With the prep and high school seasons behind us, club hockey is the main focus for a lot of the region’s hockey players once again.
Some of the best teams in Massachusetts and New England will compete next week for a shot at glory during USA Hockey Nationals.
Mass. Hockey held its championships back in the fall after Thanksgiving. Lovell Academy beat Assabet Valley in the 16U division to earn a spot at nationals. Meanwhile, the East Coast Wizards qualified on an at-large basis.
The New England District held its regional championships earlier this month. The Mid Fairfield CT Stars won the 16U division, and the CT Polar Bears also qualified for the 16U field on an at-large basis.
The 19U, 16U and 14U Tier I tournaments will be right here in Massachusetts at the New England Sports Center in Marlboro from April 1-6.
Earlier this week, we broke down the players to watch across the 19U Tier 1 age group. So, now it’s time to take a look at some of the headliners across 16U to watch at nationals.
CT Polar Bears
The Polar Bears feature several players who have been impactful youngsters in prep.
Riley Stocker had 12 points for Williston this season, following up 18 as a freshman last winter. Quinn Toll, meanwhile, scored seven goals as a freshman for the Wildcats.
TOP PERFORMERS: Here’s who led the way in girls prep in 2024-25
Bella Zapata had seven goals (eight points) as a sophomore during a rough season for Westminster, following up a 10-goal, 14-point freshman season for the Martlets.
Berkshire has some nice representation with Mak Komanecky and Katie Hurley. Komanecky was a nice piece as a freshman with eight points (three goals), and Hurley had a .943 save percentage in net, seeing significant playing time as a sophomore.
Meanwhile, Maggie Lyden (Stamford, Conn.) led Greenwich Academy with 16 points (eight goals) as a freshman.
East Coast Wizards
The Wizards feature plenty of prep standouts.
Williston's Mia Daley (Lynnfield, Mass.) took a big step in a career season as a sophomore with 34 points (17 goals). She's among the top prospects in this article to watch. The same goes for Lily Bromley (Carlisle, Mass.), who had 23 points (16 assists) as a freshman at Nobles.
Daley's teammate, Brenna Ziter (Williston, Vt.), plays a smart, effective game, coming off a strong junior season with 13 points (seven goals) for Williston. Meanwhile, Paisley Meyer (Greenland, N.H.) was a key piece of a potent top line for Phillips Exeter, posting 31 points (12 goals) as a sophomore.
Brooke Bartlett (Wayland, Mass.) was a key producer for Rivers with 21 points (nine goals), as was Nora Swaim (Concord, Mass.), who had 20 points (14 goals) as a freshman. Brooke Fallon (Bedford, N.H.) was a big part of Cushing's NEPSAC-leading offense, posting 25 points (10 goals) as a sophomore. Emma MacPherson (Concord, Mass.) only tallied nine points for New Hampton, but she came through in big spots down the stretch to help the Huskies capture a third straight Small School title.
Also among forwards to watch are Dexter's Maggie Lovering (Scituate, Mass.), and BB&N Kate Glantz (Burlington, Mass.), who each had 13 points this season. Glantz, a strong playmaker, figures to be a core player for the Knights next season.
ON THE RISE:Â 10 uncommitted players who boosted their stock in the NEPSAC girls playoffs
Cornell commit Carly Dann (Hanover, N.H.) headlines the back end for the Wizards. Dann is a strong defender, who impacts the play in all three zones. She and Alexine Beaulieu (Hudson, N.H.) helped lead Loomis Chaffee to an Elite 8 title this season. Nora Shea (Braintree, Mass.) made a strong impression on Nobles' blue line after standing out in the MIAA a year ago, and Sienna Glass (Andover, Mass.) made nice strides as a sophomore at Phillips Andover.
The Wizards also have two excellent options in net. River Grady (Bedford, N.H.) has shown strong flashes at Williston, while Nora Wilson (Weybridge, Vt.) posted a .945 save percentage in her first season as Groton's starter.
Lovell Academy
The Lions boast some of the area's more dynamic prospects, starting with the speedy, versatile Annabelle Lovell (Hingham, Mass.). Lovell, who can play both forward and defense is an excellent skater. She has 135 points (49 goals) across 75 total games this season.
Among the forwards, Caroline Clark (York, Maine) has 70 points (31 goals) in 78 games, while Madeline Carey (Braintree, Mass.) has 44 points (23 goals) and Joely Wexler (Needham, Mass.) has 31 points (11 goals).
On defense, Mirella Martinelli (North Providence, R.I.) is an exciting presence at the offensive blue line. She has 85 points (29 goals) in 85 games. Maddie Minucci (South Boston, Mass.) has 21 points (10 goals).
USA HOCKEY NATIONALS: New England 19U Tier 1 girls players to watch
Dynamic defender Chyna Taylor, who has 86 points (19 goals) in 75 games, and forward Charlotte Dukovac, a Providence commit with 36 points (18 goals), are among those to watch, too.
In the crease, Peyton Scott (Hanover, Mass.) has a .981 save percentage and a 35-3-0 record, splitting time with Moira Landsverk.
Mid Fairfield CT Stars
There are several NEPSAC prospects to watch with Mid Fairfield.
Forward Easton Pramuka was a key depth piece in Loomis Chaffee's championship run with 15 points (eight goals), while defender Hattie Willard was a steady presence on defense. Emily Hosman had a strong debut season in prep, putting up a .957 save percentage as Loomis' backup.
Sophie Frost led Deerfield forwards with 22 points (11 goals) en route to the Large School title, while Olivia Austen (Darien, Conn.) had 20 points (nine goals). Ana Makrogiannis did well in a small sample in net.
Meanwhile, Maeve Molloy (West Hartford, Conn.) led Pomfret with 22 points and 18 goals, while Sophia Matusevich was productive on the blue line with 14 points (11 assists).
Olivia Machan came through in clutch spots for Kent as a freshman with 11 points (four goals), while sophomore Ainsley Moffitt was a solid depth producer, too.
‘A ROCKSTAR’: How Jayden Elias is leaving her mark at Portsmouth Abbey
Forward Merritt Tessier (Litchfield, Conn.) and defender Karli Charron (Darien, Conn.) had good seasons at Millbrook and Choate, respectively, as well.
Shattuck-St. Mary's
Shattuck boasts a trio of New England players to watch in forward Jane Daley (Medfield, Mass.) as well as defenders Andrea and Kate Hall (Stamford, Conn.). Daley is one of the most exciting 2009 prospects in the field.
Bishop Kearney Selects
The BK Selects feature a pair of New England natives in Erin Healy (South Burlington, Vt.) and Maizey Wilner (Old Greenwich, Conn.). Healy's older sister, Megan, is a Princeton commit with BK's 19U squad.
