With the calendar flipped to 2024 and holiday tournaments behind us, the boys prep hockey season gets into the dog days.
But with those dog days come divisional rivalries that have big implications come tournament time.
There were many strong matchups over the last seven days, making for some new names on Top Performers this week.
Let's dive in.
Holt
Top skater: Gabriel Leclerc, North Yarmouth Academy
North Yarmouth Academy posted two strong wins over ISL Eberhart opponents, taking down BB&N, 6-4, and Roxbury Latin, 5-3. Leclerc was a strong performer in both, scoring a goal and tallying an assist against BB&N and then exploding for two goals and two helpers against Roxbury Latin. The senior '05 sits at five goals and 12 points in 14 games this season.
Honorable mentions: James Brogan-Provencher, NYA (2-3—5); Cole Lambert, NYA (1-4—5); Ryan Kavanagh, Pingree (2-2—4); Marcus Mottola, Pingree (3-1—4); Hunter McCarthy, Portsmouth Abbey (2-1—3)
Top goalie: Patrick McDevitt, Portsmouth Abbey
Portsmouth Abbey took on Cushing on Friday and McDevitt brought his best, making 60 (yes — sixty) saves on 63 shots in a 3-1 loss. One day later, he turned aside 34 shots to beat Berwick, 5-3. Anytime a goalie makes that many saves, they're guaranteed to be on Top Performers.
Honorable mention: Nick Hubbard, Pingree (28 saves on 28 shots over two games)
Housatonic
Top skater: Benjamin Darche, Choate
In Choate's first win of the season over Andover, Darche showed up in a big way. The senior potted four goals and added a helper on Jake Gelman's goal, who also had five points (1G, 4A). It's been a tough season for Choate, who sits at 1-8. But Darche has still performed well, tallying 10 goals and 15 points.
Honorable mentions: Jake Owens, Hotchkiss (2-5—7); Jack McGregor, Hotchkiss (2-3—5); Jake Gelman, Choate (1-4—5); Will Henderson, Choate (1-3—4); Gio DiGiulian, Kent (1-3—4); Jack Roberts, Kent (0-4—4); Nicolas Petrut, Salisbury (1-2—3); Ben Cook, Deerfield (1-2—3)
Top goalie: Anthony Palmer, Avon Old Farms
It was a quiet week for the Housatonic with a lot of teams only playing one game. Palmer made 22 stops in the Winged Beavers' lone matchup, taking down Taft, 4-1. Palmer ranks No. 1 in the region in GAA (1.03) and tied for second in save percentage (.957).
Honorable mentions: Brady Morris, Taft (35 saves on 38 shots in one game); Gordie Leary, Choate (32 saves on 35 shots in one game)
ISL Eberhart
Top skater: Daigo Hotta, BB&N
It's always nice to get a defenseman recognition in Top Performers, and Hotta made that easy. The sophomore '06 posted two goals and an assist in a 6-4 loss to North Yarmouth Academy and then two more assists in a 6-4 loss to Middlesex. BB&N has struggled, sitting at 1-12. But a definite bright spot has been Hotta notching 17 points in 13 games, which is the best on the team.
Honorable mentions: Alex Robbins, BB&N (3-2—5); Jake Novak, Roxbury Latin (1-3—4); Bryan Tang, Middlesex (1-2—3); Andrew Gibbons, St. Mark's (1-2—3); Evan Nee (0-3—3)
GAMESHEET PREP CUP: 9 uncommitted standouts from the weekend
Top goalie: Ethan Ramonetti, Groton
Groton earned two close wins over the last week, taking down Exeter, 1-0, and edging out Brooks, 3-2. The biggest reason for both wins was Ramonetti. The senior pitched a 31-save shutout against Exeter and turned away 23 shots against Brooks. His numbers are sparkling: a 2.44 GAA and a .926 save percentage.
Honorable mention: Cassidy Kittredge, St. Mark's (37 saves on 40 shots)
ISL Keller
Top skater: David Bosco, Belmont Hill
I wrote about Bosco a lot over the past year with the Boston Jr. Eagles. The freshman '08's transition to prep has been outstanding and it was on display over the last week. In a 3-3 tie with Milton, Bosco scored a goal and assisted on two others. In a 5-2 takedown of St. Sebastian's on Saturday, Bosco scored another goal and tallied three helpers.
Honorable mentions: Kyle O'Leary, Nobles (4-1—5); Jake Tavares, Belmont Hill (4-1—5); Jake McManus, Belmont Hill (1-4—5); Teddy MacAusland, Nobles (1-3—4); Jack Hartwell, Nobles (2-2—4); Ben Nakata, Nobles (1-3—4)
Top goalie: Tyler Bloomfield, Nobles
Bloomfield's strong season continued over the past week. He backstopped Nobles to a big, 4-2, win over St. Sebastian's, making 36 saves. That continued against Thayer when he made 29 saves in a 6-2 victory. Bloomfield's 2.60 GAA and .922 save percentage are one of the biggest reasons why Nobles is on the cusp of the top 10.
Honorable mentions: Keagin Wilson, Belmont Hill (34 saves on 36 shots in one game); JJ Thibodeau, Belmont Hill (32 saves on 35 shots in one game); Sam Caulfield, Milton Academy (75 saves on 82 shots over two games)
FIRST MONTH: Top boys prep performers from the first month of the season
Lakes
Top skater: Corwith Simmers, Kimball Union
KUA came oh-so-close to winning the GameSheet Prep Cup, falling to Northwood, 4-3, in the championship. Simmers brought his best, especially in the final two games. He scored a hat trick and added an assist in a 6-5 OT win over St. Andrew's College. Then, in the loss to Northwood, he notched two goals and an assist.
Honorable mentions: Jack Sadowski, KUA (3-4—7); Sam LeDrew, KUA (3-4—7); Jack McMinn, KUA (0-4—4); Danny Storella, Tilton (3-1—4)
Top goalie: Matt Wood, Tilton
Tilton had a good week, taking down Vermont Academy, 5-2, and tying Milton Academy, 4-4. Wood, a sophomore '07, was huge in both games, making 27 saves against Vermont Academy and 28 against Milton Academy.
Honorable mentions: Treva Murphy, St. Paul's (40 saves on 43 shots in one game); Ryan Nolan, Holderness (23 saves on 24 shots in one game)
Independents
Top skater: Antoine Gauthier, Berkshire
Berkshire got three convincing wins over the last week, scoring victories over Millbrook, Williston Northampton and Wilbraham & Monson. Gauthier took care of business, posting two goals and eight points. Gauthier leads a very good Berkshire team with 22 points.
Honorable mentions: Duncan Thompson, Berkshire (4-3—7); Evan Regan, Berkshire (3-4—7); Brendan Giles, Brunswick (5-1—6); Sean Gibbons, Brunswick (2-3—5); Devin Hikspoors, Berkshire (3-2—5)
Top goalie: Maxim Pitts, Canterbury
At 8-4-2, Canterbury has been one of the biggest surprise teams. After tying Williston Northampton on Jan. 3, Canterbury bounced back, sneaking past Worcester Academy, 3-2, and scoring a big, 6-2 victory over Lawrence Academy. At the heart of both wins was Pitts, who made 22 saves against Worcester Academy and brought his best against Lawrence Academy, turning away 38 shots.
LATEST RANKINGS: Check out our new top 10 in boys prep hockey
Honorable mentions: Brady Quackenbush, Exeter (57 saves on 61 shots over two games); Colin Davis, Dexter Southfield (55 saves on 60 shots over two games); Will Baker, Brunswick (44 saves on 47 shots over two games); Beau Johnson, Pomfret (60 saves on 66 shots over two games)
