For teams across Massachusetts who want to win the MIAA Div. 1A state tournament (also known as the Super 8), one obvious challenger stands in the way.
BC High has won the tournament in each of the past two seasons, and both finals victories came against Pope Francis in overtime. Last March, it was a quadruple-overtime 2-1 victory, and in 2018, a 2-1 win in one overtime.
BC High’s attack lost a few stars to Thayer Academy — Peter Kramer (13 goals, 19 assists) and Joseph Kramer (15 goals, 15 assists). The two forwards are twins, Providence College commits and ranked second and third on the team in scoring, respectively, last season.
Although the team lost some depth at the forward position and both of its goaltenders are gone, only one defensemen from last year graduated. Top players on that side of the puck include junior John Logan (two goals, 11 assists) and senior Michael Dragon (four goals, eight assists). Declan Loughnane (six goals, 11 assists) joined the Kramers at Thayer. After coming so close to winning a title in each of the past two years, Pope Francis will have a major challenge this season, as the team lost 11 seniors to graduation, including its top three scorers.
Three Super 8 tournament teams from last season stand out as young teams that could enjoy better results this season — Austin Prep, Duxbury and St. Mary’s of Lynn. They suffered minimal graduation losses compared to other teams in the bracket.
Duxbury returns a pair of Patriot League All-Stars — senior captain and forward Ben Cheney and senior goaltender Steve Pisani. In the Central Catholic League, Austin Prep has stellar talent — good, young defensemen Jack Farrell and Aidan Elkins, and senior forward Christopher Roy. St. Mary’s brings back All-Star sophomore defenseman Davis Kinne.
More three-peats?Â
Outside of BC High in the Super 8, there are several teams across New England with a chance at winning their third straight title this year.
In Vermont, both state champs from last season — Essex in Division 1 and Woodstock in Division 2 — have a chance to make it three titles in a row.
Although Essex lost seven seniors to graduation, senior forward Willem Barwin returns in his second year as a captain. Junior forwards Maxwell Line and Charles Wiegand, both of whom shined in the state semifinal game last season, give the team some offensive experience. Defensively, the team lost only one player to graduation but will need a replacement in net.
Losing a pair on defense will be a challenge for Woodstock to overcome, but for the most part, it has the same talent as last season. Senior goaltender Henry Greene, the starter in each of the team’s past two championship games, is back. On offense, the team has an experienced and spread-out scoring effort including from junior Andrew Gubbins, who had a goal in the team’s 3-1 title game win over Colchester last season.
Even without their top scorer and starting goaltender from next year, John Stark/Hopkinton, which has back-to-back Div. 3 titles in New Hampshire, is again in position to excel. The offense features a handful of returning contributors who averaged more than a point per game last season — senior Brett Patnode (22 goals. 18 assists), junior Nolan Sauer (10 goals, 16 assists), junior Tyler Scordo (10 goals, nine assists) and senior Benny Madden (five goals, 14 assists).
With five seniors from last year’s roster gone, Pilgrim (R.I.) will have to tweak its strategy offensively, but not entirely. Junior forward Collin Peterson notched a hat trick in game two of the championship series last season. In net, sophomore Dylan Cunetta shined as a freshman, so the team will not have to worry about that position for a few years.
Fairfield Prep, which has won the past two Div. 1 state titles in Connecticut, likely has the biggest challenge of the bunch. The team lost 10 seniors to graduation, which is almost half of the team from last season. Junior forward Mason Whitney and sophomore forward Aksel Sather are among the team’s more experienced players on the attack, each of whom had a point in the team’s championship game last season.
Youth movement
Two smaller Massachusetts schools should be in a position to contend again this season after winning state titles last year with young teams: Wachusett in Div. 3 and Northbridge in Div. 3A.
Northbridge got off to a 2-5-1 start last season with a young team and continued growing throughout the season. It lost only two seniors to graduation — a forward and defenseman — but the top six forwards return, as does the team’s top defenseman and starting goaltender.
Senior Liam Gill (32 goals, 23 assists) statistically was among the top forwards in the state last season. He earned the Worcester Telegram’s Player of the Year award last season. Junior forward Ryan Couture (15 goals, 21 assists), senior forward Alex Smith (13 goals, 20 assists) and senior defenseman Nick Locurto (13 goals, 17 assists) proved themselves to be capable scorers last season as the robust offense averaged 4.3 goals per game. Chris Wells (.878 save percentage, 2.96 GAA) returning in net also will be a boost for the team.
Although Wachusett lost a pair of defensemen to graduation, only three seniors departed, and its offense and goaltending should again be strengths. Wachusett’s two captains last season, forwards Sean Gardner and Kevin Skagerlind (also a standout soccer player) are back for their senior years, as is senior goaltender Jackson King, who posted a .913 save percentage.
Always one to watch
In recent years, no boys high school hockey team has enjoyed more success than New Hampshire Div. 1 powerhouse Bedford, which has won state titles six of the past eight seasons.
Bedford lost three of its top four scorers to graduation, but junior Owen Roberto (16 goals, two assists) shined last season, as did junior goaltender Shea Guimont, who shut out Trinity in last year’s 7-0 state title victory.
This story is from the December issue of the New England Hockey Journal. Subscribe here.
