BURLINGTON, Mass. — The first Premier Prep League season is in the books, and the summer isn't far behind it.
Thursday marked the seventh and final week for the PPL at the Burlington Ice Palace. In about a week, school will be back in session, along with the return of fall hockey and the fall sports season.
After the Blue and Red teams squared off in the third-place game, the championship came down to the Black and White teams. In the end, White won the title game, 7-3.
A handful of absences led to a few players suiting up in both games, but per usual, the hockey was good and competitive as players looked to put themselves in good spots heading into the fall season. Click or tap here for the rosters.
Here are 13 standouts from the evening.
Leah Hafer
Dexter Southfield, 12/6/2008, F, right shot
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
Hafer was everywhere for Blue in the third-place game. She played with a ton of speed, winning races for pucks and constantly putting the defense on its heels. She also did a good job of finding open space around the crease and the slot, leading to a pair of goals. The first came on a slick feed from Kalli O'Brien off the rush. Hafer rifled a one-timer from the slot inside the left post. The second came on a cross-ice feed from Molly Whittier (Waltham, Mass.) as Hafer snapped a quick shot inside the left post.
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Caroline Kreuz
St. Mark’s, 04/2010, F, right shot, 5-4
Hometown: Worcester, Mass.
Kreuz was excellent for Red in the third-place game, especially early on. She showcased good vision and stickhandling with the puck, finding skating lanes and evading pressure. She also played with high compete. It was all on display when she won a race for a puck in neutral ice early on before sending Shelby Buckler (Sherborn, Mass.) in for a chance. Kreuz followed it up with some rebound chances before getting another look, dangling to the slot at the right circle.
Shelby Buckler
Brooks, 2010 F, left shot
Hometown: Sherborn, Mass.
Props to Buckler for playing in both games this week. She had fantastic looks throughout both games, including a backhand bid all alone in front after she fought through two defenders off a turnover. She later had a wide-open one-timer at the far post that wouldn't go before ringing the crossbar. In the end, she got rewarded with the empty-netter for White. Throughout the night, her soft hands and quick release were on display. She had a handful of nice plays early on, corralling tough passes in her feet without losing speed.
Brooke Carlson
Governor’s, 01/2009, F, left shot, 5-8
Hometown: North Andover, Mass.
Carlson did damage around the net and in the slot for White, scoring a pair of goals. The first came when she got her stick on Blake Metcalf's (Scarborough, Maine) bomb from the point, tipping it home as she provided a screen in front. The second was a case of being in the right place at the right time as she curled toward the net coming out of the corner. A rebound popped right to her, and she buried it.
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Blake Metcalf
Cushing, 2010, D, right shot
Hometown: Scarborough, Maine
Metcalf made quick decisions and played assertively for White, especially in the offensive zone, and she put hard shots on net from long range. She set up Carlson's first goal with a blast from the point. Metcalf later set up Abbey Deroeve (Charlestown, Mass.) for a back-door tap-in after getting the puck at the point out high and driving into middle ice with speed. The pass was right on the money.
Joelle Burns
Rivers, 2010, D, left shot
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
Burns made good, quick decisions with the puck on breakouts and regroups at center ice for Black. She read the ice well, identified skating lanes and took advantage, including one strong rush down the length of the ice midway through the game. She also knew when to curl back and spin off from pressure.
Chloe Rabazzi
Boston Jr. Eagles, 9/2/2010, D, left shot
Hometown: Burlington, Mass.
Rabazzi was active in transition throughout the early game for Blue. She was decisive on breakouts and regroups, making good reads and strong first passes. She wasn't afraid to jump into the transition either. Defensively, Rabazzi did a good job of using her size and strength down low in her own zone, winning battles and creating space for herself to find outlets.
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Abbey Deroeve
St. Mark's, 06/2009, D, left shot
Hometown: Charlestown, Mass.
Deroeve was everywhere for White, constantly activating into the play and keeping herself in constant motion in the offensive zone. It paid off when she found herself all alone at the left post for a tap-in goal from Metcalf. Deroeve also played a physical brand of hockey in the defensive zone, which isn't something you'd expect to see in summer hockey.
Cassie Ling
Brooks, 2010, F, right shot
Hometown: Needham, Mass.
Props to Ling for playing in both games and playing very well in both. Her speed was a big difference-maker. It was on display on a beautiful goal late in the third-place game when she was first on a loose puck at the right circle in the attacking zone. She cut to the middle, faked and reached around the goalie on the backhand for the finish with defenders bearing down on her. Ling had some good setups in the second game. On one, she drove the length of the rink and set up Kendra Snell (Southborough, Mass.) for a one-timer in the slot. Later, she slid a slick backhand dish to Nora McLean (Canton, Mass.) in the slot.
Abby Macauley
Thayer, Class of 2029, F, left shot
Hometown: Avon, Mass.
Macauley came through on the scoreboard for Black with a smooth breakaway goal midway through the championship game. The Thayer forward pounced on a White turnover at the blue line, going off to the races all alone. She didn't tip her hand on whether she was going to shoot or deke, and she easily scored five-hole with a quick wrister.
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Natasha Godfrey
Brooks, 04/2009, F, right shot
Hometown: Scarborough, Maine
The highlight-reel goals continued when Godfrey put the game away late for White. After White got the play going back the other way in the neutral zone, Godrey walked in on a 2-on-1 with Buckler. With plenty of time and space, Godfrey looked off the pass, kept and went bar-down with a wrister from inside the left post.
Charlotte Cohen
St. Paul's, 03/2009, F, right shot
Hometown: Cohasset, Mass.
Cohen scored a pair of goals for Red in the first game. Her second of the game showcased her high compete. Cohen was in a footrace for a 50/50 puck, winning it just outside the offensive blue line. She fought through contact as she flew into the zone and beat the goalie clean on the far side with a heavy wrist shot inside the left post.
Kendra Snell
Rivers, 08/2010, F, left shot, 5-7
Hometown: Southborough, Mass.
Snell also played in both games and was effective in both. Her ranginess, combined with her solid speed, helped her create space for herself with the puck and generate chances. She got a great look early on in the second game for Black, driving to the slot and making herself available for a one-timer on a feed from Ling. After it wouldn't go, Snell stuck with it and eventually came out of a high cycle with a head of steam, cutting around a defender and making a terrific back-door feed for a goal.
