FOXBORO, Mass. — Before the fall hockey slate can get underway, there's one more order of business for summer hockey: the Foxboro Prep League.
On Wednesday night, Team Cox took down Team Richard, 5-3, while Team Holske beat Team Donatelli, 12-2, in the second game.
Team Cox and Team Holske will meet in the Foxboro Prep League championship game on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Team Cox, led by former New England Hockey Journal writer and current Youngstown Phantoms assistant general manager Jeff Cox, won the championship last summer. At the other end, Team Holske, led by South Shore Kings GM/head coach Tyler Holske, will look to stop Cox from winning two in a row.
I watched both semifinal games on Wednesday night, watching for uncommitted prospects who put on a good showing in one of their final tune-ups before the River Rats Jamboree starts next week.
Let's dive in.
Nick D'Olympio
Dexter Southfield, 6/8/2007, F, right shot, 5-9/165
Hometown: Rockland, Mass.Â
D'Olympio was a force off the rush. In the first half, he had two sequences in which he used his speed and hands to take the puck hard to the net, almost scoring both times. Late in the second half, as Team Richard was trying to come back, D'Olympio found Rivers forward Jonathan Rivard with a saucer pass. Rivard scored his first of two goals in the second half.
Cam Doull
Milton Academy, 5/2/2008, F, left shot, 6-2/185
Hometown: Concord, Mass.Â
Doull tallied a hat trick, and two of the three goals were missiles off the rush. Even with pressure on him, he got off shots from the tops of the circle that beat the netminder clean. I'm interested to see how Doull evolves as a goal scorer this winter with Milton Academy.
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Evan Handler
Rivers, 3/19/2007, D, right shot, 5-10/165
Hometown: Walpole, Mass.Â
Handler's puck-handling was on display. In the first half, he created a goal when he made a nice pass to the slot that Belmont Hill forward Jackson Burns tipped in. At the offensive blue line, Handler used fakes and deception to gain separation from forwards coming at him, giving himself more time and space. He also got shots through quickly.
Jack Manley
Cardigan Mountain, 8/24/2010, F, left shot, 5-4/115
Hometown: Duxbury, Mass.Â
Manley was a call-up, as 2010-born players don't usually play in the main league. He didn't just look like he belonged — he was one of his team's better players. Manley scored in his first shift, using his shiftiness to get to space and fire one in. He made smart reads and his vision was outstanding, as he looked off defenders to open passing lanes. He also showed no hesitation in getting physical with bigger, older players.
Joe Marchi
Dexter Southfield, 10/30/2007, F, right shot, 5-8/170
Hometown: Foxboro, Mass.Â
It feels like Marchi always shows out in the Foxboro Prep League, and Wednesday was no different. The Dexter forward wired a snipe to tie the game, 3-3, midway through the second half. He also turned it on, driving play and using his frame and stride to protect pucks in the offensive zone.
Andrew Martin
Brooks, 8/16/2008, F, left shot, 6-2/187
Hometown: Wakefield, Mass.Â
Martin opened Wednesday night's game with a missile for a goal, sneaking a shot from in tight under the crossbar. Martin showed himself as hard to play against, especially along the walls in winning board battles. He pressured opposing defensemen at his own blue line, too. Martin also assisted on the game-winning goal when he fed St. Mark's forward Will Manchuso (Concord, Mass.) with a sweet feed for a one-timer. It's hard to find a player who boosted their stock more this summer than Martin.
Evan Nee
St. Mark's, 8/12/2007, D, left shot, 5-10/165
Hometown: Arlington, Mass.Â
Nee is a left wing, but he played defense on Wednesday and looked natural. The St. Mark's forward was a breakout machine, showing patience in the face of opposing forwards coming at him and sifting passes up ice to wings in the neutral zone. He made the first pass on numerous plays that ended up as scoring chances or in the back of the net.
Nolan Russell
Arlington High, 6/12/2007, F, left shot, 5-9/160
Hometown: Arlington, Mass.Â
Russell's hands were on full display. He scored early in the second half on a backdoor tap-in. At one point, his smart route on the forecheck led to a turnover and scoring chance for his line. He also had numerous sequences where he dangled defenders to get to high-danger scoring areas. He'll be back in the MIAA this winter and looks ready to take over.
Cole Ryan
Williston Northampton, 2/20/2009, D, left shot, 5-11/165
Hometown: Scituate, Mass.Â
Ryan showed himself as a shifty, elusive skater. His best play came at the beginning of the second half when he made a heads-up pass to Russell for a backdoor tap-in goal. At times, he showcased a good stick in front of his own net. Ryan is an '09 defenseman I'm intrigued to watch at the 16U level in the fall and in the winter with Williston.
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Luke Sardone
Middlesex, 6/11/2008, F, right shot, 5-10/154
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.Â
Sardone was impossible to miss. He played with power and drove play as Team Holske stormed back to score 12 unanswered goals. Sardone's compete never wavered. A great example of that was in the first half when he got behind the defense for a breakaway, but was stopped. Sardone stayed with the play, won a puck battle and shoveled it to Nee for a goal. Sardone scored a couple late in the game, too.
