ROCKLAND, Mass. — Some of the best players in Massachusetts took the ice at Lovell Arena this past weekend.
Mass. Hockey’s 2025 girls festival featured a total of 229 players across the 2008, 2009 and 2010 age groups.
Each group will be whittled down to the Final 40, which will be at Lovell Arena from May 17-18. From there, players will be selected for USA Hockey’s national camps — the National 15 Camp, the National 15 Goalie Camp and the National 16/17 Camp at Miami University (Ohio) in July, as well as the U18 Women’s National Festival in Lake Placid in August.
During this weekend’s festival, I made sure to spend equal time watching each group. I spent Friday watching the 2008s. On Saturday, I saw the ’09s, while I watched the 2010s on Sunday.
Earlier this week, we broke down 15 standouts among the '08s. Now, let’s dive into 14 standouts among the ’09s.
Catherine McCool
Nobles, 10/2009, F, left shot, 5-6
Hometown: West Roxbury, Mass.
McCool constantly pushed the pace and drove play. She put herself in good spots in the offensive zone, was strong on her skates and did a good job of shielding pucks from defenders. She had a great look early on, shading into empty space in the high slot off the cycle. Later, McCool led a good rush from deep in her own end, driving into the attacking zone, fending off a defender and slipping a pass to Georgia Murray (North Attleboro, Mass.) on the net drive. McCool later created a great look for herself off the rush, powering by a defender and getting open space for a short-side shot. She nearly set up a highlight-reel goal for Mia Daley (Lynnfield, Mass.), sending a tap pass to Daley to the right of the crease from the top of the circle. It would have made for an insane tic-tac-toe goal.
Jane Daley
Shattuck-St. Mary's, 3/21/2009, F, left shot, 5-6
Hometown: Medfield, Mass.
Daley was one of the most explosive skaters I saw all weekend. She's an electrifying skater who can explode to top speed in just a few strides. Offense flowed through her, especially in transition, when she easily put defenders on their heels, driving past them and gaining separation. It led to some strong chances off the rush.
FESTIVAL: 15 standout 2008 players from Mass. Hockey’s 2025 girls festival
Barbara Ma
BB&N, 4/16/2009, G, catches left, 5-4
Hometown: Cambridge, Mass.
Ma made some strong saves, even though she didn't see a ton of shots on Saturday. The ones she did face were mostly high-quality chances. She made a great save on Murray's bang-bang chance with McCool off the rush, stoning her at the top of the crease. Earlier, she made a big save on McCool in the high slot before later sealing the post and giving her nothing on a short-side bid. Her anticipation and athleticism paid off on several chances.
Jaclyn King
Cushing, 2009, D, right shot
Hometown: Hanover, Mass.
King was extremely active inside the offensive blue line. She made great reads on pinches, knowing when to take her chances, and she was very effective at keeping pucks in and extending offensive zone sequences. It led to a nice look for her at one point, when she jumped into a lane and put a good shot on net from the right dot.
Brooke Carlson
Governor's, 1/2009, F, left shot, 5-8
Hometown: North Andover, Mass.
Carlson used her frame well to protect the puck and win battles around the offensive zone. She was in good positions, kept plays alive and facilitated play in cycles. She had a great look on the doorstep, driving to the front and getting a pass from Mia Daley behind the net in a bang-bang play. Later, Carlson made a great steal out high in the offensive zone, and she quickly found McCool at the far side, who fed Daley at the backdoor for a strong chance.
Megan Carlson
Governor's, 1/2009, D, left shot, 5-6
Hometown: North Andover, Mass.
Carlson's speed, agility and vision helped her stand out on the back end, and it led to a pair of goals on Saturday. The first came when she jumped into the play and scored with a quick wrister from the slot. The second came when she made herself available at the far point for a dish from Jane Daley before firing a low wrister through traffic. Later, Carlson had an excellent regroup outside the offensive blue line. With quick hands and a tight turn, she spun out of pressure, walked right back in, stutter-stepped and got a quality shot. It was a slick sequence.
FINAL 40: Here's who made Mass. Hockey's girls Final 40
Reese Engel
Nobles, 06/2009, D, left shot
Hometown: Westwood, Mass.
Engel was steady and smart on the blue line on a pair with Tatum Friedholm (Sudbury, Mass.). Engel kept things simple and made good decisions. She made good breakout passes and picked her spots to be aggressive effectively, including a good pinch where she easily kept the puck in with her long reach. One play that stood out was when Engel got the puck from Friedholm in a reverse behind the net before taking the skating lane up ice for an exit. She found an outlet coming over center ice, which led to a clean entry and an extended shift in the attacking end.
Bella Freitas
Cushing, 08/2009, F, right shot
Hometown: Everett, Mass.
Freitas was all over the ice, typically on a line with Jane Daley. The two of them worked well together and constantly created offense. Freitas' shot looked noticeably heavier, too. One of her best plays came when she stole the puck in the neutral zone and drove right back in for a 2-on-1. She looked off the pass and tried to go short-side, dropping to a knee for a laser wrist shot to the top left corner. It rang the crossbar, but it would have been a sweet goal. Later, Freitas had an excellent backcheck, tracking back to stymie Ainsley Mills (Easton, Mass.) and prevent a shot on the partial break.
Mia Daley
Williston Northampton, 2009, F, right shot
Hometown: Lynnfield, Mass.
Practically every time Daley was on the ice, she was part of a Grade-A scoring chance. She constantly got to the scoring areas to set herself and others up for good looks. She set up Lily Bromley's (Carlisle, Mass.) goal on a 2-on-1, pouncing on a breakdown and slipping an excellent pass to her tape. Later, Daley got lost in space in front of the net, parking herself in front for a strong redirect. Daley should have had a goal when she drove an open lane to the right of the crease, getting wide open for McCool's tap pass from the far circle, but the shot wouldn't go.
Avah Miller
Team Long Island, 8/9/2009, D, right shot
Hometown: Plymouth, Mass.
Miller was excellent moving the puck on defense. Every time I looked up, she was skating the puck up herself, weaving through lanes with quick feet and moving up ice quickly. Her head was always up, scanning the ice for her options. She got an easy goal off one of her rushes, making full use of some wide-open space off the rush and picking the top right corner. Later, Miller had a great stick in front of her net, reacting quickly and breaking up a centering feed for Caroline Sullivan (Walpole, Mass.).
INSIDE THE PROCESS: What it’s like to be recruited in women’s college hockey
Elizabeth Orszulak
Loomis Chaffee, 7/30/2009, D, right shot
Hometown: Longmeadow, Mass.
Orszulak handled forechecks and pressure in the defensive zone very well. She was calm and communicated well with her defense partners and low forwards. She didn't overhandle pucks, making quick reverses or finding quick outlets. Orszulak did a great job of spinning off body contact and protecting pucks.
Molly Bardol
Cushing, 1/20/2009, F, left shot, 5-7
Hometown: Walpole, Mass.
Bardol gave the opposition fits in transition and on the forecheck, making good reads, putting herself into passing lanes and beating defenders to pucks. She consistently forced turnovers and kept plays alive in the attacking zone. Late on Saturday, she forced two turnovers in the corners in the offensive zone, one of which produced extended pressure and a couple of chances. Earlier, she got a partial break after stripping a puck-carrier just outside the offensive blue line.
Mattison Sherman
Boston Advantage, 2009, D, left shot
Hometown: Hanover, Mass.
Sherman showcased some good mobility on the back end. Early on, she made good outlet passes. When those weren't there, she took advantage of skating lanes and led some solid rushes. Later, Sherman played a 1-on-1 with Mia Daley perfectly. Despite the size mismatch, Sherman stepped up and separated Daley from the puck as she tried to deke in alone. She paid a price and got dumped, but still broke up the play.
Alexa Georgantas
Nobles, 06/2009, F, left shot, 5-3
Hometown: Foxboro, Mass.
Georgantas was everywhere in the offensive zone, and her speed was a major factor. She hounded puck-carriers and forced turnovers, which led to quality chances. She was the beneficiary of a giveaway in the high slot, getting the puck back and easily picking the top right corner with a quick release. It was effortless.
