BEDFORD, Mass. — One of the biggest events of the offseason calendar is in the rearview.
The Wizards Showcase took over the Edge Sports Center this past weekend, featuring 31 teams from New England, the western U.S. and western Canada and some of the best prospects in the U19, U16 and U14 age groups.
I spent my weekend focusing primarily on the U16 and U19 teams, doing my best to see each New England team at least once. All told, I saw 21 total games, most for at least two periods.
We already broke down eight standout U19 forwards from the weekend, and we'll dive into the U16s as the week progresses.
For now, let's look at eight defenders and goalies who impressed among the U19s this weekend.
Emma Cerruti
PIP/Shattuck-St. Mary’s U16, 2/11/2008, D, right shot, 5-8
Hometown: Norwell, Mass.
Just as they did at Mass. Hockey's Final 40, Cerruti's speed and skating helped set her apart from the crowd. She creates a ton with her speed, whether by easily starting transition or joining the rush. She was hard to handle when she activated in transition, and it helped her draw a holding penalty against the Wizards on Saturday. Later in that game, she made a strong play to step up and play the body to stifle Emi Biotti's (Cambridge, Mass.) rush. Later against Team Western Canada, Cerruti led a quick regroup and give-and-go in the neutral zone, flying into the offensive zone with possession and getting a solid chance on net.
WIZARDS SHOWCASE: 8 standout U19 forwards from the weekend
Brenna O'Reilly
East Coast Wizards/BB&N, 04/2007, D, right shot, 5-8
Hometown: Burlington, Mass.
NCAA: Providence
O'Reilly, a rising senior at BB&N, picked up a goal in four games with the Wizards this weekend. What stood out the most, though, was her play in her own zone. She got under the skin of her opponents with her hard, physical defending. It made her effective below the goal line and with suppressing shots in and around the slot. The Providence College commit moved the puck well on breakouts, making solid decisions and good first passes.
Emi Biotti
East Coast Wizards/BB&N, 1/4/2007, D, right shot, 5-10
Hometown: Cambridge, Mass.
NCAA: Harvard
Biotti led the U19 division in scoring with seven points (three goals) in four games. The Harvard commit was dangerous against PIP on Saturday, routinely jumping into the play and creating chances. She showcased a heavy shot, forcing Maelee Ambrass to make several high-quality saves. When she joined the rush, Biotti effectively used her frame and reach to shield pucks from the opposition, too. She had a productive day on Friday, scoring a goal and two assists against Team Western Canada as well as two goals and an assist against Team West.
Molly Boyle
Assabet/Phillips Andover, 1/5/2006, D, right shot, 5-8
Hometown: Scituate, Mass.
NCAA: Yale
Boyle impressed with a three-point outing (two goals) for Assabet against the Connecticut Jr. Eagles on Friday. The Yale commit routinely made good, simple decisions with the puck and did a good job of getting shots off quickly from the point, through traffic and on net. She scored her first goal walking into the circle and putting a low shot on net through a screen, and her second came off the rush. She picked up an assist on Evelyn Doyle's (Needham, Mass.) third-period goal, too.
Nina Coffee
PIP/Williston Northampton, 3/16/2007, D, left shot, 6-0
Hometown: Old Lyme, Conn.
Coffee instantly stands out any time she plays because of her size alone, but she had a strong weekend in all three zones for PIP, too. She made aggressive reads against the Spitfires on Friday morning, jumping into the offense, which typically led to good chances for her team. She had a strong game defensively against the Wizards on Saturday as well. The rising junior at Williston maintained good gaps and stick position in transition, stopping Nora Curtis in her tracks with a good poke check on one rush. She did a great job of keeping pucks out of the middle of the ice, blocking shots, getting her stick into lanes and disrupting puck carriers. It was on full display in an extended defensive zone shift late in the game.
AWARDS:Â Handing out the boys and girls prep individual honors for 2024
Maelee Ambrass
PIP/Philadelphia Jr. Flyers 19U, 7/21/2006, G, catches left, 5-11
Hometown: Cranberry Township, Penn.
NCAA: RPI
Ambrass made quality saves each time I saw PIP play this weekend, especially against the Wizards. The RPI commit was excellent under heavy pressure and maintained good rebound control. She was a big reason why that game ended in a 1-1 tie. She was nearly unbeatable, including several big-time stops on Biotti, one of which was a head-hunter labeled for the top shelf. Ambrass made that glove save look easy, and the same goes for a clutch shoulder save she made on Biotti's bid for the top-right corner late. She finished with a 1.50 goals-against average in the tournament.
Annika Jonas
East Coast Wizards/Nobles, 11/2007, G, catches left
Hometown: Weston, Mass.
Like Ambrass, Jonas handled heavy offensive onslaughts and kept rebounds out of danger, allowing few second and third-chance opportunities. She sealed a win against the Connecticut Jr. Eagles on Friday with a terrific sequence late. Jonas first made a good pad save on a low wrister through traffic. She followed it up with two strong saves to stone some bids at a rebound in front amid a net-front scramble. She finished with a 0.50 GAA on the weekend. A rising sophomore at Nobles, she'll have the chance to compete for the starting job next season.
Nikki Ferraro
Connecticut Jr. Eagles/Hotchkiss, 10/10/2006, G, catches left, 5-4
Hometown: New Canaan, Conn.
Ferraro was fantastic for the Connecticut Jr. Eagles, despite the loss, in their game against Assabet on Friday. She faced a high volume of quality shots and managed the pressure fairly well, reacting quickly and anticipating plays. She made a strong shoulder save on Maggie Averill's (Wayland, Mass.) bid for the top right corner early. The Hotchkiss rising junior robbed Peyton Kennedy (Sudbury, Mass.) in tight as well. Ferraro made a pair of sprawling saves late in the game, too. She denied Sarah Powers' (Lynnfield, Mass.) point-blank one-timer in the slot, and she later lunged to rob Doyle at the horn.
