Two new teams joined the ranks of New England Hockey Journal’s eighth Prep School Coaches Poll of the season, including one for the first time this season. However, this edition also sees a group of four regulars at the top separated from the pack.
Salisbury is the top team in New England for the sixth consecutive week despite being handed its third loss of the season during the last seven days. Kimball Union narrowly returns to No. 2 after being topped in last week’s poll by a Lawrence squad that has yet to lose. The second and third teams are separated by only two points. Dexter Southfield rounds out the top four.
Northfield Mount Hermon rises into the top five after entering the fold for the first time this season, ahead of a first-time ranked program in Westminster that notched a pair of tight victories last week.
Six other teams also received consideration in at least one submitted ballot. Teams receive 10 points for a first-place vote, nine for a second-place vote, eight for a third-place vote, etc.
Coaches from around New England make up the voting panel for the poll, which is released on Tuesday afternoons throughout the season. If you are interested in participating, please send an email to jkummins@hockeyjournal.com.
1. Salisbury (17-3)
134 points - 11 first-place votes
The Crimson Knights bookended the week with a 9-3 win over Gunnery and 4-2 win over Boston Advantage, but dropped a 5-2 contest to St. Andrew’s College in the middle of three games. Against Gunnery, Justin Hryckowian (2-1-3) and Lucas Mercuri (0-3-3) both logged three points, Jake Quillan scored twice, and Jared Levine made 27 saves.
2. Kimball Union (18-4)
115 points
KUA extended its winning streak to four games since a Jan. 16 loss to Deerfield, posting a 2-0 shutout of Exeter and a 5-3 win over Tilton. Sullivan Mack and Brian Carrabes (North Andover, Mass.) scored the goals and Zach Paputsakis made 20 saves against Exeter. Mack and Paul Dore both scored twice against Tilton, while Tomas Mazura assisted on three goals.
3. Lawrence (10-0-6)
113 points - 2 first-place votes
The Spartans went 1-0-1 on the week to continue their unbeaten run through 16 games, posting a 5-1 win at Tabor before a 1-1 draw with Dexter Southfield. Five players scored and four logged multiple points against Tabor, while Sam Colangelo (Stoneham, Mass.) scored the lone goal against Dexter to complete a three-point week. Brandon Milberg and Ian Graiff split the starts in goal with Milberg making 26 saves for the victory.
4. Dexter Southfield (12-3-4)
99 points - 1 first-place vote
Dexter dominated St. George’s in a 7-0 contest before its 1-1 tie with Lawrence over the weekend. Culin Wilson (Hingham, Mass.) scored twice and added an assist to lead four players with three points and six who scored goals in the rout of St. George’s, while John Farinacci scored the game-tying goal against Lawrence. Derek Mullahy (Scituate, Mass.) made 33 saves on the week, needing to stop only 10 for the shutout against St. George’s.
5. Northfield Mount Hermon (14-4-1)
64 points
The Hoggers opened the week with a 2-2 tie against Cushing before defeating Worcester Academy, 2-1, and Tilton, 3-1. Devan Tongue (Hampden, Mass.) had four assists over the three games to increase his team lead in scoring, while Jack Quinn (Lancaster, Mass.) netted two of the three goals against Tilton and assisted against Worcester. Theo Hembre (Falmouth, Maine) scored in NMH’s first three games of the week. Goaltender Connor Hasley made 33 saves in each of his two starts.
6. Westminster (9-4-2)
51 points
Led by head coach Tim Joncas, the Martlets vault into the rankings after earning a pair of 4-3 overtime wins over Deerfield and Kent. Jordie McKenna scored two goals, including the game-winner, and added an assist to pace the offense against Deerfield, while Darion Benchich scored the deciding goal in the Kent game. Ian Shane started both games in net, making a total of 52 saves.
7. Gunnery (15-4-1)
45 points
Gunnery bounced back from last Wednesday’s 9-3 loss to Salisbury with a 5-1 win at Hill School. Alex Jeffries (Lunenburg, Mass.) led the offense with a 2-1-3 effort against Hill, while Robert Cronin (Plymouth, Mass.) also scored twice after netting one of the three goals against top-ranked Salisbury. Carmine Andranovich (Durham, Conn.) earned the victory with 18 saves in goal.
8. Tilton (15-4)
37 points
The Rams opened the week with a 5-2 win at New Hampton, but two-goal losses to Kimball Union and Northfield Mount Hermon have them dropped in the rankings. Jack Seymour scored once and added three assists in the New Hampton victory, while Justin Lee made 33 saves. Tae Lee scored two of the goals in the 5-3 loss to KUA. Brendan Sjostedt (Tewksbury, Mass.) and Ryan Harrigan (Scituate, Mass.) both finished the week with multiple goals apiece.
9. Andover (12-5-1)
33 points
Andover scored 11 goals during a two-win week against Winchendon and Loomis Chaffee. In a 6-5 shootout against Winchendon, Jonathan Assayag scored twice and added two assists, and Mac Carso had a goal and two assists. Carso, Thomas Manty, and Dawson Arkell all had two points apiece en route to a 5-2 win over Loomis. Charlie Archer made 66 saves over the two games, including 34 against Loomis.
10. Deerfield (10-6-1)
22 points
Despite one-goal losses to Westminster and Hotchkiss, the Big Green remain a ranked squad this week. Sasha Shogren scored twice and Connor Guest added a goal during the 4-3 overtime loss to Westy, which snapped a four-game (3-0-1) unbeaten streak. Thomas Gale made 25 saves but his offense was shut out in a 1-0 loss to Henry Wilder and Hotchkiss.
Others receiving votes: Exeter, St. Sebastian’s, Cushing, Avon Old Farms, St. Paul’s, Kent
