When the Mass. Hockey girls festival kicks off for all players on Friday, everyone will be competing for spots in the Final 40 next month.
From the Final 40, players will battle for spots in USA Hockey's national camps this summer.
The 2010s will fight to make the National 15 and National 15 Goalie Camps, while the 2008s and 2009s will battle for spots in the National 16/17 Camp. Those camps will be at Miami University (Ohio) in July. Each age group also has an opportunity to make the U18 Women's National Festival in Lake Placid in August.
The festival and Final 40 also provide great opportunities for players to showcase their skills in front of college coaches.
The ’10s are still far from getting college eyes on them, while the ’09s are on the cusp of being recruited and committing. The ’08s, however, are in the middle of it.
For this story, I'll focus on the 2008s and 2009s, looking at rising seniors who remain uncommitted or rising juniors who will be eligible to commit this summer.
Below are 12 uncommitted players who impressed over the winter. Of course, these aren't the only 12 players to watch. Many more will emerge throughout the weekend.
A friendly reminder: Massachusetts is its own district in the eyes of USA Hockey. Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont comprise the New England District.
Here are 12 uncommitted players to keep an eye on this weekend.
Erin Flaherty
St. Paul’s, 06/2008, F, right shot, 5-5
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
Flaherty plays a fast, smart game, impacting the game in all situations whenever I've seen her play the last two seasons. Her strong strides allow her to exploit skating lanes and beat defenders in 1-on-1s. She also has a strong ability to create chances for her linemates, evidenced by her high assist totals the last two seasons (14 in each), and this past season, she capitalized on more opportunities herself. Flaherty led St. Paul's with 25 points (11 goals) as a sophomore this season. It was a big step up from 17 points (three goals) as a freshman.
Maggie Averill
Phillips Andover, 9/9/2008, D, right shot, 5-11
Hometown: Wayland, Mass.
We've talked about Averill a lot as a player to watch once recruiting season rolls around this year. Her size and offensive ability make her a unique talent on the back end. She's improved at using her size and reach to her advantage in the defensive zone. Offensively, she's not afraid to take chances, whether with a stretch pass or jumping into the play. Her heavy shot from the point gives her a major advantage. She gets a lot on it and takes no time to release it. Averill had 22 points (12 goals) this season, besting 18 points (10 goals) from her freshman year.
Kimee Duplessis
Phillips Andover, 11/2008, D, right shot, 5-4
Hometown: Framingham, Mass.
Duplessis, as well as teammate Sienna Glass (Andover, Mass.), showed nice improvement from her freshman to sophomore year. Duplessis was stronger on pucks, quicker with her reads and more assertive on the back end for Andover. It allowed her to impact the play in all three zones and resulted in a big spike in production. She posted five goals and 14 points on defense, following six points (one goal) as a freshman.
FESTIVAL: 229 players invited to Mass. Hockey girls festival
Jamie Noonan
Groton, 01/2008, D/F, right shot, 5-3
Hometown: East Bridgewater, Mass.
Noonan's production dipped from her previous two seasons at Groton, but she was still an effective presence on the back end. Her speed and agility give her a big advantage, especially with the puck or defending in transition. Her speed helps her generate exits herself and take advantage of skating lanes when passing lanes aren't there. Noonan will be a senior next season.
Shea Richardson
Hingham, 9/5/2008, D, right shot, 5-4
Hometown: Hingham, Mass.
Richardson has been one of the top puck-movers in the MIAA over the last two seasons. She shouldered heavy minutes and did a good job of quarterbacking things in the offensive zone for the Harborwomen. Richardson was also effective skating the puck up ice herself, identifying skating lanes and generating clean exits and entries. She had 24 points (seven goals) in 21 games en route to a state title this season.
Molly Halloran
BB&N, 06/2008, F, right shot, 5-7
Hometown: Belmont, Mass.
Halloran is a strong, effective power forward who does well on the forecheck and around the net. She reads the play well on the forecheck, getting into lanes and winning pucks back. Halloran has a knack for creating offense in front of the net, too. In the NEPSAC semis against Dexter, she buried her own rebound after stealing the puck out high before she later parked herself in front and potted another rebound. She was a key secondary producer at BB&N this season with 10 goals and 13 points, and the Knights will need her to step up even more next winter.
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Kate Glantz
BB&N, 10/2008, F, left shot
Hometown: Burlington, Mass.
Glantz showed a lot of promise as a smart playmaker in BB&N's top six this season. She has good awareness in the offensive zone, takes advantage of open space and can slip pucks through seams to set up quality chances. Like Halloran, a bigger role could be in store for Glantz next season. She had 13 points (six goals) this past season, tripling her previous high for goals.
Mia Daley
Williston Northampton, 2009, F, right shot
Hometown: Lynnfield, Mass.
After a strong freshman season playing key minutes at Williston with 24 points (eight goals), Daley followed it up with an even better sophomore year with 34 points (17 goals). She took the momentum into USA Hockey Nationals, where she posted six points (three goals) in three games. Daley is a smart, confident play-driver who is strong at creating chances for others and finishing her own. Expect her to be a popular name come the summer.
Annabelle Lovell
Lovell Academy, 2/25/2009, D/F, right shot, 5-3
Hometown: Hingham, Mass.
Lovell's versatility and skating make her one of the most exciting players to watch anytime she's on the ice. She's coming off a wildly productive season with the Lovell Academy U16s, posting 158 points and 57 goals in 83 games. She has quick hands and quick feet that help her jumpstart transition herself, carve through skating lanes in the neutral zone and put opponents on their heels. Lovell also had a solid showing at the U18 Women's Worlds in January with a goal and an assist en route to a silver medal.
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Ava Decourcey
Nobles, 7/24/2008, D, right shot, 5-6
Hometown: Rockland, Mass.
Decourcey, who stood out with 16 goals and 24 points at Tilton a season ago, is coming off 11 points (four goals) at Nobles this season. Not as much of the spotlight was on Decourcey on a deep blue line at Nobles, but she fit right into her new surroundings with her smarts, shot and mobility on the back end. That was especially true in the offensive zone, where she read the play well, worked high-to-low plays and had good timing.
Annabelle Aitken
Dexter Southfield, 11/24/2008, G, catches right, 5-5
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
Aitken split the net at Dexter with junior Addy Sutherland (West Roxbury, Mass.), another uncommitted prospect to watch this weekend. After a .939 save percentage as a freshman, when she was a major piece of Dexter's run to the 2024 Large School title game, Aitken posted a .947 marker this past season. She came through in some key matchups this season, particularly Dexter's tie with Williston. Aitken has a strong glove and reacts quickly.
Janie Martin
Middlesex, 2008, F, right shot, 5-5
Hometown: Burlington, Mass.
Martin, a rising senior, was a major bright spot at Middlesex, taking a big step as a junior. After a breakout sophomore season with 10 goals and 22 points in 2023-24, Martin followed it up with 24 points, but most impressively, 18 goals. She was tied for the sixth-highest goal total in prep this season.
