The Independents are always in the mix.
Last year, Cushing finished as Elite 8 runner-up after a dominant season. Brunswick made it to the Elite 8 as well, Dexter Southfield and Northfield Mount Hermon reached the Large School tournament and Frederick Gunn earned a Small School tournament berth.
This season figures to be no different. Cushing is primed for another powerhouse season, while Brunswick is sure to be in title contention once again. Meanwhile, NMH, Frederick Gunn and Dexter have their sights set even higher this season. There will be plenty of tough outs along the way in the NEPSIHA, though.
Here's a breakdown of how the Independents stack up this winter:
Albany Academy
Coach: Matt Alvey
2022-23 result: 14-16-0
Players to watch: Leo Letta, D; Tommy Bleyl, D; Michael Malatino, F; Brady Hubbard, F; Lorenzo Marra, F; Skyler Mitchell, F
Outlook: Albany will feature strong depth among their forwards this season. Malatino was the team’s leading scorer with 28 points in 22 games last year, while Hubbard, Marra and Mitchell are also expected to have significant impacts on the offense. Assistant coach Casey Boone believes the team will need to lean on its upperclassmen to lead the team throughout the season, beginning with Letta, who has valuable experience.
Andover
Coach: Paul Tortorella
2022-23 result: 11-15-2
Players to watch: Sam Myles, F; Jake LeDoux, F; Ethan Skowronek, F; Grayden Robertson-Palmer, F; Drew Smith, D; James Delaney, D; Ben Skowronek, G
Outlook: Andover will look to improve off of last season. It’s a team with good speed, size and a high compete level, according to Tortorella. The Big Blue want to play an entertaining brand of hockey and with these forwards, it’s not far-fetched to think they will. Robertson-Palmer committed to Dartmouth over the summer and looks to be a breakout candidate this winter. Ben Skowronek gives Tortorella’s team stability in net.
Austin Prep
Coach: Pat Driscoll
2022-23 result: 7-16-2
Players to watch: Derek Daley, F; Nolan Mallett, F; Michel Bevilacqua, F; Emmett Bellow, D; Ayden Badrikian, D; Owen Watson, D
Outlook: Driscoll, the school’s athletic director, takes over as head coach after John McLean became an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins. Last season wasn’t a bad one for Austin Prep in its first season in the NEPSAC. Driscoll’s goal for this winter is to continue upward in the move from the MIAA to the NEPSAC. This team has some interesting young talent, making it a difficult out for opponents.
Berkshire
Coach: Kevin Czepiel
2022-23 result: 11-16-1
Players to watch: Antoine Gauthier, F; Evan Regan, F; Stephen Campbell, F; Duncan Thompson, F; Conrado Calderini, D; Jack Turowsky, D; Nico Pasquale, D; Gus Chong, D; Josh Williams, D; Tommy Adams, G; Kyle Bolduc, G
Outlook: This will be Czepiel’s first year at Berkshire after being hired as the heir to longtime coach Dan Driscoll midway through last season. This will be a very different team than the one that took the ice last winter, as 14 seniors graduated. “There’s a lot of new faces,” Czepiel said. Berkshire will have a strong mix of veterans and younger players, making them an interesting group that could make some noise.
Brunswick
Coach: Mike Kennedy
2022-23 result: 21-10-1, lost to Cushing in semifinals of the Stuart/Corkery Elite 8 Tournament
Players to watch: Luke Drury, F; Sean Gibbons, F; Brendan Giles, F; Ryan Wachtel, F; Cooper Cleaves, D; Luc Lampert, D; Carter Grimes, D; Will Baker, G
Outlook: Brunswick may have lost three of its four leading scorers from last season (Eli Friedman and James Shannon to graduation and Drew DellaSalla to juniors), but the Bruins should be fine. They boast 14 seniors with lots of offensive depth, strong defense and good goaltending in Baker. Drury, a Brown commit, Wachtel, a Princeton commit, Giles and Gibbons will be top producers. Cleaves, a Dartmouth commit, will lead the defense. Kennedy’s teams have made a habit of competing for Elite 8 titles. That trend looks to continue this winter.
Canterbury
Coach: Padraic McCarthy
2022-23 result: 12-16-1
Players to watch: Sam Ciapppa, F; Ryan Stratton, F; Jake Stevens, D; Ryan Lucarelli, F; Colin Watson, F; Logan Goodman, D; Nathan Ruzzi, D
Outlook: Canterbury had a bounceback season last year in head coach Padraic McCarthy’s eyes. Now with a strong, experienced group of returners, he expects there to be multiple scoring threats that will be fun to watch. Canterbury will need to solidify the crease, but a deep defensive group will be tough to play against.
Cushing
Coach: Paul Pearl
2022-23 result: 25-3-4, lost to Avon Old Farms in Stuart/Corkery Elite 8 Tournament championship
Players to watch: Bronson Hunt, F; Tanner Hunt, F; Luke Goukler, F; Kole Hyles, F; Emerson Marshall, F; AJ Sacco, F; Josh Iby, F; Tyler Russo, D; Troy Maldonado, D; Marko Bilic, G
Outlook: The Penguins came oh-so-close to getting their coveted Elite 8 title last March. Pearl has Cushing back in the conversation again to start this year. This time, however, it’s a brand new Penguins team. Gone are star forwards Landan Resendes and Ethan Gardula, top defensemen Ryan Philbrick and Zach Rizzo and goalie Cooper Rautenstrauch. In their place is a whole new cast of prospects who project to have Cushing competing as a top-five team this winter.
Dexter Southfield
Coach: Dan Donato
2022-23 result: 17-7-8, lost to Salisbury in semifinals of Martin/Earl Large School Tournament
Players to watch: Cullen Emery, F; Ben Morgan, F; Tyler Hamilton, F; Joe Marchi, F; Liam O’Keefe, D; Cam Smith, D; Colin Rowe, D; Carson Niklaus, D
Outlook: Dexter lost a lot from last season’s team. Top defenders Sean Keohane, Mick Frechette and Jonathan Lanza are gone. Senior netminders Max Gatti and Paul Dalessio were lost to graduation. Nate Porter was slated to be the team’s top center this winter but left for junior hockey during the summer. Emery did the same thing, but recently returned from the BCHL to play his senior year at Dexter. Along with Emery, Dexter has some young, exciting prospects worthy of college consideration. “Our team will be young, but we are excited to see where we will be after the Christmas break,” Donato said.
PREP PREVIEWS: Kimball Union | Milton Academy | Taft | St. Mark’s | Nobles | Avon Old Farms | Belmont Hill | Salisbury
Exeter
Coach: Tim Mitropoulos
2022-23 result: 12-15-1
Players to watch: Riley Piersimoni, F; Baron Masopust, F; Jack Gordon, F; Beau Elson, F; Eli Pendergrass, F; Dryden Dervish, F; Will Cavanagh, F; Ryan O’Leary, F; Nick Fasano, F; Leo Wites, D; Paul Schilcher, D; Tristan Fedele, D; Roger Davis, D; Connor Drobny, D; Brady Quackenbush, G
Outlook: Finishing below .500 and missing the postseason left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Exeter players. The goal is to make a run this year, and Mitropoulos’ team looks to have the right blend of returning players and new, older recruits to do it. “We should be an older team with good depth and experience in our lineup,” Mitropoulos said. Bringing in Quackenbush, a star goalie for Marshfield in the MIAA last winter, to replace the now-graduated Michael Salvatore was a strong move.
Frederick Gunn
Coach: Craig Badger
2022-23 result: 21-10-5, lost to Lawrence Academy in the championship of Piatelli/Simmons Small School Tournament
Players to watch: Alex LoGuercio, F; Jacob Rothman, F; Mark Pizzo, F; Marko Goich, F; Connor Ferguson, F; Luke Calabria, D; Jake Johner, D; Mitch McCusker, G
Outlook: Frederick Gunn had a great season last year, holding a 3-1 lead in the third period of the Small School Tournament championship game. It evaporated and Badger’s team fell in overtime, but that’s stuck with them. Frederick Gunn returns its three leading scorers from last year in LoGuercio, Rothman and Pizzo and has McCusker ready to take on the brunt of minutes between the pipes. They have their sights set high this season — and for good reason.
Hoosac
Coach: Brett Welsh
2022-23 result: 6-10-1
Players to watch: Kaden Smith, F; Catrer Wood, F; Eliot Lauzon, F; Landen Gill, F; Luke Williams, D; Philip Zivanovic, D
Outlook: Hoosac made strides last year and head coach Brett Welsh hopes to see the upward trajectory continue, eyeing a finish above .500. Hoosac will feature offensive power and depth with newcomers complimenting returners like Smith, Wood, Lauzon and Gill. On defense, GTHL products Williams and Zivanovic will help lead a new core. With a strong schedule, they are looking forward to the challenge.
Millbrook
Coach: Vincent Sorriento
2022-23 result: 10-14-3
Players to watch: Dale Campbell, F; Finley Patrick, F; Dalton Kane, F; Reed Pettipas, D; Nolan King, D; Tyler Spokane, G
Outlook: Defenseman Zach Walsh, last year’s leading point-getter, is off to Salisbury for a postgrad year. The good news for Millbrook is that Campbell and Patrick, two catalysts up front, are back and looking to build off their strong junior campaigns. “I think we have more fire power up front and we should be solid in goal,” Sorriento said. Spokane enters his senior season off a really strong fall for the Avon Regals 18U squad. The expectation is a spot in the postseason.
ON THE RISE: 23 breakout forward candidates in prep | 17 breakout defender candidates in prep
Northfield Mount Hermon
Coach: Jake Bennett
2022-23 record: 19-10-1, lost to Dexter Southfield in quarterfinals of Martin/Earl Large School Tournament
Players to watch: Mateo LaHaie, F; Easton Gate, F; Blake Baksay, F; Paul Wiczek, F; Ben Moll, D; Michael Robertson, D; Luke Laurino, G
Outlook: Northfield Mount Hermon will have plenty of newcomers with 22 players joining the roster. Head coach Jake Bennett will rely on his three returners, Laurin, LaHaie and Max Myagkov, F, for leadership while the newcomers adjust. Bennett expects NMH to be competing for a spot in the Elite 8 come March.
Pomfret
Coach: Matthew Goethais
2022-23 result: 8-17-2
Players to watch: Loui Marcellino, F; Jesse Heinberg, F; Luke Corrigan F; Drew Fecteau, F; Matthew Itzkowitz, F; Ian Sherman, D; Cole Leblanc, D; Sean Farrell, D; Isaac Rice, D; Beau Johnson, G
Outlook: Pomfret hopes to improve upon last year and bolster its standing in prep hockey, head coach Matthew Goethais said. Marcellino is expected to help lead the way as the top returning scorer with 13 goals and 29 points in 24 games last season. Goethais expects Pomfret to have a competitive group and be in a lot of close games this season.
Williston Northampton
Coach: Derek Cunha
2022-23 result: 14-13-2
Player to watch: Wes Haynes, D
Outlook: The Wildcats will feature plenty of new faces with 13 newcomers entering the mix. Head coach Derek Cunha will lean on the leadership of Haynes, who has been a three-year impact player on the blue line. With one of the toughest schedules in the region to start the year, Cunha believes returners and newcomers alike will need to be ready to compete each night to make Williston hard to play against.
Winchendon
Coach: Mike Busconi
2022-23 result: 10-17-4
Players to watch: Ben Short, F; Trevor Pellechia, F; Eli Denner Chodiker, F; Liam Marek, F; Brock Bergeron, F
Outlook: It’s the first year of Busconi’s time behind the bench. He played at Winchendon, so this job means a little something extra. “I’m excited to get the season going,” he said. “It’s my first time back at the school since I graduated but it seems like a great group of kids that are willing to work.” The strength of this team is its forwards, as Winchendon has a good mix of young prospects and veterans.
