When I watched Kent forward Jack Broderick tally the game-tying and (eventual) game-winning goal against then-No. 1 Dexter Southfield on Saturday, I knew we were in for a top-five shake-up.
So here we go.
Our first in-season rankings are here. No team in the top five is where they were in our preseason rankings. That's largely due to Kent, but it's still notable.
The bottom five teams didn't change all that much, although a new team joined the fray, as well as another new team in the "In the hunt" section.
There weren't many teams in the Next 15 who had compelling cases for the top 10. That will likely change in the next few weeks, especially once the holiday tournaments arrive.
For the first time this season, let's dive in.
1. Kimball Union (6-0-0)
Previous ranking: 2
Head coach: Tim Whitehead
Next game: at Proctor, Dec. 10, 4:30 p.m.Â
Kimball Union started its season on Nov. 19, and, to no one's surprise, has been busy winning. It began with 6-1 wins over Bishop's College School and The Hill School. The Wildcats beat Stanstead College, 5-3, before taking down Vermont Academy, 4-0, on Wednesday. Things were close this weekend at the Phillips Exeter Invitational, but they still took care of business, beating Rivers, 2-1, and then-No. 7 Brunswick, 3-2.
Senior forward Josh Phillips leads the team in points with 10, and junior forward Conal Mulkerrin has six goals in six games. Mulkerrin was with Hingham (MIAA) last winter.
2. St. Mark's (3-0-0)
Previous ranking: 3
Head coach: Carl Corazzini
Next game: at Worcester Academy, Dec. 10, 4 p.m.Â
The Lions opened play with an 11-0 win over Académie Saint-Louis before Thanksgiving. But they really move up because of a 7-2 win over then-No. 15 Milton Academy and a 6-3 victory against then-No. 11 Winchendon. Providence College commit Caiden Pellegrino (Uxbridge, Mass.) has hit another level (or two), leading the region with 12 points in just three games. Sophomore forward Keith Olympia (Sudbury, Mass.) also appears to have taken a step, with eight assists and nine points so far.
3. Kent (3-0-0)
Previous ranking: 5
Head coach: Dale Reinhardt
Next game: vs. Brunswick, Dec. 10, 2:30 p.m.Â
Kent made a statement this weekend, taking down then-No. 1 Dexter Southfield, 3-2. The Lions also notched a 6-1 win over Hoosac and a 4-2 victory against a New Hampton team that took down Winchendon last week. Uncommitted senior forward Will Schlechtweg has been outstanding, with four goals and 10 points. His play (and shot) should put pressure on Division 1 colleges to offer. Cornell commit Jack Broderick is right behind him with nine points.
Junior goalie Donovan Dunlay was sensational in beating Dexter, making 35 stops.
READ MORE: 9 takeaways from Dexter’s 4-1 win over Cushing
4. Dexter Southfield (2-1-1)
Previous ranking: 1
Head coach: Danny Donato
Next game: vs. Phillips Exeter, Dec. 10, 3:15 p.m.Â
Dexter's season got off to a good start with a 4-2 win over Phillips Andover and a 4-1 victory at Cushing. But it was a tough weekend in Exeter, with the loss to Kent on Saturday and a 4-4 tie to Frederick Gunn on Sunday. I didn't see the tie against Frederick Gunn, but I was at the matchup with Kent. While Dexter did itself no favors in the final three minutes of the game, Dunlay was absurd.
I still think Dexter is the best team in the region on paper. But it's up to them to prove it.
5. Avon Old Farms (2-0-0)
Previous ranking: 4
Head coach: Mark Naclerio
Next game: vs. Taft, Dec. 10, 4:45 p.m.Â
Avon fell one spot through no fault of its own. The Winged Beavers did nothing wrong. They opened the season with a 1-0 win over then-No. 16 Williston Northampton and followed that with a 4-0 victory against then-No. 18 St. George's. What a start to his senior year for goalie Anthony Palmer. The Lynnfield, Mass., native stopped 27 shots to beat Williston and 22 to take down St. George's. Junior forward Nico Ciardiello (Guilford, Conn.) also registered a hat trick against St. George's.
6. Salisbury (2-0-0)
Previous ranking: 6
Head coach: Andrew Will
Next game: vs. Millbrook, Dec. 8, 5:30 p.m.Â
The Crimson Knights took on Albany Academy and won, 8-2, on Nov. 19. They picked play back up on Wednesday, taking down then-No. 20 Taft, 5-1. Junior forward Luca Desjardins, a touted '09, is off to a great start, as he picked up five points in the win over Albany Academy and registered an assist in the win over Taft. Hotchkiss will be a legitimate test this Wednesday.
READ MORE: What’s the state of boys prep hockey?
7. Brunswick (2-2-0)
Previous ranking: 7
Head coach: Mike Kennedy
Next game: at Kent, Dec. 10, 2:30 p.m.Â
Yes, Brunswick lost twice, falling to Loomis Chaffee, 2-1, with goalie Markus Weber making 34 saves, and losing to then-No. 2 Kimball Union, 3-2, on Sunday. But the Bruins also convincingly crushed then-No. 18 St. George's, 6-1, on Nov. 21 and Phillips Exeter, 5-1, on Saturday. Brunswick was like Jerry Seinfeld in the famous Seinfeld episode, "The Opposite" — Even Steven. They lost two, but smoothed that out with two wins. For that, Brunswick stays put at No. 7.
8. Cushing (1-2-0)
Previous ranking: 8
Head coach: Dan Fontas
Next game: at Williston Northampton, Dec. 10, 4:30 p.m.Â
The Penguins were outplayed by Dexter on Wednesday in a 4-1 loss, but bounced back with a big, 2-1 win over then-No. 11 Winchendon on Friday. That win, however, was spoiled by a 3-2 loss vs. Stanstead College on Saturday. One of the big highlights has been freshman goalie Mason Raycroft, an '09. The Wellesley, Mass., native made 36 saves against Dexter and 38 against Winchendon.
9. Berkshire (3-1-0)
Previous ranking: 9
Head coach: Kevin Czepiel
Next game: at Canterbury, Dec. 10, 2:30 p.m.Â
Berkshire most recently fell to Taft, 5-2, on Saturday, but was coming off a stretch of beating Académie Saint-Louis, Hebron and Albany Academy by a combined score of 25-0. It's not a huge surprise that senior forwards James McMurray, Matt Lacombe (Marlboro, Mass.) and Jonah Rainisch are off to hot starts with point totals of 11, 10 and nine, respectively.
READ MORE: 5 takeaways from Belmont Hill's win over Nobles
10. Belmont Hill (2-0-0)
Previous ranking: 12
Head coach: Brian Phinney
Next game: vs. Governor's Academy, Dec. 10, 3 p.m.Â
Belmont Hill was the only team on my Next 15 rankings that did enough to get in. On Sunday, the Sextants played like a Top-10 team with a 7-1 win over then-No. 21 Nobles. Belmont Hill also opened the season with a 4-1 win over Northfield Mount Hermon. If their underclassmen continue to produce at the rate they are, Belmont Hill should be a Top-10 regular.
Dropped out:Â Deerfield (0-1-0; 10)
In the hunt:Â Deerfield, Pomfret, Winchendon, Holderness, Taft, Williston Northampton
