MARLBORO, Mass. — Massachusetts’ best girls hockey players took over the New England Sports Center this past weekend.
Mass. Hockey’s girls festival came down to its Final 40 across the 2009, 2010 and 2011 age groups.
Players will now be selected for USA Hockey’s National Development Camps in the summer. The Girls National 16/17 (2009/2010) and the Girls National 15 (2011) camps will be at Miami University (Ohio) in July. The U18 Women’s National Team Festival (2009-11) will be in Lake Placid, N.Y., in August.
Those selections will be released later this month.
One theme for most of the weekend was how many skaters had strong showings. In particular, these 14 prospects below stood out among the '10s, but they’re far from the only ones.
Earlier this week, we broke down 10 uncommitted '09s who impressed, and we'll get to the ’11s later this week. Let’s dive in.
Liz Levering
Nobles/Boston Junior Eagles, 11/2010, D, left shot, 5-7
Hometown: Westwood, Mass.
Levering had a fantastic day on Sunday, defending with a strong stick and good physicality, especially as she dominated in battles below the dots. Levering was also solid in transition, including when she recognized a wide-open lane down the left wing. She took advantage with some long, rangy strides to lead the rush and gain the attacking zone. Later, she had a great effort to make up for a giveaway, overpowering the forward in the slot and breaking up the play. Levering reached National 15 Camp last summer.
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Emily Araujo
Lovell Academy, 2010, F, right shot, 5-3
Hometown: Reading, Mass.
Araujo's skating helped her make a difference throughout the weekend, just as it did at Festival last month. Her speed made her effective in pursuing the puck and putting pressure on defenders. It led to a goal early on Saturday, as she intercepted a slippery pass up the middle before scoring blocker side. She helped set up Giuliana Polcari's (Marshfield, Mass.) goal on Sunday when she kept the play alive out high with a poke check. Later, Araujo drove to the far post with a ton of speed for an easy tap-in on a feed from Maggie Grant (Belmont, Mass.). Araujo made National 15 Camp in 2025.
Kelsey MacPherson
St. Paul's/East Coast Wizards, 11/12/2010, F, left shot, 5-8
Hometown: Hopkinton, Mass.
MacPherson drove offense throughout the weekend, and her line with Polcari and Caroline Kreuz (Worcester, Mass.) was dominant on Saturday. MacPherson excelled in 1-on-1s low in the offensive zone with her powerful game, and she consistently extended attacking sequences by winning battles. She also had a great assist for Polcari on a rush with Emery Deroeve (Charlestown, Mass.), slipping a feed right into her wheelhouse for a one-timer. MacPherson made last year's National 15 Camp.
Maddie Perkins
Thayer/East Coast Wizards, 4/7/2010, F, left shot, 5-2
Hometown: Milton, Mass.
Perkins pushed the pace and made plays in transition, and her shot was impressive on both days. She should have scored a pair of goals but rang the crossbar twice with lightning-quick releases. On Saturday, she flew down the left wing and put a bullet over the crossbar, beating the goaltender cleanly over the blocker. On Sunday, she got a loose puck at the circle and immediately fired on net, finding iron again. Perkins made the 2025 National 15 Camp.
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Emery Deroeve
Thayer/Boston Junior Eagles, 04/2010, D, left shot, 5-5
Hometown: Charlestown, Mass.
Deroeve was among the top defenders all weekend, sparking transition and defending well in 1-on-1s. She helped jumpstart the rush with MacPherson that led to a goal for Polcari on Saturday. On Sunday, Deroeve made a quick up to Elliana Tabor to spark a 2-on-1 that ended in a tap-in for Ella Cohen (Easton, Mass.). Later, she had a great stick to prevent a drive to the net off the rush before then taking the body against Kendra Snell (Southborough, Mass.) to prevent her dangle to the slot. Deroeve made last year's National 15 Camp.
Kendra Snell
Rivers/Minuteman Lady Flames, 08/2010, F, left shot, 5-7
Hometown: Southborough, Mass.
Snell put herself in good spots in the offensive and defensive zones. She came through with a pair of goals on Sunday, too. She drove to the slot and found open space to bury a heads-up feed as her side flew the zone off a turnover. Later, Snell scored again, powering to the middle after picking the puck up in the corner and getting a backhand on net as she fell to the ice. Snell reached National 15 Camp last year.
Maggie Grant
Rivers/Boston Junior Eagles, 05/2010, F, left shot, 5-5
Hometown: Belmont, Mass.
Grant made an impact in all three zones on Sunday. She had a terrific assist on Araujo's goal, blazing down the left wing off a won face-off and swinging a cross-ice feed for Araujo at the far post. It was a hell of a pass. All Araujo had to do was keep her stick on the ice as she drove to the net. Later, Grant had an excellent stick lift high in the offensive zone, stealing the puck and getting the play going up ice. Later, she made another nice defensive play at the left circle to prevent a shot. Grant was at National 15 Camp last year.
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Libby Melly
Middlesex/Assabet, 2010, F, right shot
Hometown: Reading, Mass.
Melly played a solid 200-foot game on Saturday, including one excellent sequence in the neutral zone as she made a great read to steal the puck at center ice before driving back into the zone. After she lost the handle, Melly stuck with it in the corner and curled to the slot for a quality chance. It was a great job to win the battle in the corner with her strength and leverage.
Ella Cohen
Mansfield-Oliver Ames-Foxboro co-op/Boston Junior Eagles, 11/2010, F, right shot
Hometown: Easton, Mass.
Cohen played with high compete and pace on both days. She got rewarded with a goal off the rush on Sunday, as she showed good instincts as she made a beeline for the far post on a 2-on-1 with Tabor, putting herself in position to tap in a slick pass from Tabor. Cohen made National 15 Camp last season.
Ella Skeiber
Williston Northampton/Bay State Breakers, 03/2010, F, left shot, 5-1
Hometown: Pembroke, Mass.
Skeiber was excellent in all three zones on Saturday, providing good support as the center defensively, making smart plays on breakouts and creating chances in the attacking end. She scored early when she found soft space at the left post, getting into a perfect spot to cash in as her linemates swiveled the puck toward the slot. Later, Skeiber had a great attacking shift, powering to the slot with quick feet coming out of the corner for a bid. She stuck with it and won the puck back out high before driving back toward middle ice. Skeiber made last year's National 15 Camp.
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Chloe LeMay
Tilton/Minteman Lady Flames, 03/2010, G, catches left, 5-5
Hometown: South Grafton, Mass.
LeMay made several big-time stops on Sunday against quality chances toward the end of the session. She stoned Ava Carr's (Medway, Mass.) backdoor bid before coming up with another huge pad save in the scramble. Later, she made a heck of a shoulder save on Lydia Kealty's (Norfolk, Mass.) wide-open bid in the slot. LeMay also stoned Maggie Chudzinski's (Needham, Mass.) short-side bid on a powerful drive to the net, holding her ground and sealing off the post. LeMay made National 15 Camp last season.
Giuliana Polcari
Tabor/East Coast Wizards, 7/7/2010, F, left shot, 5-7
Hometown: Marshfield, Mass.
Polcari was a difference-maker throughout the weekend, using her size and strength to her advantage down low in the offensive zone and creating quality chances. She scored on a rush with MacPherson and Deroeve on Saturday, one-timing it home. Later, she had an all-out backcheck to force a turnover and send MacPherson back in for a chance. On Sunday, Polcari scored again, parking in front of the net after her initial chance off the rush and chipping in a loose puck after Araujo forced a turnover. Polcari made National 15 Camp last year.
Avery Reimold
Tabor/Northeast Generals, 2010, G, catches left
Hometown: Marion, Mass.
Reimold made some strong saves throughout the weekend, especially on Sunday. She read shots well from distance and through traffic, making good adjustments as angles changed. She limited rebounds on shots off the rush and had a couple of impressive stops on Chudzinski from the point. One was through a maze of moving bodies in front, and the other was tough to track as it knuckled and changed directions.
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Stephanie LeBlanc
St. Mark's/Massachusetts Spitfires, 2010, F, right shot
Hometown: Wrentham, Mass.
LeBlanc had a strong day on Sunday with the puck on her stick in transition, creating offense off the rush, which included a tricky shot on Reimold off the rush. Later, the former King Philip standout made a great effort on the forecheck, taking the body along the boards and knocking Kreuz off the puck to force a turnover and keep the play going.
