With more games played last week than in any since before the Christmas break, there is some significant movement in this week’s edition of the New England Hockey Journal Prep School Hockey Rankings.
Avon Old Farms remains on top, but there was some movement within the rest of the field. Most notably, Nobles took a fall after two straight losses.
There are some big tilts highlighting this week’s action. NHL scouts will travel to Southboro, Mass., in droves Wednesday for a matchup of two 2022 draft prospects with the same last name.
Right wing James Fisher (Wilmington, Mass.) of Belmont Hill versus defenseman Michael Fisher (Westboro, Mass.) of St. Mark’s will be the battle within the overall game.
1. Avon Old Farms
League: Founders | Record: 10-1-0 (3-0-0) | Previous: 1
Next game: Jan. 19 vs. Northfield Mt. Hermon (4:30 p.m.)
The Winged Beavers won their only game since the last rankings, downing Kent by a score of 2-1. Postgraduate winger Brendan Fennell, a former multisport athlete at Melrose High, had the game-winning goal and added an assist earlier in the game. It was his second two-point performance of the season. His skating will preclude him from Division 1, but his athleticism, goal-scoring ability and strength should be coveted by numerous Division 3 programs.
2. Kimball Union
League: Lakes Region | Record: 13-2-1 (5-0-0) | Previous: 3
Next game: Jan. 19 vs. Deerfield (4:30 p.m.)
Tim Whitehead’s team rebounded from a tough showing at the True Cup event by defeating Vermont Academy and St. Paul’s. Obviously, it wasn’t the stiffest of competition, but it was important for the Wildcats to get back on track. Recent UMass Lowell commit Jaiden Moriello notched a hat trick against St. Paul’s and scored a solo tally versus Vermont Academy. The Saugus, Mass., native has now scored at least a goal in seven straight games. He’s got 11 in that stretch.
3. Belmont Hill
League: ISL Keller | Record: 7-0-2 (4-0-2) | Previous: 5
Next game: Jan. 19 vs. St. Mark's (5 p.m.)
The Sextants are the only undefeated team in the New England prep hockey circuit. Brian Phinney’s team has a couple of bonafide studs up front in Northeastern commit James Fisher and NTDP-bound Teddy Stiga (Sudbury, Mass.). However, one impressive element to the team’s recent scoring has been a balanced attack. A major reason for the team remaining without a loss is the play of sophomore goaltender Sam Scopa (Lexington, Mass.).
4. Nobles
League: ISL Keller | Record: 8-2-1 (1-2-1) | Previous: 2
Next game: Jan. 21 vs. Lawrence Academy (6:15 p.m.)
The Bulldogs have hit a speed bump with two straight losses to Thayer and St. Sebastian’s. Nobles allowed just nine goals en route to an 8-0-1 start. In the past two games, Brian Day’s team has surrendered 13 goals. Both of those games were without star first-line center Ben MacDonald, a Harvard commit from Weston, Mass. While the youth movement on the team has deservedly gotten a bunch of attention, a couple of key upperclassmen who have already committed or should soon commit to Division 3 college programs are a big part of the team. Defenseman and recent Bowdoin commit Aidan Lyons (Brookline, Mass.) has the puck on his stick a majority of the time he’s out there.
5. Brunswick
League: Independent | Record: 9-3-1 (2-1-0) | Previous: 7
Next game: Jan. 21 vs. Delbarton (5 p.m.)
The Bruins are winners of four straight following the weekend sweep of Hill School. Six players are averaging over a point per game. Brendan Giles (Ridgefield, Conn.) is the leading goal scorer with 11 while Yale commit Eli Friedman’s 22 points leads the way. Dartmouth commit and 2022 NHL draft prospect Hank Cleaves (Greenwich, Conn.) has scored a goal in four straight games. Mike Kennedy’s team is staying off the radar for a while with non-NEPSAC games, but a Jan. 31 tilt at home against Salisbury is one to mark on the calendar.
6. Cushing
League: Independent | Record: 7-1-2 (3-1-0) | Previous: 6
Next game: Jan. 19 vs. Thayer (4:30 p.m.)
The Penguins haven’t played since hosting their New Year’s tournament. Paul Pearl’s team will hopefully get back in action this weekend. Senior goaltender Jackson Irving (Newbury, Mass.) has one of the best save percentages in prep school hockey. Cushing has talent, but lacks depth, especially on the blue line. Irving will have to carry this team on his back for the last month of the season.
7. Dexter Southfield
League: Independent | Record: 9-4-2 (2-1-1) | Previous: 8
Next game: Jan. 21 vs. Thayer (5:30 p.m.)
After an 0-2-1 three-game stretch, Danny Donato’s team has won three straight. Senior left wing Cully Wilson (Hingham, Mass.) has scored at least a goal in each of those three wins. Senior defenseman Matt Fusco (Westwood, Mass.) also carries a three-game goal-scoring streak into the next game.
8. Salisbury
League: Housatonic | Record: 8-4-0 (3-1-0) | Previous: 9
Next game: Jan. 19 vs. Trinity-Pawling (3:15 p.m.)
The Crimson Knights are another team bouncing back from a rough patch. Andrew Will’s team went 2-4 before the Christmas break. Salisbury has now reeled off three wins in a row. This team has way too much talent and depth to not make a run up these power rankings down the stretch.
9. Kent
League: Founders | Record: 8-5-0 (0-2-0) | Previous: 4
Next game: Jan. 19 vs. Hotchkiss (2:30 p.m.)
Following a six-game winning streak, Kent has lost two in a row. The Lions had a pair of one-goal setbacks against good teams, most notably top-ranked Avon. Senior Dante Palombo has a three-game point streak that includes three goals and three assists. He has tendered in the NAHL with the Maryland Black Bears for 2022-23.
10. St. Mark’s
League: ISL Eberhart | Record: 8-1-1 (4-0-0) | Previous: 10
Next game: Jan. 19 vs. Belmont Hill (5 p.m.)
Carl Corazzini’s team hasn’t lost since the season opener. In a display of remarkable consistency for a young player, freshman Richard Gallant (Concord, Mass.) has scored at least one point in each game this season, averaging over two points per game. As mentioned above, the Lions have a big opportunity to prove they’re for real Wednesday when they host Belmont Hill.
In the hunt: St. Sebastian’s, Holderness, Westminster, St. George’s, Frederick Gunn, Loomis Chaffee
