River Forest

1 p.m. - Kenosha Komets vs. Springfield/Peoria

2:30 p.m. - Cedar Rapids Lady Riders vs. Oak Park River Forest