The Patsy K. Odden Invitational is always one of the highlights of the girls prep holiday tournament slate.
The 42nd iteration of the tournament figures to be no different.
You've got Loomis Chaffee, the defending Odden tournament and Elite 8 champs, along with Phillips Andover, who was runner-up at both the Odden and the Elite 8. Andover has made it to three straight Odden tournament championships, winning in 2022 and 2023. The two teams are among the top favorites in prep again this season.
You've also got Tabor. The rejuvenated Seawolves are on a mission to get back into the Elite 8 mix. Choate, Kent and Taft, meanwhile, are all among the contenders for playoff spots, too. Hotchkiss and Lawrenceville have yet to lose so far this season as well.
The action kicks off at Taft with the Round Robin stage on Thursday, Dec. 18, and the morning of Friday, Dec. 19. The third-place and championship games will be on Friday afternoon.
Here's the full schedule for the tournament. There are two divisions of four teams each.
Group A:Â Choate, Phillips Andover, Tabor, Taft
Group B:Â Hotchkiss, Kent, Lawrenceville, Loomis Chaffee
Thursday, Dec. 18
- Taft vs. Tabor, 9:30 a.m. (Odden Arena)
- Choate vs. Phillips Andover, 10 a.m. (Mays Rink)
- Loomis Chaffee vs. Lawrenceville, 11:15 a.m. (Odden Arena)
- Hotchkiss vs. Kent, 11:45 a.m. (Mays Rink)
- Taft vs. Phillips Andover, 2 p.m. (Odden Arena)
- Tabor vs. Choate, 2:30 p.m. (Mays Rink)
- Lawrenceville vs. Hotchkiss, 4 p.m. (Odden Arena
- Loomis Chaffee vs. Kent, 4:30 p.m. (Mays Rink)
Friday, Dec. 19
- Taft vs. Choate, 9:30 a.m. (Odden Arena)
- Phillips Andover vs. Tabor, 10 a.m. (Mays Rink)
- Kent vs. Lawrenceville, 11:15 a.m. (Odden Arena)
- Hotchkiss vs. Loomis Chaffee, 11:45 a.m. (Mays Rink)
- Third-place game: Group A runner-up vs. Group B runner-up, 2:45 p.m. (Mays Rink)
- Championship: Group A winner vs. Group B winner, 2:45 p.m. (Odden Arena)
Now, let's dive into the top storylines to watch at this year's Odden tournament.
1. Can Loomis Chaffee repeat?
In one corner, you've got Loomis Chaffee. The Pelicans entered the year as our No. 1 team, but slipped to fourth after a season-opening loss to then-No. 4 Nobles. Liz Leyden's group bounced back with a big, 3-1 win over No. 7 Deerfield and a resounding 10-0 triumph at Canterbury.
Make no mistake, Loomis is still very much a favorite in prep.
The Pelicans' top guns have led the way so far with reigning Elite 8 MVP Lindsay Stepnowski (South Glastonbury, Conn.) scoring over two points per game. She has seven points (five goals) in three contests. Annie Schwarz (Fairfield, Conn.) has five points (four assists) so far, too. Newcomers Scarlett Robertson (Fairfield, Conn.) and Lexi Buco (North Providence, R.I.) have been strong, too. Loomis' X-factor is a deep blue line that includes Megan Hosman, Carly Dann (Hanover, N.H.), Alexine Beaulieu (Hudson, N.H.) and Hattie Willard. Add two strong goalies in Adeline Roper (Kennebunkport, Maine) and Emily Hosman and the Pelicans are strong throughout.
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Loomis will face Lawrenceville, Kent and Hotchkiss in the Round Robin. Neither opponent will be easy, but the Pelicans are well-positioned for another march to the PKO championship game.
2. Can Phillips Andover continue PKO tourney dominance?
Andover took over the top spot in our first in-season rankings. At the time of writing, they're 1-0-1 after a 6-0 win over Groton and a 2-2 draw with No. 6 Dexter Southfield. The Big Blue will also host Austin Prep on Tuesday before opening the Odden tournament on Thursday.
Andover's road to a fourth straight title game appearance will be tough as Choate, Taft and Tabor stand in the way during the Round Robin.
Like Loomis, the Big Blue have the pieces to separate themselves from the pack. Maggie Averill (Wayland, Mass.) has four points (three goals) to begin the season, leading a blue line that includes Sienna DeAngelis, Kimee Duplessis (Framingham, Mass.) and Sienna Glass (Andover, Mass.). Sarah Powers (Lynnfield, Mass.) and Keira Bruen (West Roxbury, Mass.) each have three points in two games, helping lead the top-six forward group along with Caroline Averill (Wayland, Mass.) and Lilly McInerney (North Reading, Mass.). Marie Lee (Southboro, Mass.) is a promising prospect in net, too.
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3. Tabor with something to prove
The Seawolves took a step back last season, failing to reach the Elite 8 for the first time since 2016. Eric Long's group still reached the Large School field as the fifth seed before falling in the championship.
But Tabor has as good a chance as any team outside last season's Elite 8 field to get back into the top tournament. A tough slate in the Round Robin this week offers a big proving ground. The Seawolves will open against Taft before taking on Choate and Andover.
Tabor has taken care of business so far, with wins over Portsmouth Abbey, No. 9 Rivers, Lawrence Academy, and Groton, boasting a 12-3 differential.
They've benefitted from a deep attack with the likes of Sofia Nardelli (Cranston, R.I.), Lilly Shaughnessy (Medfield, Mass.), Dawson Styles (South Hamilton, Mass.), Jen Birolini (Pembroke, Mass.), Ashley Piersol (Marblehead, Mass.) and Grace Hildebrandt (Norwell, Mass.) among those leading the way. Defender Mirella Martinelli (North Providence, R.I.) and Evelyn Lacey (Braintree, Mass.) have lived up to expectations as newcomers, too.
Group A poses a tough road for Tabor, but the Seawolves have had an ideal start to the season. They've got the structure, balance and goaltending to get it done and give a favorite like Andover a challenge.
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4. How do playoff hopefuls Choate, Kent and Taft stack up?
Of these three, Kent was the only one to qualify for the postseason last winter, reaching the Large School semis as the sixth seed. Choate narrowly missed the Large field, as did Taft.
Taft is off to a 2-1-0 start with a 4-1 win over Milbrook and a 5-1 win over Frederick Gunn, bookending a 2-1 loss to Lawrenceville. The Rhinos have a sizable crop of underclassmen (nine) with several already making impacts, be it forward Sophie Um or defenders Olivia Wieners and Kami Moors (Simsbury, Conn.). Upperclassmen forwards Julianna Picard (Madison, Conn.) and Juliette Lebel are key to watch, too.
Choate, meanwhile, is 1-1 after a 4-1 win over Lawrence Academy before playing No. 3 Nobles to a tight, 2-1 loss. The Wild Boars' top players have been just that so far, with Kate Tortorella (Westport, Conn.), Annie Forker (Stratford, Conn.), Natalie Beach (Darien, Conn.) and Maggie Swanson (Fairfield, Conn.) leading the charge. Forker has goals in both games, while Tortorella had a three-point showing against LA. Senior goalie Noel Schaab (Sherman, Conn.) has been excellent, too, with a .952 save percentage over two starts. She made 43 saves against Nobles. Julianna Iannace and Sophia Lind (Madison, Conn.) help bolster the blue line alongside Tortorella, too, while youngster Victoire Devillers (Darien, Conn.) is a skilled prospect up front.
Neither Taft nor Choate will have an easy path in Group A. But competitive showings could go a long way for either, especially if some bounces and results go their way.
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As for Kent, the Lions have a shot to make noise in Group B, especially if they can take it to Loomis.
They bounced back from a 2-0 loss versus Berkshire with a 3-1 win over Westminster. Senior Maddie Leonard had two goals and an assist against Westminster, and sophomore Olivia Machan scored, too. Upperclassmen like forwards Ainsley Moffitt, Chloe Pittinaro and Anika Berry, as well as defenders in Leonard, Penelope Davies and Kate McKiernan (Glastonbury, Conn.), will be key for the Lions. Count senior goalie Delia Logan (Hanover, Mass.) among the X-factors as well after two solid outings.
5. Lawrenceville and Hotchkiss' players to watch
Coming off a four-win season last winter, Hotchkiss enters the week with a 1-0-2 record with a 1-0 win over Hoosac, a 1-1 tie with Gunn and a 2-2 tie with Lawrenceville. Junior Allison Sha scored against Gunn and Hoosac. She's among Hotchkiss' top skaters, along with juniors Marygrace Lawry (Westfield, Mass.), Cadence Fasano (Cheshire, Conn.) and Emma Harrison (Milford, Conn.). Both senior goalie Nikki Ferraro (Cheshire, Conn.) and sophomore Gabby Blier (Cheshire, Conn.) will be vital to Hotchkiss at the PKO, too. Blier was at National 15 camp this past summer.
Lawrenceville, currently 2-0-1, features a handful of intriguing young prospects. Defender K. Reagan Brown (Stamford, Conn.) and forward Lyla Picker were among the '09s at National 16/17 camp, while '10 defender Olivia Friedberg was at National 15 camp.
6. Top uncommitted prospects to track
There will be plenty of high-end college commits to watch at the PKO this week, whether it's any of Loomis or Andover's stars, Martinelli, Lacey, Forker and more. But what about the uncommitted prospects?
These uncommitted juniors and seniors are worth keeping an eye on at the Odden tournament.
Top among the list is Tabor's Birolini. A goal-scorer, Birolini has the tools to be a Division 1 player, and she's produced at every level, whether at Tabor, Pembroke in the MIAA or with a loaded Mass. Spitfires squad.
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With Andover, you've got a pair of junior defenders in Sienna DeAngelis and Sienna Glass (Andover, Mass.) DeAngelis is a quick, offensive defender who was a top player in New Jersey high school hockey last season, putting up 49 points with Trinity Hall. Glass, meanwhile, is a steady presence who makes smart decisions. Don't overlook senior forward Maddie Greenwood (Duxbury, Mass.), either. She's a strong forechecker with a heavy shot.
Easton Pramuka and Brooke Murphy are a pair of juniors to track with Loomis. The two are part of a stout third line with sophomore Elyse Harris, excelling on the forecheck and creating chances around the net. Pramuka was a key producer last season with 15 points.
Hotchkiss' Sha impressed with the 16U Mid Fairfield Stars in the fall, and she's parlayed it into a strong start to the season. Iannace, who is a key piece of Choate's defense, has impressed in the past with the 19U Connecticut Polar Bears with her hockey IQ and ability to get shots on net from distance.
Taft's Picard has already exceeded her point total from last season (three), while Lebel is poised for a breakout year after just five points last winter. Brooke McLaughlin (Wilbraham, Mass.) is a fun player to watch, too, standing at 5-foot-10. The senior had 10 points (six goals) last season and does a ton around the net and protects pucks from defenders, thanks to her reach.
