Anything can happen in the MIAA tournaments.
That wasn't necessarily the case last season as the No. 2 St. Mary's won in Division 1, while No. 1 Duxbury repeated in Division 2.
Nevertheless, there was plenty of drama along the way. SMH needed three overtimes in a marathon thriller against Notre Dame (Hingham). They also came close to upsets against seventh-seeded Shrewsbury and 11th-seeded Archbishop Williams. In D1 alone, four of the top 10 seeds didn't make it to the quarterfinals.
Duxbury's run in D2 almost ended in the quarterfinals in a one-goal win over Milton, then the No. 9 seed. You also had a No. 11 seed in Marshfield knocking off No. 3 Burlington in the D2 quarterfinals, and No. 27 Leominster taking down No. 6 Longmeadow in the first round.
So, what about this season? There's been plenty of parity around the region once again, and it's a perfect time to take stock of where things stand, especially with the end of the regular season in just about two weeks. Before we know it, the brackets will be released on Feb. 22, and the tournaments will begin on Feb. 24.
In this story, we’ll look at the favorites in D1 and D2, the teams who will contend near the top and some sleeper teams who could make noise further down the depth chart.
Let's dive in.
Favorites
Division 1
Hingham (15-0-1):Â The Harborwomen were perfect up until a tie with Duxbury this week. Nevertheless, Hingham has been the team to beat in Division 1 for practically the entire season. They've beaten top teams like Malden Catholic twice, Notre Dame (Hingham) twice, Duxbury and Archbishop Williams. The Harborwomen can score with the best of them as their 74 total goals are the most in Division 1. They've put up four or more goals in 11 of 16 games and given up more than two just three times.
Hingham also boasts the state's best player in Caroline Doherty, who has 28 goals and 41 points this season, rewriting Hingham's record books in the process. Fellow senior Addy Garrity and sophomores Hannah Lasch and Callie Crean have helped lead a potent top six, too. On defense, sophomore Shea Richardson and junior CC Flynn are strong three-zone threats. Junior Izzy McGarr and sophomore Izzi Puleo have gotten the job done in net, too.
Notre Dame (Hingham) (8-3-2):Â The Cougars, last year's runners-up, have had one of the strongest schedules in the state with wins over the likes of Duxbury, Bishop Feehan, Canton, Sandwich and Natick. They've also lost to Hingham (twice), lost to Archies and tied Malden Catholic. The remaining schedule also features Duxbury and St. Mary's. Their opponent rating (1.5241) is the highest of anyone in both the Division 1 and 2 power rankings. Needless to say, NDA will be battle-tested entering the tournament.
NDA has talent and depth everywhere, too. Freshman Jocelyn Gray (Hanover, Mass.) has been fantastic this season, while seniors Sarah White (Hanover, Mass.), Emily Coughlin (Marshfield, Mass.) and Morgan Brady (Middleboro, Mass.) offer high-end experience up front. On defense, freshman Emma Burke (Braintree, Mass.) and sophomore Ella Faherty (Hanover, Mass.) are sizable puck-movers. Erin Kral (Whitman, Mass.) has been excellent in the crease with a 0.93 save percentage.
Malden Catholic (9-2-3):Â Coming off a trip to the Division 1 semis last year, the Lancers are right back in the mix. Their strong results include wins over Duxbury, Bishop Feehan, St. Mary's, Arlington and Sandwich, as well as ties against Archies, NDA and Haverhill/Pentucket/North Andover. Their only losses have been to Hingham, and their 1.3751 opponent rating is the second-highest of any team in the state. Save for a matchup against Peabody/Lynnfield/North Reading, MC has a chance to build momentum entering the postseason.
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Juniors Nevin Mustone (Medford, Mass.), Abbie Poole (Wakefield, Mass.), Elle Ferguson (Natick, Mass.) and senior Alyssa Jankowski (Medford, Mass.) have been among the experienced forwards leading the way for MC. On the back end, senior Ava Baker (North Reading, Mass.) is an X-factor with her ability to rise to the occasion in big moments. She has 15 points from the blue line. In net, Megan Mullarky (Wilmington, Mass.) boasts a 1.25 goals-against average.
Division 2
Duxbury (11-3-2):Â The back-to-back defending champions are in a prime spot to make it a three-peat. They've played arguably the toughest schedule in D2 and beaten quality teams, be it Archies, Sandwich, Milton and more. Duxbury's losses have been to Hingham, NDA and MC, while they also tied Hingham. A tough remaining schedule will keep Dan Najarian's group sharp heading into the playoffs.
Few teams have the type of depth that the Dragons do among their forwards. Zoey Madigan and Addy Harrington each have over 20 points, while Maeve Gallagher, Shae Martin and Meg Carney have also been impact scorers. Freshman Ceci Tremante has had a strong debut season, too. On defense, Sami Norton is a premier two-way defender, and Alannah Gallagher has had a good season at both ends of the ice. They'll need Carina Perry to be at her best in the crease.
Westwood (15-0-1):Â Nobody in the state has a more explosive offense than Westwood. The Wolverines' 90 total goals are the most of any girls team in the state and the second-most of any team in all of MIAA hockey. They've scored at least four goals in every game this season and put up five or more in 11. They've also only surrendered more than one goal just three times. After opening the year with a tie, Westwood has 15 straight wins, including Falmouth, Canton and King Philip.
Kate Sullivan, Julia Marino and Bridget Lewis have helped lead the way offensively for the Wolverines, who sit atop the Division 2 power rankings.
Contenders
Division 1
Archbishop Williams (10-4-2):Â The Bishops opened the season 1-3-0, but once the calendar flipped to 2025, they caught fire. Archies is unbeaten in five straight (3-0-2) as part of a 9-1-2 run since Jan. 1, which also included a five-game win streak. They've split with Sandwich and St. Mary's in addition to wins over NDA, Bishop Feehan and Milton. Their losses to Sandwich, Hingham and Duxbury were all one-goal affairs, too. They've played a tough schedule and sit fifth in the D1 power rankings.
There's plenty of experience left from last season's team that made a run to the semifinals, including senior goalie Kate McLeish (Dedham, Mass.) and the program's all-time leading scorer in senior Caroline Batchelder (Braintree, Mass.). Other experienced veterans and young up-and-comers alike have gotten it done, too, be it freshman forward Izzy O'Brien (Holbrook, Mass.), senior forward Shea Nolan (Quincy, Mass.), freshman forward Julie Murphy (Canton, Mass.) or junior defenders Aliya Greenwood (Dedham, Mass.) and Kendyl Nolan (Quincy, Mass.).
Methuen/Tewksbury (14-0-2): The Red Rangers have been a top-five team in our rankings all season, sporting an undefeated record with key wins over HPNA, Billerica/Chelmsford (twice), Winthrop, Andover and Shrewsbury. They also tied Andover and HPNA. They sit No. 6 in the MIAA D1 power rankings, and their finishing schedule offers them a chance to stay undefeated going into the tournament. Lyla Chapman (Tewksbury, Mass.) and MJ Petisce (Methuen, Mass.) are strong three-zone defenders for Methuen/Tewksbury, while Breena Lawrence (Methuen, Mass.), Sammy Ryan (Methuen, Mass.) and Sarah Marano have helped pace the forwards. Lydia Barnes (Tewksbury, Mass.) gives them a strong starter in the crease, too.
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Haverhill/Pentucket/North Andover (11-2-4): The Hillies, who are No. 4 in the power rankings, have been right there at the top of the Merrimack Valley/Dual County league with Methuen/Tewksbury and Billerica/Chelmsford. They've picked up wins over Andover, Shrewsbury (twice), Nauset/Monomoy and Woburn. They also tied Malden Catholic, Methuen/Tewksbury and Algonquin/Hudson in addition to losses against Methuen/Tewksbury and Billerica/Chelmsford. A finishing stretch that includes Andover, Billerica/Chelmsford and PLNR will tell us a lot about HPNA. Paige Nottingham (Merrimac, Mass.) is a game-breaking, dynamic talent on defense for HPNA, while the forward group has several weapons to fill the net, especially the top line of Quinn Bennett (North Andover, Mass.), Mia Kmiec (North Andover, Mass.) and Kendall LaRiviere (Haverhill, Mass.). Julianna Taylor (North Andover, Mass.) is a quality option in net, too.
Division 2
Milton (14-3-1): The Wildcats have momentum on their side, riding an 11-game unbeaten streak and a three-game winning streak. This latest stretch includes wins over solid teams like Natick, Needham and Martha's Vineyard (twice). Their only losses this season have been to true contenders like Duxbury, Bishop Feehan and Archies. Sabrina Stone (17 goals, 30 points), Nayeli Thayer (six goals, 21 points) and Molly Murphy (10 goals, 22 points) have paced Matt Lodi's group this season. They rank No. 6 in the D2 power rankings.
Woburn (10-5-0): The Tanners rank third in the D2 power rankings. They've won four of their last five, including wins over Burlington and Needham. Woburn's gone up against solid teams like PLNR, HPNA, Belmont, Reading and Melrose, going 3-4-0 in those matchups. Seniors Ella Spinazola, Kate Sullivan, Emme Flavin and Ava Makinen lead a team that features 11 underclassmen, including goalie Cadence Pearce.
Algonquin/Hudson (9-3-3): Algonquin/Hudson, who sit fourth in the D2 power rankings, is unbeaten in eight of its last 10, going 6-2-2 in that span. They've faced good teams like HPNA, Natick, Canton, PLNR, Shrewsbury and Pope Francis, going 3-3-2 in those tilts. They were right in it in losses to PLNR and Canton, falling in both, 1-0. The Titans' opponent rating of 0.4645 is the third-highest of any team in the top 10 of the D2 power rankings. Madelyn Glynn, Brooke Cutler, Ariya Tice and Shay O'Sullivan have been among those leading the way offensive this season.
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Auburn (11-2-4): Auburn ranks No. 5 in the D2 power rankings. They put Division 2 on notice with a 10-game unbeaten run to begin the season. Since that streak ended, the Rockets have kept pace, going 4-2-1 in their last seven. Freshman Chloe Lemay has been a force in the crease, while senior Olivia Viens is once again one of the most productive skaters in Central Mass. Freshman Giana Samalis has been strong this season as well. Auburn's toughest matchups have been against Leominster, Bishop Feehan, Plymouth and Bishop Stang. In those games, the Rockets went 1-2-2.
Sleepers
Division 1
Peabody/Lynnfield/North Reading (12-2-1):Â It's hard to call a team with a record as strong as the Tanners' a sleeper, but PLNR is currently the No. 11 seed in the D1 power rankings, thanks to losses to another strong team in Winthrop as well as Longmeadow (2-12-2). The Tanners have beaten the likes of Falmouth (twice), Woburn, Winthrop and Algonquin/Hudson. They also tied St. Mary's. PLNR's offense, led by Ava Buckley (Peabody, Mass.), Chloe Gromko (Lynnfield, Mass.), Mia Lava (Lynnfield, Mass.) and Shirley Whitmore (North Reading, Mass.) is capable of high-scoring outbursts. Plus, Alyse Mutti (North Reading, Mass.) gives the Tanners an all-important edge in net. Tricky matchups with MC and HPNA will be key proving grounds ahead of the postseason. PLNR could spell problems for opponents as a middle seed.
Winthrop (10-3-1): The Vikings, like PLNR, are in a prime spot to give higher seeds fits in the tournament, currently sitting No. 14 in the D1 power rankings. They split two tight games with the Tanners and gave Methuen/Tewksbury a tough test in a 2-1 loss last month. Talia Martucci is a premier scoring threat for Winthrop with two points per game (14 goals, 26 points), while Angela Coscia, Chloe Couture, Amelia Spencer and Tegan Pereira have made impactful contributions, too. The Vikings' remaining schedule offers them a chance to get hot entering the playoffs.
St. Mary's (7-9-1): Save for a win against Archies and a tie with Peabody, the Spartans struggled at the start of the season, going 2-6-1 in their first nine games. Since, they've picked up the pace with a 5-3-0 marker in their last eight contests. Aside from Shrewsbury, St. Mary's has faced the strongest slate of any team outside of the top five in the D1 power rankings with a 1.0781 opponent rating. Save for a split with Archies and a tie with PLNR, the Spartans have taken on the likes of Bishop Stang, Malden Catholic and Bishop Feehan.
Alyssa Norden (Peabody, Mass.), Keira Twomey (Melrose, Mass.) and Katy Sarazen (Melrose, Mass.) have been among returners leading the way, and sixth-grader Emma Doucette (Wakefield, Mass.) has turned heads as she leads a group of 12 underclassmen. Goalie Megan Donato (Stoneham, Mass.) has experience in the crease, too. The defending champions still have experience from last season's run, and they're battle-tested.
Division 2
Falmouth (9-6-0): The Clippers, last year's D2 runners-up, are in a position to do damage as a middle seed, currently ranked No. 9 in the power rankings. They've faced the second-toughest schedule of teams in the top 10 of the power rankings with a 0.5166 opponent rating. Falmouth's beaten the likes of Nauset (twice), Plymouth, Sandwich (twice) and Marshfield. Some of their losses have come against PLNR (twice), Martha's Vineyard and undefeated Westwood. Everything for the Clippers starts with the productive trio of sophomore Maeve Turner and seniors Casey Roth and Rylie Devlin. Each has over goal and two points per game with at least 16 goals and 32 points each in 15 games on the season. A closing stretch that includes Martha's Vineyard and Duxbury offers Falmouth a shot to turn some heads before the postseason.
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King Phillip (11-4-0): The Warriors turned heads with a seven-game winning streak early in the season, which included triumphs over Martha's Vineyard and Canton. They also boast a win over Medfield. KP could come out playing free and loose in the tournament with a roster that features zero seniors and 23 underclassmen. Forwards like freshman Annabelle Curran, eighth-grader Stephanie LeBlanc and sophomore Ella Morgan have been among the top producers. Meanwhile, junior goalie Kiki Lynch has been a force in the crease. The Warriors could pose the perfect storm as the tournament wears on. They're currently No. 14 in the D2 power rankings.
Canton (9-4-2): The Bulldogs are currently No. 16 in the D2 power rankings while facing one of the more difficult schedules in the field under first-year coach Marissa Massaro. Their losses have been to quality teams be it NDA, King Philip, Medfield or Westwood. Meanwhile, they've faired well in wins over Nauset and Algonquin in addition to a tie with Marshfield. Junior Kate Budway and freshman Keagan Gray have made up a good tandem in net. Whether it's forwards like junior Abby Stock and sophomores Lauren Raffetto and Caitlyn Vicente or defenders like Georgia Campbell and Grace Donahue, plenty of skaters have stepped up at different times throughout the season. King Philip and Hingham offer tough proving grounds before the end of the regular season.
