The midpoint of the Massachusetts girls high school hockey season is upon us.
There have already been plenty of fireworks this season, be it ranked matchups, upsets and a thrilling Tenney Cup.
If we’ve learned one thing, it’s that anybody can beat anybody in what is shaping up to be a deep landscape across the MIAA.
Plenty of the usual suspects are in the mix, while there are other teams on the rise to track.
Here’s a look at what we’ve learned, and what we’ll be looking for in the stretch run before champions are crowned on March 15.
All stats and records are as of Jan. 28.
As good as advertised
1. Methuen/Tewksbury: We ranked the Red Rangers fourth in the preseason. Currently No. 1 in our rankings, Methuen/Tewksbury (11-0-1) has lived up to the hype. We knew goalie Lydia Barnes would be the bedrock of their success, and that might still be an understatement as the Red Rangers have allowed just three goals through 12 games, the fewest of any team in the entire state, boys or girls.
They’ve picked up critical wins over the likes of HPNA, Boston Latin (twice), Shawsheen/Bedford/Lowell and Billerica/Chelmsford with standouts Lyla Chapman, Ella Duffy, Sammy Ryan, Lauren Ryan, Sophia Barbosa and Annalise Blais leading the way. Methuen/Tewksbury was No. 4 in the MIAA’s latest Division 1 power rankings.
2. Milton: Milton, our preseason No. 5, also has met expectations, and then some. The high-flying Wildcats (13-1-0) have one of the MIAA’s most explosive offenses, scoring four or more goals in 11 of 14 games. The lone loss came against fellow D2 contender Duxbury in the Tenney Cup final, too.
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Sabrina Stone remains one of the state’s top scorers, while fellow leaders like Nayeli Thayer and Noelle Gorham have also picked up where they left off. Mia Cataruzolo and Maeve Lovett lead a contingent of young contributors, and sophomore goalie Caera Hart has been nearly unbeatable, coming off a terrific freshman year. Last year’s D2 runner-up looks to be out for revenge. The Wildcats were No. 1 in the MIAA’s latest Division 2 power rankings.
3. Notre Dame (Hingham): We knew NDA would be good, ranking them seventh entering the season. A month into the season, the Cougars remain a big factor in Division 1 at (9-1-3), despite playing one of the toughest schedules in the MIAA.
They’ve beaten quality teams in Duxbury, Hingham, Natick, Boston Latin, Malden Catholic, Archbishop Williams and Bishop Feehan, on top of ties with Bishop Stang, HPNA and Duxbury. The lone loss came against Archies. Goalie Erin Kral remains one of the state’s best as NDA’s eight goals against this season are among the fewest of any team in Massachusetts. The Cougars also have been able to count on experienced skaters like forwards Chase Harmon and Abby Gropman, plus defenders Ella Feherty and Kaitlyn Ryan. Young forward Abigail Burke has provided a boost as well. NDA was atop the latest D1 power rankings.
Three surprises
1. HPNA: Haverhill/Pentucket/North Andover wasn’t ranked in the preseason after graduating several key skaters, as well as its starting goalie. So far, it hasn’t mattered as the Lions are 11-1-2 and firmly in our top five. There are quality wins over Feehan, Malden Catholic, Billerica/Chelmsford (twice) and Boston Latin (twice), a one-goal loss to Methuen/Tewksbury and a tie with NDA.
Senior Mia Kmiec has seamlessly taken the reins, as has junior Charlotte Woodford. Sophomore Savannah Bissonnette and eighth-grader Taylor Bierschied also have stepped up. Most importantly, sophomore Chris Hinchcliffe hasn’t missed a beat in her first season as the starter. The Lions were fifth in the D1 power rankings.
2. Westwood: Westwood was in a similar boat as HPNA. One of the highest-flying teams in the state last season, the Wolverines were an unknown after key departures to graduation and prep school. None of it has mattered as Westwood sits inside our top 10 at 12-1-0. After the lone loss to Hingham, the Wolverines have stormed back with eight straight wins, including a win over reigning D2 champ Medfield, an upset of Duxbury and a shutout of Natick. Westwood also beat Longmeadow and Falmouth to win the Falmouth Holiday Tournament earlier in the year.
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Another stingy, well-rounded group, Westwood has yielded only nine goals on the season while putting up four or more goals in seven of 13 games. Bridget Lewis, Abby Presley, Maggie Ash, Erin Gannon and Justine Connelly have been among those leading the way offensively, while Jennifer Lin has stepped up in the crease. Westwood was atop the first D2 power rankings.
3. The Patriot League’s depth: You usually can count on Hingham and Duxbury emerging from the Patriot League as two of the state’s very best. But the Harborwomen (10-3-1) and Dragons (11-4-1) have plenty of company this season. Norwell/Scituate/Abington (7-4-1), Hanover (9-5-0) and Pembroke (13-1-0) all have sprinted out of the gates. Marshfield (5-8-0) isn’t to be overlooked, either, despite a rough start. NSA handed Duxbury its first loss a month ago and split with Hanover. Pembroke has one of the top offenses in the MIAA with 64 total goals. It beat NSA and Hanover in addition to a one-goal loss against Duxbury. Hannah D’Angelo, as well as Addison and Emma Nee, have been terrific. Pembroke was No. 4 in the D2 power rankings. Scituate was 14th, and Hanover was 17th.
Three questions for the stretch run
1. How good is Algonquin/Hudson? The unranked Titans have come out firing with a 13-0-0 record, grabbing hold of the No. 1 spot in the MIAA’s first few D1 power rankings. As of Jan. 27's power rankings, the Titans are No. 3. Some of their best wins include Pope Francis (twice), Natick and Shrewsbury (twice). Algonquin/Hudson’s 61 goals-for are third in all of MIAA girls hockey, too, thanks in large part to senior Maddy Glynn, who leads an offense that has averaged over four goals per game. Goalie Addy Cagan has been strong, too, along with the top pair of Amanda Perry and Sara Albanese. Annabelle Preciado and Emily Kazmierczak have been instrumental in a productive freshman class. So, how good are the Titans? Matchups with Natick, NDA, Feehan, and Westford will provide key litmus tests before the postseason.
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2. Can Bishop Stang or Medfield make deep runs again? Last year’s playoffs were all about the Cinderella runs. Bishop Stang reached the D1 final as the 15th seed before falling to top-seeded Hingham. Medfield, meanwhile, won Division 2 as the 13th seed over sixth-seeded Milton. Can Stang and Medfield find similar magic? Right now, it looks like they could.
Stang is eighth in the D1 power rankings. At 11-2-1, the Spartans lead the Catholic Central League, boasting wins over Archies and Arlington Catholic, plus a tie with NDA. Vivienne Melo has been terrific in net again, while freshman Tenley Simmons has stepped up. Olivia Medeiros, Kyra Brouillard and Alexis Pettinato are key producers. As for Medfield, at 8-6-0, the Warriors still are searching for consistency but remain a factor, coming in at No. 8 in the latest D2 power rankings. Senior goalie Kamryn Perachi was the foundation of last year’s run, and she’s started well as a senior. Genna McDonald, Kate Grzeskowiak and Leah Carlson lead the offense.
3. What about Hingham and Duxbury? Two perennial forces in their respective divisions, Hingham and Duxbury, are firmly in the mix again. Can they separate from the pack down the stretch?
The Harborwomen, fresh off a Division 1 title, remain a championship contender, ranking seventh in the power rankings. Their lone blemishes were a tie with Belmont and losses to Milton, Duxbury and NDA. Otherwise, Hingham has put up big wins over MC, Westwood, Archies, Hanover and Marshfield. Callie Crean has been a force to begin the season, and Hannah Lasch remains a premier contributor. Freshman Maggie Pollenz has immediately put up big numbers, while goalies Izzi Puleo and Izzy McGarr have both given Hingham quality minutes in the crease.
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As for Duxbury, just a year removed from back-to-back D2 titles, the Dragons remain a favorite themselves with a résumé that includes a Tenney Cup title over Milton, a tie with NDA and wins over Pembroke, MC, Hingham and Marshfield, among others. Duxbury was third in the D2 power rankings. Experienced skaters like Addy Harrington, Alannah Gallagher, Lucia Rose, Shae Martin and Ceci Tremante have been key, while an exciting freshman class has provided a big spark. Goalie Brooklyn Metzler and defender Abby Carter are among the youngsters coming through.
Key dates:
- Feb. 21: Brackets release
- Feb. 23: Tournaments begin
- March 15: Finals at TD Garden
