ELPS Wins Second Straight WNYCHL Mixed JV Championship

Combined high school team defeats Team Buffalo 9-2 in title game

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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The ELPS combined high school ice hockey team (representing Eden, Lake Shore, Pioneer, and Springville-Griffith Institute) won the 2026 WNYCHL Mixed JV Championship, defeating Team Buffalo 9-2 at the Harbor Center Arena in Buffalo. This marks ELPS's second consecutive Mixed JV title after winning in 2025 as well.

Why it matters

The WNYCHL Mixed JV Championship is a prestigious tournament that showcases the top combined high school ice hockey teams in Western New York. ELPS's back-to-back titles demonstrate the strength and consistency of their program, which pulls talented players from multiple schools to form a competitive squad.

The details

ELPS finished the regular season with a 5-5-1 record, facing off against several other top teams in the league. As the #1 seed in the Mixed JV Tournament, ELPS cruised past Jamestown in the semifinals before defeating Team Buffalo handily in the championship game.

  • ELPS won the 2025 WNYCHL Mixed JV Championship.
  • The 2026 WNYCHL Mixed JV Championship game was played on February 28, 2026.
  • ELPS's home games are played at the ice rink on the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation community center in Irving.

The players

ELPS

A combined high school ice hockey team representing Eden, Lake Shore, Pioneer, and Springville-Griffith Institute.

Team Buffalo

The opponent ELPS defeated 9-2 in the 2026 WNYCHL Mixed JV Championship game.

Mike Mecca

The head coach of the ELPS team.

Peyton Maxon

An assistant coach for the ELPS team.

Mike Giglio

An assistant coach for the ELPS team.

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The takeaway

ELPS's back-to-back WNYCHL Mixed JV Championships showcase the strength of their combined high school program, which is able to field a competitive team by drawing talent from multiple schools in the region. Their success honors the legacy of late coach Bob Maxick, who helped develop the championship tournament format.