On May 29, the Ma’ayanot Rapids battled their toughest game of the season, an athletically persistent Kushner Cobra team. Entering the gym undefeated (for the second year in a row), the Rapids were confident but extremely focused. They knew Kushner wasn’t going to let down one bit. Led by coaches Moshe “Ziggy” Zharnest and Ansara Persad, the teams played a back and forth first half, with three goals from Dafna Levine and one from Esther Avidan, with mutual assists. Going into the second half, the score was deadlocked at 4 to 4.

Ma’ayanot goalie Kate Weinberg stopped a barrage of great shots from Kushner’s forwards, thankfully giving the Rapids a chance to pull ahead. The exhausted teams kept up the fight with shots from every angle. The Rapids pulled ahead on a goal from Avidan in the third quarter. Finally, with a second wind and help from the steady defense, Avidan rang the bell for three more goals in the last quarter.

When asked about his team, Rapids Coach Marc Zharnest told the JLNJ “This team refused to lose, lifting each other up when one went down, playing for the WE instead of the me, sharing success and showing the way to win is to put the team before the individual. When I started at Ma’ayanot I had no idea what I was in for, year after the year the young ladies find ways to surprise and amaze me. I consider myself privileged to coach them and work with such an amazing and supportive athletic director in Jen, assistant coach in Ansara and school at large, as everyone from top to bottom has our back and supports us as we start our prep for the three-peat and another undefeated season. I can’t way to see what’s in store!”

The victory marks the team’s 20th consecutive victory dating back to last year and their fourth consecutive division title, but most importantly they are the back to back champions.