It would surprise no one if the eventual Elite 8 champion for the 2023-24 prep hockey campaign came out of the Lakes Region.
Kimball Union and Holderness stand out among the rest, but that doesn't mean everyone else isn't a worthy opponent.
Those two teams at the top will have lots of competition throughout the season.
Here's our team-by-team breakdown of the Lakes Region.
Brewster
Coach: Connor Bates
2022-23 result: 8-18-1
Players to watch: Mason Meltzer, F; Christian Palm, F; Jonathan Dion, D; Travis Gillen, D
Outlook: The Bobcats take the ice with their third head coach in three years. Bates is a former standout at Johnson and Wales who spent the past four seasons on the coaching staff of the EHL’s New England Wolves. Six players produced double-digit points for Brewster last winter and four of them have graduated, leaving Meltzer and Palm to lead the way. With nine seniors graduated, there are minutes to be had.
Holderness
Coach: Alan Thompson
2022-23 result: 19-7-3, lost to Frederick Gunn in semifinals of Piatelli/Simmons tournament
Players to watch: Eli Chilicki, F; Caden Wells, F; Jake Boulanger, F; Aaron Van Wie, F; Caeden Herrington, D; Will Rob, D; Ryan Nolan, G
Outlook: If there’s a difference between this year’s Holderness team, and last year’s that lost to Frederick Gunn in the semifinals of the Piatelli/Simmons, it might be better scoring depth this time around up front. Leading scorer Wells is back and the ranks are bolstered by Chilicki, who racked up 48 points last winter at Berwick Academy. “I think last year's team was missing a few talented scorers and this year, I think we will have several with very good depth up front,” said Thompson. Herrington on the blueline is unquestionably one of the league’s top talents.
Kimball Union
Coach: Tim Whitehead
2022-23 result: 22-11-1, lost to Cushing in quarterfinals of Stuart/Corkery tournament
Players to watch: Jack Sadowski, F; CJ Watroba, F; Sam LeDrew, F; Kyle Murray-Smith, F; Malcolm Baar, F; Corwith Simmers, F; Andrew O’Sullivan, D; Jack McMinn, D; Nick Evans, D; Luke Clarner, D; Colby Boyce, G
Outlook: By its own high standards, 2022-23 was a bit of a down year for KUA, even though it won another Lakes Region title – its ninth straight – and returned to the Elite 8. Whitehead thinks this season’s team is ahead of where it was at this point last year. Boyce is solid in goal and will be pushed by newcomer Blake McMeniman, a junior out of Revere, Mass. Another new guy, Watroba, will slide into a top-six forward role with guys like Sadowski and LeDrew. The defense should be solid, led by the 6-foot-2, 185-pound Clarner, a four-year guy.
New Hampton
Coach: Connor Gorman
2022-23 result: 17-16-3, lost to Lawrence in semifinals of Piatelli/Simmons tournament
Players to watch: Cam Caron, F; Ben Moalusi, F; Dylan McDougall, F; Connor Pierson, F; Jack Mombourquette, F; Dylan Podergois, F; Kieran McNamara, D; Luke Moran, D; Conor Griffin, D
Outlook: After getting a taste of postseason play last winter, Gorman is looking for his team to take the next step, individually and collectively. “We will need the guys who are in their second year of prep school to make the jump as a more complete player,” he said. “The more who can make this jump, the better we will be.” Caron will be a first-line leader after putting up 18-29-47 scoring totals in his first season with the team. All three goalies will get a hard look – junior Andrew Knox, and seniors Will Schremp and Alex Lafreniere.
PREP PREVIEWS: Kimball Union | Milton Academy | Taft | St. Mark’s | Nobles | Avon Old Farms | Belmont Hill | Salisbury
Proctor
Coach: Mike Walsh
2022-23 result: 12-12-3
Players to watch: Nolan Davis, F; Finn Connor, F; Max O'Connell, D; Caden Pasqualone, G
Outlook: The Hornets take the ice as a collectively older group than the one that played .500 hockey a year ago. Walsh believes the team’s depth is stronger, too. Whether that’s enough to challenge top programs like KUA and Holderness remains to be seen. Proctor collected a good amount of league wins last winter but went 0-4-1 against those two top dogs, something it’s looking to change.
St. Paul's
Coach: Daniel Murphy
2022-23 result: 8-20-2
Players to watch: Matthew Vohra, F; Lino Viau, F; Brad Cox, D; Conley Bohan, D
Outlook: The Big Red have a solid core back from a team that started horrendously, losing 10 of its first 11 games, but pulled it together after that and was competitive in most games it played, including against New Hampton and Holderness teams above it in the standings. Vohra (16 points) and Viau (seven goals) return as the team’s leaders in goals and assists, respectively.
Tilton
Coach: Brooks McQuade
2022-23 result: 17-11, lost to Frederick Gunn in quarterfinals of Piatelli/Simmons tournament
Players to watch: Sean Gray, F; Danny Storella, F; Aidan Dryjowicz, F; Ben Boucher, F; Simon Lemieux, F; Max Gagnon, F; Kayden Yeaman, F; Matt Cox, D; Hunter Toms. D; Marty Pierce, G; Blaze Martonick, G
Outlook: After making the playoffs again, the Rams face the challenge of trying to sustain success with several new players in the lineup. “Very much a new group,” said McQuade. “There was a lot of turnover, so we are excited about rebuilding.” On a team that graduated most of its top scorers, Storella is a known quantity up front after scoring a dozen goals and assisting on 11 others as a junior, his first year at the school.
ON THE RISE: 23 breakout forward candidates in prep | 17 breakout defender candidates in prep
Vermont Academy
Coach: Brian Allen
2022-23 result: 8-19-2
Players to watch: Ivan Miasodenkov, sr., F; Shane Prusak, sr., F; Lucas Sinacola, sr., F; Logan Sinacola, sr., F; Mathison Hole, sr., D; Owen Willgos, sr., G; James Mikos, sr., G;
Outlook: VA doubled its win total in the second year of the Allen regime and the goal is to continue that upward movement. Allen feels the team’s skill level is higher than it’s been in years past. “We won't be able to match player for player with some of the teams on our schedule, but we will be harder to play against with much more upside,” he said. Willgos is a proven asset in net.
