MANCHESTER, N.H. – Although Taft was the top seed in the NEPSAC Martin/Earl Large School Tournament, the Rhinos were arguably underdogs in two of their three playoff games.
Taft toppled Kent, the defending Martin/Earl Large School champion, in the first round. After easily dispatching Tabor in the semifinal, the Rhinos had to overcome Salisbury, the behemoth of the prep hockey world.
Coach Ryan Shannon’s team did just that Sunday, by a score of 3-2, at Sullivan Arena on the campus of Saint Anselm College. Yale commit and star goaltender Rudy Guimond was the ultimate hero with his play between the pipes and defenseman Alexander Kenerson provided the game-winning goal in overtime.
Below is a look at the NEPSAC Martin/Earl Large School Tournament Most Valuable Player and All-Tournament Team, as selected by New England Hockey Journal's Jeff Cox.
Most Valuable Player
Rudy Guimond, Taft
All-Tournament Team
Rudy Guimond
Taft, 5/19/05, G, catches left, 6-3/180
NCAA: Yale
Guimond, from Kirkland, Quebec, made countless big saves throughout the season. A kick save in the second period Sunday when the game was tied 1-1 stood out as a highlight. He stood tall, and made saves look easy by being square to shooters and cutting down on angles. He’s aggressive and challenges shooters at the top of the crease. There wasn’t a better goaltender in all of prep school hockey this season than Guimond.
FULL SCHEDULES AND BRACKETS: Elite 8 | Large School | Small SchoolÂ
Alexander Kenerson
Taft, 1/25/05, D, right shot, 5-8/150
Kenerson’s offensive impact increased in each of the three postseason games. He had an assist in the quarterfinal win over Kent before dishing out two helpers in the semifinal victory against Tabor. In the final, he jumped into a scramble above the goalmouth, dug out a loose puck, and buried it. The puck hitting the twine sent his team into a wild celebration. He’s on the smaller side, but his skating, mobility and stick are all above average for this level. He’ll be a target for NESCAC schools looking for offensive defensemen in 2024-25.
Quinn McCall
Salisbury, 1/12/05, D, right shot, 5-11/150
NCAA: Holy Cross
McCall, a former Chicago Mission blue liner, concluded his only season at Salisbury with a positive showing on Sunday. He skated well and made smart plays on the breakout. He kept it simple and pushed pucks north. What impressed me most was his physical play. He delivered a couple of big hip checks to knock Taft players off the puck in the first period. The St. John, Ind., native will be a good player for Holy Cross in a few years.
CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY: Avon Old Farms wins Elite 8 | Taft wins Large School | Lawrence Academy wins Small School
Jackson Holl
Taft, 12/5/03, RW, right shot, 5-8/170
NCAA: Bowdoin
Holl scored Taft’s second goal by banking a shot off a Salisbury defender and was on the ice and had an assist on the game-winning goal in overtime. The Avon, Conn., native is an undersized winger with skill, creativity and skating prowess. Prior to Sunday, he scored three goals and had an assist against Kent and a goal and two assists versus Tabor. He finished the season with 18 goals and 33 assists for 51 points.
Derek Tremblay
Taft, 2/18/05, LW, left shot, 5-11/185
Tremblay is one of the younger standout skaters on a Taft team full of older players. From Quebec, his skating is very good as he can accelerate and separate from opposing defenders. He’s a playmaker who was feeding teammates all game, as he did prior to Holl’s goal. He had three goals and two assists in the first two postseason games.
Jared Rothman
Salisbury, 9/21/06, C, right shot, 5-11/160
Rothman hadn’t found the score sheet in either of Salisbury’s first two playoff games, but he had a goal and an assist on Sunday. As I wrote at the Berkshire Jamboree, his skating has continued to improve. He showed that Sunday, but what also stood out were his offensive instincts. He had a secondary assist on the first goal and he scored on a nice redirect off a point shot. Rothman, from Chappaqua, N.Y., is a goal scorer who finds a way to be in the right place at the right time.
