There's less than a month to go in the girls prep hockey regular season as the playoffs begin in just 27 days. As such, all eyes turn toward the race for the Elite 8. We’ve kept track of some of the top teams throughout the season with our weekly rankings. But it’s time to take...
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There's less than a month to go in the girls prep hockey regular season as the playoffs begin in just 27 days.
As such, all eyes turn toward the race for the Elite 8.
We’ve kept track of some of the top teams throughout the season with our weekly rankings. But it’s time to take stock of each team’s position as the postseason nears.
Which teams are locks to make it? Who are the strongest contenders? What will teams on the bubble need to do to make the Elite 8? Who needs to be perfect the rest of the way?
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Last year's defending champion, Nobles, is firmly in the mix once again, even if they haven't replicated last season's undefeated pace. Meanwhile, undefeated Williston Northampton, who has been to three straight Elite 8 finals, winning the first two, has been the team to beat once again this season.
The Elite 8 is determined using the JSPR algorithm, which is different from the RPI, an important note. Think of the JSPR as the PairWise in college hockey.
Let's take stock of the top 16 teams in the projected final JSPR as of Thursday, Feb. 6.
Williston Northampton (16-0-1)
Why they'd be in:Â It's hardly a surprise to see Williston at the top. The Wildcats have undoubtedly been the best team in prep since the season began. The only blemish on their record was a thrilling, scoreless tie with Dexter Southfield. Otherwise, Williston has been perfect. They've beaten Elite 8 contenders like Cushing (twice), Nobles and BB&N, as well as other strong playoff teams like St. Paul's, Tabor, Rivers, Berkshire and Kent. Their remaining schedule is anything but easy with the likes of Choate, Phillips Andover, Loomis Chaffee, Deerfield and BB&N on the docket. But barring seismic collapse, the Wildcats are well on their way.
Why they could make a run: Go back and read the list of teams Williston has beaten and the teams that lie ahead. For one, the Wildcats are battle-tested in every sense, and they'll be sharp entering the postseason after the closing stretch. On top of that, they've made it look easy against many of those teams listed above. Much of that is thanks to the depth and experience Williston has on both sides of the puck. They have multiple lines that can score, led by Violet Carroll (Milton, Mass.), Nora Curtis and Mia Daley (Lynnfield, Mass.). On defense, they have size and play a smart, simple and effective game. Olivia Ferebee is one of the NEPSAC's best in the crease, too.
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Dexter Southfield (13-0-4)
Why they'd be in:Â The Shields, last year's Large School runners-up, are very much one of the top contenders in the Elite 8 field. They've made statement after statement this season, proving they belong in the top tier, whether it was beating Phillips Andover, Nobles, Thayer, Tabor and Exeter or the tie with Williston. The remaining schedule will offer some good tune-ups with New Hampton, Cushing and Rivers. If Dexter can make it through that stretch, they'll have a high seed locked up.
Why they could make a run: Dexter has two good goaltenders in Annabelle Aitken (Winchester, Mass.) and Addie Sutherland (West Roxbury, Mass.), depth on defense and a well-rounded forward group. Maddie Murphy (Dorchester, Mass.) has a case to make as the best defender in the NEPSAC, Alaina Dunn (Walpole, Mass.) is a strong shut-down presence and freshman Maggie Chudzinski (Needham, Mass.) is starting to come into her own. Evelyn Doyle (Needham, Mass.) is an excellent 200-foot presence down the middle, too. The Shields have also proven able to win tight games, winning four one-goal games, two of which were in overtime.
Why they'd be in:Â Nobles has played a strong schedule, and they've beaten teams in the Elite 8 hunt like Loomis Chaffee, Kent and Phillips Exeter, as well as other potential playoff teams in Choate, Lawrence Academy (twice), Milton Academy and St. George's. All three of Nobles' losses have been to contending teams, too, be it a one-goal loss to New Hampton, an overtime loss to Dexter and a tight loss to Williston. They have momentum, riding a nine-game win streak as they enter a rigorous closing stretch between Cushing, Rivers, Groton, BB&N, Andover, Thayer and Tabor.
Why they could make a run: Depth. While the Bulldogs lost high-end experience on defense, they made up for it with a deep group of impact returners up front. Aside from mainstays like Molly MacCurtain (Reading, Mass.) and Calleigh Brown (Foxboro, Mass.), mainstays like Alexa Georgantas (Foxboro, Mass.) and Lily Bromley (Carlisle, Mass.) have taken huge strides. Junior Gretta Hulbig (Foxboro, Mass.) has taken the reins, too. Annika Jonas (Weston, Mass.) has stepped into the starting role just fine, while newcomers and returners alike have stepped up on the blue line.
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Loomis Chaffee (17-1-1)
Why they'd be in: The Pelicans dropped their season opener when they ran into a hot goalie in a 1-0 loss to Nobles. Since, they're unbeaten in 18 straight, beating teams like Deerfield, Kent (twice), Choate, Milton, Berkshire, Tabor, BB&N and Exeter. They also tied Andover. The remaining schedule is challenging, whether it's visits to Cushing and Williston or home tilts with Andover and Deerfield.
Why they could make a run: Loomis has an explosive offense, led by the NEPSAC's second-leading scorer in Lindsay Stepnowski (South Glastonbury, Conn.), Chloe Obser and strong depth in their top six. The biggest X-factor lies on the back end between three top-flight defenders in Megan Hosman, Carly Dann (Hanover, N.H.) and Catie Collins (South Burlington, Vt.). Both goaltenders have been good, too, especially Adeline Roper (Kennebunkport, Maine), who took over the top gig. Their plus-70 scoring differential is second to only Williston (plus-76).
Cushing (19-3-1)
Why they'd be in:Â The Penguins didn't even make the playoffs last season, narrowly missing out on the Small School bracket. This year, they've been among the most high-flying teams in the region, beating the likes of BB&N, Tabor, Groton, Exeter, Rivers, Berkshire, St. George's and St. Paul's. Their losses are to Williston (twice) and Andover, while they tied New Hampton. It'll be tough sledding the rest of the way with Nobles, Loomis, BB&N, Deerfield and Dexter on tap. How Cushing fares will be key.
Why they could make a run: Cushing can score with the best of them. Their 104 goals-for are the most in prep by a significant margin, sitting 18 clear of Williston and Loomis. They boast the NEPSAC's leading scorer in Bella Freitas (Everett, Mass.) as well as the league's fifth-leading scorer in Madi Soderquist (Woburn, Mass.), while Julia Lambert (Wilmington, Mass.) is among the top scorers as well. They have experience on defense, and Sadie Bellissimo gives them a strong option in net.
Thayer (14-1-2)
Why they'd be in:Â Thayer put the region on notice with critical results against good teams early in the season, beating New Hampton, Rivers and St. George's and tying Dexter. Since then, they've followed it up with wins over Tabor and Rivers, as well as a narrow loss to Dexter. The Tigers have a chance to build momentum over the next few weeks, save for challenging tests against Nobles, Groton and BB&N in three of their last four games.
Why they could make a run: Everything for Thayer starts with Morgan McGathey (Braintree, Mass.). The senior is the region's best prospect, and she's among the top producers once again, ranking second in goals. More importantly, the Tigers have benefitted from depth production around her, be it Kate Sullivan (Hingham, Mass.), Wren Abboud (Weymouth, Mass.), Abby DeAnzeris (Needham, Mass.) and Lydia Kealty (Norfolk, Mass.). Both Madison Hayes (Foxboro, Mass.) and Coleen Wallace (Duxbury, Mass.) have been excellent in the crease, too.
Why they'd be in:Â Dexter punched Andover in the mouth in their season-opener, handing the Big Blue a 4-1 loss. But Andover responded with a 12-game unbeaten streak that included wins over Tabor, Cushing, Choate and SPS as well as draws with Loomis and BB&N. They stumbled in a 1-0 loss to Deerfield last week but bounced back with a win over Tabor. A closing stretch that features New Hampton, Williston, Nobles, Loomis and Exeter will be critical for Andover's Elite 8 hopes.
Why they could make a run: I'll put the Big Blue's top two lines up against any other top six in the region. While the individual numbers won't jump off the page, they play hard, fast and skilled. Whether it's Sarah Powers (Lynnfield, Mass.), Caroline Averill (Wayland, Mass.), Emily Mara (Winchester, Mass.), Peyton Kennedy (Sudbury, Mass.) and others, there's a lot of elite talent in the forward group. Molly Boyle (Scituate, Mass.) is one of the top blue-liners in the region once again, while Maggie Averill (Wayland, Mass.) is a high-end offensive threat on the back end, too. Notably, defenders Kimee Duplessis (Framingham, Mass.) and Sienna Glass (Andover, Mass.) have improved in their sophomore seasons.
BB&N (10-6-2)
Why they'd be in: Last year's Large School champions, the Knights were excellent to begin the season, going 7-1-1 in their first nine games with wins over Groton, Deerfield and SPS, a tie with Dexter and a loss to Williston. Since then, they've stumbled, losing five of their last nine. They've managed to beat Rivers and tie Andover over this recent stretch, while there have been losses to quality teams like New Hampton, Loomis and Cushing. Although they're stumbling at the wrong time, BB&N has a chance to make waves over a finishing stretch that includes Exeter, Nobles, Cushing, Thayer and Williston.
Why they could make a run: The Knights play a strong, heavy game and can shut teams down. They're strong and balanced on defense, be it Emi Biotti (Cambridge, Mass.), Lexi Mara (Winchester, Mass.) and Brenna O'Reilly (Burlington, Mass.). Up front, top options like Hannah Weyerhaeuser (Cambridge, Mass.) and Savana Littlewood (Braintree, Mass.) have been consistent producers. Eva Mai Whyte (Natick, Mass.) and Barbara Ma (Cambridge, Mass.) have both been good in the crease, too, largely splitting games this season.
Deerfield (13-3-2)
Why they'd be in:Â The Big Green are getting hot at the right time. They've won six straight and are unbeaten in their last 11 games (9-0-2). This stretch includes ties with New Hampton and Exeter and wins over New Hampton, Andover, St. Paul's and Choate. Deerfield's losses have also been against contenders like Loomis, BB&N and Groton. Challenges against Cushing, Williston and Loomis lie ahead, but if Deerfield can keep it up, they might just charge into the top tournament.
Why they could make a run: Momentum is on Deerfield's side, and they have a chance to keep rolling into the postseason. The Big Green also boast dynamic talent on the back end with Allie Corrieri (Devens, Mass.), Chloe Cleaves (Riverside, Conn.) and Keira Austen (Deerfield, Conn.). Up front, several players have made consistent contributions, especially Olivia Austen (Deerfield, Conn.) and Sophie Frost. Campbell Krotee (Darien, Conn.) is an excellent option in net, while Izzy Kirby has been strong when called upon, too.
Groton (12-3-2)
Why they'd be in:Â Like Deerfield, the Zebras are getting hot at the right time. They've won six straight to bounce back from a rocky stretch around the new year. Groton, the back-to-back runner-up in the Small School tournament, is currently inside the Elite 8 picture as of Thursday. Groton's wins this season include Rivers, Tabor, New Hampton and Deerfield, while they've lost to the likes of Cushing, BB&N and Milton. They also tied Berkshire. The rest of the way features Nobles and Thayer, but outside of those challenges, the Zebras are in a good spot to continue to build their case for the Elite 8.
Why they could make a run: It all starts with Tina Scalese (West Boylston, Mass.) and Maddie Cronan (Ashland, Mass.) for Groton. The du0 is once again near the top in NEPSAC scoring, and Scalese can take over a game at a moment's notice. Behind them, others like Dani Shyjan (Westford, Mass.) and Hazel Hughes (Lancaster, Mass.) have stepped up with solid contributions. Between the pipes, Nora Wilson (Weybridge, Vt.) is finding a groove with three straight shutouts. Assuming they keep their run up, the Zebras will have plenty of momentum, too.
Tabor (8-8-1)
Why they'd be in: The Seawolves have managed to stay afloat amid one of the toughest schedules in prep. Their losses have all been to teams currently inside the Elite 8 picture (as of Thursday), between Cushing, Groton, Andover (twice), Williston, Thayer, Loomis and Dexter. They've also beaten Rivers and New Hampton and tied Kent. Of the teams listed here, only Williston, Andover and BB&N's opponents' winning percentages are higher. I'm not sure if the math is on Tabor's side, but if they can make a run over the final weeks, which include Nobles and BB&N, maybe they can sneak in.
Why they could make a run: Tabor will be battle-tested in every sense, going through a regular-season gauntlet. They've also gotten strong goaltending from Avery Olson (Rockport, Mass.). It hasn't been a one-person show, either. Giuliana Polcari (Marshfield, Mass.), Julianna Goffredo and Jen Birolini (Pembroke, Mass.) are among several forwards who've made meaningful contributions, and Adeline Paskowski (Plymouth, Mass.) is a strong three-zone threat on defense.
New Hampton (10-5-4)
Why they'd be in:Â The back-to-back Small School champion Huskies looked poised to break into the top tournament at the start of the year after beating Nobles before they stumbled around the holidays. But the Huskies are back on the up, unbeaten in five straight and going 7-2-3 since Dec. 21. Other quality wins to New Hampton's credit are over BB&N and St. Paul's, while they've lost to Thayer, Groton, Tabor, Deerfield and Berkshire. New Hampton also tied Deerfield and Cushing. They'll hardly catch a break over the next few weeks with matchups against Andover, St. Paul's, Exeter and Dexter.
Why they could make a run: The Huskies boast high-end talent at every position, be it forwards like Julia Loughlin (Scituate, Mass.) and Kennedy Walker (Middleton, Mass.), defenders like True Thompson and Addy Peel (Scarborough, Maine) or young goaltender Elizabeth Vincent. New Hampton is rounding into form, and they still have plenty of experience from the last two Small School title runs.
Rivers (11-7-1)
Why they'd be in:Â Losses to Thayer (twice), Williston, Cushing, BB&N and Tabor likely mean the Red Wings will be in the Small School field. Matchups with Nobles and Dexter down the stretch give Rivers a chance to play spoiler, just like they did in a win versus Exeter last week.
Why they could make a run: Rivers has a plethora of young talent, like Simone Burns, Nora McLean and Brooke Bartlett that play a high-paced, aggressive game offensively, complementing the experienced Lindsay Morin and Kate Hayes. Mia MacDonald is a strong two-way threat on the blue line, and Serafina Applegate boasts experience in net.
Why they'd be in:Â The Big Red came out firing with seven straight wins to open the season, but they're 4-5-1 since the calendar flipped to 2025. Losses to Cushing, Rivers, Loomis and Dexter and a tie with Deerfield will likely keep them in the Large bracket. BB&N, New Hampton, SPS (twice) and Andover offer big matchups down the stretch.
Why they could make a run: Exeter has benefitted from impactful production from Maria Gray, Erin Sears (Cornwall, Vt.) and Paisley Meyer (Greenland, N.H.) up front. Gray has been one of the most consistent producers in the NEPSAC this season. Grace Riley has been a productive blue-liner, and Allie Bell (Rowley, Mass.) has faired well with a heavy workload in net.
Kent (7-6-1)
Why they'd be in: They probably won't be. A five-game skid in January is what will likely keep Kent in the Large School tournament. Their losses this season have included Loomis (twice), Williston and Nobles, while they've tied Tabor and beaten Berkshire and Choate (twice). Save for a matchup at Deerfield, the Lions have a shot to rack up some wins going into the postseason.
Why they could make a run: The Lions boast strong talent in Renee Bishop, Eva Mayo, Chloe Pittinaro and Ainsley Moffitt up front, Rachel Bishop and Clara Cumming on defense and Delia Logan (Hanover, Mass.) in the crease. If they excel over the final few weeks of the season, they'll have momentum going into the Large School tournament.
Berkshire (9-6-2)
Why they'd be in:Â Like a few of the teams above them, the math isn't in Berkshire's favor. The Bears have a quality win against New Hampton on their resume, but they've lost to the likes of Kent, Deerfield, Loomis, Cushing and Williston. They also tied Groton. Berkshire has a shot to play spoiler down the stretch with matchups that include Deerfield and Tabor.
Why they could make a run: Save for Deerfield, Choate and Tabor among the remaining schedule, Berkshire will have a chance to rack up some wins entering the postseason. Julia Echavarria (Newtown, Conn.) has been strong in net all season, as has Katie Hurley. Sophia Busa, Maddy McCready and Cora Davidson (Newmarket, N.H.) have put up solid production, too.
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