MARLBORO, Mass. – The Boston Junior Eagles won the Massachusetts Hockey 18U State Championship last weekend with wins over the Little Bruins, East Coast Wizards and Cape Cod Whalers.
The team, coached by Brian Leetch (Cheshire, Conn.), is made up mostly of '05s and has been together for a while. The group has lost some key players over the years, including Will Smith (Lexington, Mass.), Will Vote (Arlington, Mass.) and Sam Scopa (Lexington, Mass.). However, a bunch of the nucleus is still intact.
With most of the high-end talent at the Mass. Hockey State Championships being at the 15 Only and 16U levels, I prioritized my time there. However, I paid close attention to 18U games on Friday and Saturday while keeping tabs Sunday, as well.
Below is one player from each team I saw who gave off a positive impression.
Forwards
Cullen Emery
Junior Eagles, 8/2/05, C, right shot, 5-9/182
One could make the argument that Emery is the Junior Eagles' best player up front. Now in his second year at Dexter Southfield, the Reading, Mass., native skates well, has some skill and sees the ice with an above-average lens. He made some plays here and will be one of the more watched '05s in prep hockey this winter when it comes to potentially earning a commitment.
Andrew Gibbons
Little Bruins, 6/2/05, RW, right shot, 5-9/187
NCAA: Air Force
While I wanted to focus solely on uncommitted players in this story, I couldn't leave Gibbons off — that's how good he was Friday night. Gibbons had a pair of goals in his team’s win over the River Rats on Friday. The Little Bruins were ranked lower than expected throughout the fall and much of that can be attributed to Gibbons’ absence. The Wakefield, R.I., native and St. Mark’s first liner missed much of the fall with a lower-body injury. What Gibbons brought to the table Friday night was his goal-scoring ability, but also his leadership and keeping his team calm, despite going down two goals early.
Cole Blaeser
North Suburban Wings, 4/6/05, LW, left shot, 5-10/160
Blaeser was clearly the standout player for the Wings. He scored a goal by using his separation speed and fending off an opposing defender early in the quarterfinals against the Valley Junior Warriors. His improvement over the last 18 months has been remarkable. The Boxford, Mass., native will be one of the best players in high school hockey this winter while skating for the defending Division 1 state champion St. John’s Prep.
Dane Carter
East Coast Wizards, 1/25/04, RW, right shot, 5-11/180
Carter enjoyed a breakout season in 2021-22 as a depth player who provided secondary scoring for Belmont Hill. With a few key players, including Teddy Stiga (Sudbury, Mass.) and James Fisher (Burlington, Mass.), now with the NTDP and USHL, he should get a little more ice time. He’s quick, skilled and crafty. From Concord, Mass., he was a factor in his team’s success this past weekend.
Keanan Dewberry
Islanders Hockey Club, 5/8/05, RW, right shot, 5-10/170
Dewberry, from Montreal, is in his second year at Tabor Academy, playing for Gerry Dineen’s Seawolves. His skating and compete level should catch the attention of Division 3 recruiters this winter. He flies around the ice, keeps his feet moving, and isn’t afraid to throw his weight around. He’s not overly skilled, but he produced because of the number of chances he gets by using his speed. There won’t be more than a handful of players in prep hockey this winter who are faster than Dewberry.
Defensemen
Nico Pasquale
River Rats, 5/1/05, D, right shot, 5-9/155
Pasquale’s team bowed out in the first round on Friday night, but the Chicago, Ill., native was a bright spot. The mobile, puck-moving defenseman had three assists and did a good job of joining the rush and filling lanes. Now in his third year at Berkshire, Pasquale is adept at seeing the ice, making plays, and thinking about the offensive part of the game at a high level. Expect him to take on a greater role for Dan Driscoll’s team this winter.
Zach Rizzo
Central Mass. Penguins, 8/7/04, D, right shot, 5-11/60
Rizzo first jumped out to me last winter while playing for Paul Pearl’s Penguins. From Atlanta, Ga., he’s a little on the smaller side, but he’s one of the best offensive defensemen I’ve seen this fall in terms of getting shots through from the point. The puck jumps off his stick. He was solid and involved in the play in much of his team’s game against the Cape Cod Whalers on Saturday.
Josh Doolan
Valley Junior Warriors, 3/28/04, D, right shot, 6-2/190
Doolan is a big, two-way defenseman for Frank Golden’s team. The Southboro, Mass., native has size and strength. He’s at his best when keeping puck touches simple, getting hard shots through from the point, and bringing a physical element on the defensive end. Doolan was a bottom-pairing player for Belmont Hill last winter, but he should be able to push his way up in the lineup this season for Brian Phinney’s squad.
Goaltenders
Beau Lane
Cape Cod Whalers, 6/16/04, G, catches left, 6-3/165
Lane was terrific in his team’s wins over the Islanders Hockey Club and Central Mass. Penguins. He made a number of big saves in tight games. The Pembroke, Mass., native and second-year starter at Thayer was a key contributor for the Whalers team that unexpectedly advanced to the finals of the Mass. Hockey State Championship.
