One common sentiment I've heard from talking to coaches over the last few weeks is that the Small School Tournament is stacked.Â
They're correct.
This field is full of high-end teams who had legitimate cases for the Elite throughout the season. Berkshire, Kimball Union and Holderness were three of the best teams all season. Tilton broke out to be a legitimate threat out of the Lakes Region. St. George's struggled at times, but was always in the mix, while Pomfret, Groton and Frederick Gunn proved themselves against good teams.
How can all eight teams carve out paths to a title? Let's dive in.
1. Kimball Union (23-7-2)
Record against Small School teams:Â 4-1-0
Why they could win: One year ago, Blake McMeniman (Revere, Mass.) backstopped the Wildcats to an Elite 8 title. Now a senior, he was even better this season with a 2.00 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage. The 5-foot-9, 160-pound goalie has proven to be one of the better goalies in prep and, even more importantly, he can guide a team through a playoff sprint. You'd think shooting high on him would be an automatic goal, but that's far from the case because of how technically sound he is. It wouldn't be a surprise to see McMeniman guide the Wildcats to another title.
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2. Berkshire (23-6-1)
Record against Small School teams:Â 1-0-1
Why they could win: I had a prep coach text me on February that Berkshire forward Duncan Thompson was the best player he saw this season. It's not a huge surprise, as Thompson has 17 goals and a team-leading 45 points. He's supported with junior Matt Lacombe (Marlboro, Mass.) and senior Evan Regan (Acton, Mass.), as well as seniors Deven Hikspoors and Luke Matthews, juniors James McMurray and Dylan Chernoff and sophomore Jonah Rainsich. Just shutting Thompson down isn't enough to beat Berkshire.
3. Holderness (21-6-1)
Record against Small School teams:Â 3-3-0
Why they could win: The Bulls don't have the high scorers like last season, but they do have depth. Postgrad Connor Dozois (Grafton, Mass.) and seniors Eli Chilicki (Berwick, Maine), Jacob Duval (Andover, Mass.), Brayden Wade and Luke Pazzia (Burlington, Mass.) have provided the primary scoring. Juniors Viktor Samal and Jack Welby (Windham, N.H.) have been key depth scorers as well. Holderness' leading scorer is senior defenseman Jeremy Poirier (Salem, N.H.), who scored 10 goals and finished with 40 points. The Bulls finished the regular season with the most goals (150) in the region. They're a pain to keep off the scoresheet.
4. Tilton (19-8-2)
Record against Small School teams:Â 1-4-0
Why they could win: Boasting a slew of older players often equates to playoff success. For Tilton, it led to a whole bunch of regular season success. The roster is littered with postgraduates, led by Cam Fahey (Reading, Mass.), Anthony Lampasona (Franklin, Mass.) and Peter Silverman (Winthrop, Mass.) up front. Senior Jeremy D'Souza averaged over a point per game this season and junior Max Gagnon (Byfield, Mass.) was a terrific depth scorer. The Rams are old on defense, too.
BEST OF THE BEST: Final Top Performers from the regular season
5. St. George's (15-11-2)
Record against Small School teams:Â 3-0-0
Why they could win: Everett Baldwin (East Providence, R.I.), Marco Senerchia (Greenville, R.I.) and Nathan Walsh (Mendon, Mass.) hold the keys to a deep run for St. George's. Senerchia has 34 points, while Walsh has 34 — good for third and fourth on the team. Baldwin missed time due to injury, but still posted 10 goals and 19 points in 20 games. He's easily a top-10 player in prep in terms of talent and is almost a sure bet to be drafted in June. All three generate a whole lot of offense off the rush and through facilitating in the offensive zone. And if you're an opposing forward, don't keep your head down around Baldwin.
6. Pomfret (16-11-2)
Record against Small School teams:Â 0-4-0
Why they could win: Pomfret fell on hard times in February, going 4-5-0. Still, Pomfret's top scorers can do damage. Senior Luke Corrigan (Hudson, Mass.) has been a force with a team-leading 22 goals and 40 points. Seniors Matthew Itzkovitz and Timothy Russell, as well as juniors Rich Cavanagh (Warwick, R.I.), Will Norton (Lynnfield, Mass.) and TJ Swinson added scoring and depth in the top six. Junior Joey Mitchell is a stalwart in net, too.
7. Groton (16-12-0)
Record against Small School teams:Â 1-2-0
Why they could win: Groton is streaky. After going 8-1-0 from Jan. 9 to Jan. 31, the Zebras lost three straight, won four in a row and then lost three to end the season. The big thing with Groton is senior forward Zach Baker (Williston, Vt.). He leads the team in goals with 21 and points with 40. Along with sophomores Nate Moons and Harrison Freelove (Tyngsboro, Mass.), Baker has carried the offense for most of the season.
PREP PLAYOFFS:Â Elite 8 bracket | Large School bracket | Small School bracket
8. Frederick Gunn (12-12-7)
Record against Small School teams:Â 1-1-1
Why they could win: Frederick Gunn went 4-9-3 down the stretch, but tied Berkshire on Saturday. If the Highlanders are to upset No. 1 Kimball Union and go on a legitimate run, it will be because they're an older team. They're led by postgrad Travis Rugg (Hingham, Mass.), seniors Tyler Kelly (Quincy, Mass.), Ian Kuisis, Will Jackson (Washington, Conn.) and Matthew Nacinovich, and juniors Ryan Tartgalione and Tucker Mears. Sure, this team's numbers don't stand out; but an older team can do damage this time of year.
