New England Hockey Journal's Best of New England series continues. We're ranking our top 50 girls hockey prospects in the ’07, ’08 and ’09 birth years, as well as a watchlist for the ’10s.
We started with the '07s. Now, it's time for the '08s.
First, the same guidelines apply. We included New England natives, as well as non-New England natives who played for programs based in the region. I evaluated each player by both current form and how they project.
I’ve been watching the ’08s since their 14U and 16U seasons, when many were underclassmen. Plenty has changed since then.
Many of these players listed below are college commits. Some will begin their NCAA careers as soon as this coming fall. Others will return for junior or senior years, or maybe even potential postgraduate opportunities at prep schools or academies. Some are uncommitted.
This was a lot of fun to put together and think about, but that doesn’t mean it was easy. New England's group of 2008-born players is deep. For the record, the '07s would have been, too, if we had included players already in college.
Nevertheless, as we got further from the top, things became a lot more difficult.
Let’s dive into the ’08s.
Top 10
1. Lindsay Stepnowski
Team: Loomis Chaffee/Massachusetts Spitfires
Position: F
NCAA: Harvard
Hometown: South Glastonbury, Conn.
2. Maggie Averill
Team: Phillips Andover/Assabet Valley
Position: D
NCAA: Princeton
Hometown: Wayland, Mass.
3. Emma Cerruti
Team: Shattuck-St. Mary's
Position: D
NCAA: Wisconsin
Hometown: Norwell, Mass.
4. Tereza Gildainová
Team: Lovell Academy
Position: F
NCAA: Cornell
Hometown: Lanškroun, Czechia
5. Ava Decourcey
Team: Nobles/Assabet Valley
Position: D
NCAA: Yale
Hometown: Rockland, Mass.
6. Tina Scalese
Team: Groton/Assabet Valley
Position: F
NCAA: Princeton
Hometown: West Boylston, Mass.
7. Annie Schwarz
Team: Loomis Chaffee/Mid Fairfield CT Stars
Position: F
NCAA: Yale
Hometown: Fairfield, Conn
8. Megan Hosman
Team: Loomis Chaffee/Mid Fairfield CT Stars
Position: D
NCAA: Penn State
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Mich.
9. Carly Dann
Team: Loomis Chaffee/East Coast Wizards
Position: D
NCAA: Cornell
Hometown: Hanover, N.H.
10. Abby Richardson
Team: NAHA
Position: F
NCAA: Clarkson
Hometown: Holbrook, N.Y.
Top 10 notes: Stepnowski leads the way, vaulting to my top spot after an insane playoff run to cap her prep career at Loomis Chaffee. She's a game-breaker with a big-time clutch gene. The '08s are rife with top-flight defenders, starting with Averill, who brings size and an elite two-way skill set, which paid dividends for Andover this year as well as the U.S. Under-18 squad. Cerruti's skill set and high compete help make her the complete package as well. Gildainová has put up video game numbers offensively throughout her time with Lovell Academy, and she was terrific with Czechia on the international stage this winter. Decourcey rounds out the top five as her stock has skyrocketed over the last 12 months. She's a confident skater with the puck, oftentimes a one-person breakout.
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Scalese, an uber-competitive player with the production to back it up, has been one of prep's top prospects over the past few seasons. Three more Loomis skaters crack the top-10. Schwarz has boosted her stock a ton after productive junior and senior seasons, while Hosman is elite at pushing the pace in transition. Dann is a strong, physical puck-mover. Richardson has been a top-end producer since arriving at NAHA, and she took off even more this past season.
Nos. 11-20
11. Kate Hall
Team: Shattuck-St. Mary's
Position: D
NCAA: Cornell
Hometown: Greenwich, Conn.
12. Erin Flaherty
Team: St. Paul's/Boston Junior Eagles
Position: F
NCAA: Boston University
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
13. Maddie Lahah
Team: St. George's/Massachusetts Spitfires
Position: F
NCAA: Yale
Hometown: North Attleboro, Mass.
14. Faith Baratta
Team: Lovell Academy
Position: D
NCAA: Clarkson
Hometown: Naples, Fla.
15. Cassidy Lobisser
Team: NAHA
Position: F
NCAA: Quinnipiac
Hometown: Bellingham, Mass.
16. Erin Sears
Team: Phillips Exeter/Valley Junior Warriors
Position: F
NCAA: Northeastern
Hometown: Cornwall, Vt.
17. Sawyer Merrill
Team: Dexter Southfield/Assabet Valley
Position: F
NCAA: Yale
Hometown: Hingham, Mass.
18. Kimee Duplessis
Team: Phillips Andover/Assabet Valley
Position: D
NCAA: Delaware
Hometown: Framingham, Mass.
19. Kaylee Mandeville
Team: NAHA
Position: D
NCAA: Merrimack
Hometown: Uxbridge, Mass.
20. Sophie Frost
Team: Deerfield/Mid Fairfield CT Stars
Position: F
NCAA: Yale
Hometown: Regina, SK
11-20 notes: Several players had cases to make for the top 10 in this group. Barrata is a dynamic skater, while Hall has a big, athletic profile. She's hard to play against in her own end, to go along with some offensive upside. Flaherty has ascended a lot at St. Paul's. She's at her best when the lights are brightest and was a top producer in prep this season. Lahah is a well-rounded play-driver who can produce, while Lobisser has blazing speed and excellent vision.
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Sears is a smart, crafty player, and she has been a major part of Exeter's success. Merrill is a strong puck carrier with her frame and strength. Duplessis and Mandeville have each boosted their stock a ton over the past season-plus. Both can contribute in all three zones. Meanwhile, Frost was a lethal scoring threat in Grade-A ice for Deerfield. She can generate speed with a good first step.
Nos. 21-30
21. Leah Hafer
Team: Dexter Southfield/Boston Junior Eagles
Position: F
NCAA: Uncommitted
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
22. Vicky Hausberger
Team: Lovell Academy
Position: D
NCAA: Merrimack
Hometown: Nashua, N.H.
23. Olivia Bonarrigo
Team: NAHA
Position: D
NCAA: Stonehill
Hometown: Walpole, Mass.
24. Sofia Nardelli
Team: Tabor/Boston Junior Eagles
Position: F
NCAA: Uncommitted
Hometown: Cranston, R.I.
25 Brooke Bartlett
Team: Rivers
Position: F
NCAA: Harvard
Hometown: Wayland, Mass.
26. Sophia Lind
Team: Choate/Connecticut Polar Bears
Position: D
NCAA: Harvard
Hometown: Madison, Conn.
27. Olivia Austen
Team: Deerfield/Mid Fairfield CT Stars
Position: F
NCAA: Brown
Hometown: Darien, Conn.
28. Devon Moore
Team: Dexter Southfield/Boston Junior Eagles
Position: F
NCAA: Holy Cross
Hometown: Milton, Mass.
29. Julia Lambert
Team: Cushing/Assabet Valley
Position: F
NCAA: Stonehill
Hometown: Wilmington, Mass.
30. Caroline Doherty
Team: Winchendon
Position: F
NCAA: Amherst
Hometown: Duxbury, Mass.
21-30 notes: Hafer's stock has risen dramatically for me in the last 12 months. She had a breakout season at Dexter, playing with high compete, pace and skill. Many of those same traits allowed Moore to have a career season, too. Both are well-positioned entering next season. Nardelli also took big steps from her freshman to sophomore years at Tabor. Lambert missed some time with injury this season, but when she was healthy, she remained a key producer from Cushing. She's a high-energy player.
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Hausberger, a strong defender in transition, took a step offensively for Lovell Academy this winter. Bonarrigo has quick feet, plus strength in battles around the net. Doherty, not to be confused with '06 forward Caroline Doherty, was a speedy, consistent producer at Winchendon. Two Harvard commits, Bartlett and Lind, excel with their smarts with the puck. Austen has solid hands and good instincts in the offensive zone.
Nos. 31-40
31. Emma MacPherson
Team: New Hampton/East Coast Wizards
Position: F
NCAA: Uncommitted
Hometown: Sandwich, Mass.
32. Maggie Lovering
Team: Dexter Southfield/East Coast Wizards
Position: F
NCAA: Uncommitted
Hometown: Scituate, Mass.
33. Hattie Willard
Team: Loomis Chaffee/Mid Fairfield CT Stars
Position: D
NCAA: Wesleyan
Hometown: Mill Neck, N.Y.
Team: BB&N
Position: F
NCAA: Uncommitted
Hometown: Belmont, Mass.
35. Gracesyn Louis
Team: Lovell Academy
Position: F
NCAA: Vermont
Hometown: Redondo Beach, Calif.
36. Riley Stocker
Team: Williston Northampton/Connecticut Polar Bears
Position: F
NCAA: Uncommitted
Hometown: Verona, N.J.
37. Erin Healy
Team: BK Selects
Position: D
NCAA: Princeton
Hometown: South Burlington, Vt.
38. Alexine Beaulieu
Team: Loomis Chaffee/East Coast Wizards
Position: D
NCAA: RPI
Hometown: Hudson, N.H.
39. Annabelle Aitken
Team: Dexter Southfield/Boston Junior Eagles
Position: G
NCAA: Uncommitted
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
40. Ellie Mehling
Team: NAHA
Position: D
NCAA: RPI
Hometown: Ballston Spa, N.Y.
31-40 notes: Willard and Beaulieu were two underrated pieces to Loomis Chaffee's vaunted blue line over the last two seasons. Meanwhile, there are several intriguing uncommitted prospects in this tier. Aitken has shown well in the crease at Dexter for three seasons now, while Lovering took a huge step this season. Her motor and speed helped her drive play.
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Halloran and Stocker also have strong profiles as college prospects. Both had career seasons. Both are powerful forwards who get to middle ice. MacPherson's stock rose a lot this season with a massive breakout, shattering her previous career bests.
Nos. 41-50
41 Easton Pramuka
Team: Loomis Chaffee/Mid Fairfield CT Stars
Position: F
NCAA: Uncommitted
Hometown: Cornwall on Hudson, N.Y.
42. Emersyn Carpenter
Team: Boston Hockey Academy
Position: F
NCAA: Uncommitted
Hometown: Westfield, Mass.
43. Kate Glantz
Team: BB&N/East Coast Wizards
Position: F
NCAA: Brown
Hometown: Burlington, Mass.
44. Clara Peroni
Team: Lovell Academy
Position: G
NCAA: Uncommitted
Hometown: Westport, Conn.
45. Janie Martin
Team: Middlesex/Assabet Valley
Position: F
NCAA: Assumption
Hometown: Burlington, Mass.
46. Mary Murray
Team: BB&N/Assabet Valley
Position: F
NCAA: Uncommitted
Hometown: Hingham, Mass.
47. Kiara Drake
Team: New Hampton/Boston Americans
Position: F
NCAA: Uncommitted
Hometown: Ridgefield, Conn.
48. Jamie Noonan
Team: Groton/Massachusetts Spitfires
Position: D/F
NCAA: Stonehill
Hometown: East Bridgewater, Mass.
49. Nora McLean
Team: Rivers/Massachusetts Spitfires
Position: F
NCAA: Uncommitted
Hometown: Canton, Mass.
50. Julia Canty
Team: Lovell Academy
Position: F
NCAA: Uncommitted
Hometown: Easthampton, Mass.
41-50 notes: I had a handful of goalies in the mix for this range. Peroni has been a standout in her first season with Lovell Academy, too. Noonan brought speed and versatility to the table for Groton, while Martin has been a strong scorer at the prep level. She finished her Middlesex career with over 50 goals. McLean's size makes her an intriguing prospect up front, and she continues to improve as she gets stronger.
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Carpenter plays with reckless abandon and has put up strong numbers at BHA with over 100 career points. Pramuka, meanwhile, is a high-compete player in all three zones with the skill to back it up. She'll be a big-time player as a senior at Loomis next winter. The same goes for Drake at New Hampton, where she is coming off a massive breakout season. Murray also broke out. She's a tough matchup on the forecheck. She and Glantz, who has shown good offensive awareness, will be key seniors at BB&N next season. Canty has produced at a high level for Lovell Academy with a good shot and slick puck handling.
