Claudia Trionfo has heard it all before. She's crazy and cool, weird and wonderful.

A senior forward, Trionfo is the only girl on Montville's ice hockey team – except, of course, for head coach Meg Hishmeh. Mount Olive sophomore Sydney Bradle's first practice was "kind of intimidating, because there were all these big, high school boys." But head coach Mike Behre already knew Bradle from cross country – and was certain she could handle herself on the ice.

"Kids grow up, and it's not like girls have cooties anymore," said Trionfo, distinguished by her long, dark ponytail. "It's not this big deal, that they never thought a girl would be on a boys team … I don't look at myself like I'm a girl on the ice. Just because I'm a girl on the all-boys team, I don't have any disadvantages. I just have differences, but so does every hockey player or every athlete."

At age 7, Trionfo joined a girls hockey team, then switched to play with the boys at age 10. Two years ago, Trionfo moved to the New Jersey Rockets U19 and junior teams, both of which are all girls. She wants to play college hockey, and needs the exposure to women's college coaches she couldn't get playing alongside boys.

The biggest difference between boys and girls hockey is the physicality of play. Girls aren't allowed to check, though Trionfo said they still "bump each other around." Though Trionfo admitted she probably plays differently based on the opponents' gender, she doesn't really think about it. Bradle, who had played club hockey since she was 8, is a bit more self-aware on the ice with the guys, making sure to keep her head up.

"Girls are aggressive, but they're not going to cross check you or try to fight you," said Bradle, a Mount Olive/Hopatcong left wing. "It depends on the team, but some boys are afraid to hit the girl. Others really don't care who you are. If you're in their way, they're going to go after you."

Added Trionfo, who plays left wing and center, "I totally don't mind hitting the boys. I'm probably not the most physical person on my team, but I do think I throw a couple of good hits at some unsuspecting boys here and there."

The step up in size and speed were big reasons Chris Quidore helped launch the Chatham-Madison girls co-op club hockey team this year. His daughter, Veronica, a Chatham freshman, also plays for the Montclair Blues 16U girls team.

Chatham-Madison, Randolph and Westfield all launched girls-only hockey this season, making 14 teams and about 225 players in New Jersey high schools.

"I'm not too big, so I can't play for the boys team in high school because I'd get crushed," said 4-foot-11 Randolph sophomore Carly Snarski, who also plays for the New Jersey Colonials 16U Tier I team.

"I thought about it, but I didn't want to risk getting hurt. A bunch of girls on my (Colonials) team play with the boys (high school) teams, but it's too physical for me."

In eighth grade, Trionfo considered going to DePaul, which was supposed to be starting a girls hockey program – but yet to do so – and also looked into Morristown-Beard, which has had a girls team since 2000. But she decided to stay home, and accept being one of the guys. Though Bradle played on girls travel teams, she wouldn't want to switch if Mount Olive launched girls hockey.

Using their own locker room while the boys change down the hall has been a little lonely at times, and Trionfo and Bradle both cheer having other girls in there – and on the ice with them. They want to see more girls on the ice, whether it's playing against them or on one of the all-girls teams in New Jersey.

"You see, a lot of times, a girl playing hockey and think, 'Oh, that can't be,'" Bradle said. "You should show everyone, 'I can do this.' It doesn't matter if you're a girl or a boy. You can still be tough, and still play the game."

Staff Writer Jane Havsy: 973-428-6682; jhavsy@gannettnj.com; www.dailyrecord.com/writerjane/