Boys prep hockey rankings: Frederick Gunn, Rivers join the top 10

Let the madness begin. Every week, we will have fresh boys prep hockey rankings, judging the top 10 teams off the previous week of games. This week, the top three teams remain unchanged from our preseason rankings, which isn't a big surprise. All three had no issue taking care of business. Where things got interesting...

This article is only available to paid subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Already a subscriber? .

Let the madness begin.

Every week, we will have fresh boys prep hockey rankings, judging the top 10 teams off the previous week of games.

This week, the top three teams remain unchanged from our preseason rankings, which isn't a big surprise. All three had no issue taking care of business.

Where things got interesting was in spots four through 10, as new teams joined the fray. Two teams fell out: St. Mark's and St. George's.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Let's dive in.

1. St. Sebastian's (2-0-0)

Previous ranking: 1
Head coach: Sean McCann
Next game: vs. Portsmouth Abbey, Dec. 6, 5 p.m.

The Arrows took care of business to open the season, first with a 7-3 win at Rivers and then a 6-2 victory over Milton Academy. To no one's surprise, scoring is their biggest strength and it's the line of Teddy Mutryn (Norwell, Mass.), Casey Mutryn (Norwell, Mass.) and Nolan Flynn (Natick, Mass.) leading the way.

2. Cushing (3-0-0)

Previous ranking: 2
Head coach: Paul Pearl
Next game: at Lawrence Academy, Dec. 14, 8 p.m.

Entering the season, Marko Bilic looked to be one of the top goalies in prep hockey and so far, he's lived up to the hype. He posted a 20-save shutout in a 4-0 win against Dexter Southfield and a 14-save shutout in another 4-0 win over Winchendon. The offense exploded for a 9-3 win against Stanstead College on Saturday. Senior forward Emerson Marshall (Gloucester, Mass.) has kicked his season off with a bang, scoring three goals and totaling six points in the three hames.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

3. Avon Old Farms (2-0-0)

Previous ranking: 3
Head coach John Gardner
Next game: vs. Taft, Dec. 6, 3 p.m.

It's not surprising that Gardner's team took down Williston Northampton, 6-2, and The Hill School, 7-0, to open its season. Senior Brendan Tighe enjoyed matchups with those two teams, posting two goals and six points in the wins. Avon Old Farms will face its first legitimate test of the season this Wednesday against Taft.

SEB'S STILL NO. 1: 7 takeaways from opening night win by St. Sebastian's over Rivers

4. Salisbury (1-0-0)

Previous ranking: 5
Head coach Andrew Will
Next game: vs. Millbrook, Dec. 4, 5:30 p.m.

Salisbury moves up one spot after taking down Taft, 3-2. Will's team outshot the Rhinos 42-31. Cooper Flemming made 29 saves in the win and Ryan Hedley opened the scoring and added an assist on Seamus Latta's goal. Salisbury mainly moves up because of Kimball Union's loss, but the Crimson Knights show no signs of falling out of the top five. A date with Kent on Saturday is the big game for Salisbury this week.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

5. Kimball Union (4-1-0)

Previous ranking: 4
Head coach: Tim Whitehead
Next game: at. Proctor, Dec. 6, 2:30 p.m.

Whitehead had his team playing before most start in New England prep, as the Wildcats took part in the Stanstead College Invitational the weekend of Nov. 18-19. The only hiccup so far this season was a loss to Rivers on Saturday at the Exeter Invitational. Whitehead's squad followed it up with a strong, 5-2 win over Kent. It's hard to drop the Wildcats any lower than No. 5. No one is surprised to see Jack Sadowski (Arlington, Mass.) and Sam LeDrew leading the way offensively with 11 points each.

6. Nobles (2-0-0)

Previous ranking: 6
Head coach: Brian Day
Next game: vs. Tabor, Dec. 6, 5:30 p.m.

Nobles stays in the No. 6 spot after beating Pomfret, 5-1, and getting a big, 7-3 win over Belmont Hill on Sunday in the ISL Keller Showcase. Goalie Tyler Bloomfield (Hudson, Mass.) has been a stable force in both wins, stopping 60 of the 64 shots he's faced. Dennis Davidson (Newton, Mass.), Teddy MacAusland (Westwood, Mass.) and Kyle O'Leary (Medfield, Mass.) have driven the offense.

UPSET ALERT: 5 takeaways from Dexter Southfield's 6-3 win over St. Mark's

7. Holderness (2-0-0)

Previous ranking: 8
Head coach: Alan Thompson
Next game: vs. Brewster Academy, Dec. 6, 2 p.m.

Holderness took care of business in the first week of the season. First, it was a 10-1 win over Hebron on Wednesday. Then, on Saturday, Thompson's team took down Pingree, 11-2. Holderness got offense from everywhere, but Tanner Petalas leads the team in goals (four) and points (eight). The Groton/Lawrence Holiday Tournament should be Holderness' first big test.

8. Frederick Gunn (3-0-0)

Previous ranking: NR
Head coach: Craig Badger
Next game: at Berkshire, Dec. 6, 2:30 p.m.

Frederick Gunn debuts in the top 10 by jumping up to No. 8. Badger's team opened its season with a 4-1 win over Hotchkiss and then two separate 5-2 wins at the Exeter Invitational this past weekend: first over Phillips Exeter and then over New Hampton. Alex LoGuercio (Monroe, Conn.) has five goals in three games which isn't a surprise and Mark Pizzo (Monroe, Conn.) and Jacob Rothman lead the team in points with six each — also not a surprise. Mitchell McCusker has been strong in net, stopping 94 of the 99 shots faced.

EXETER INVITATIONAL: 9 takeaways from the action at Phillips Exeter

9. Brunswick (1-1-1)

Previous ranking: 7
Head coach: Mike Kennedy
Next game: at Kent, Dec. 6, 4:30 p.m.

Brunswick falls to No. 9 after an up-and-down start to the season. The Bruins opened with a 7-4 loss to Loomis Chaffee, but followed it up with a strong, convincing, 8-3 win over New Hampton in the Exeter Invitational. Kennedy's team falls two spots instead of just one because of its 2-2 tie with Exeter. Frederick Gunn beat Exeter, so the Gunnery gets the edge. I saw Brunswick's win over New Hampton and it would be foolish to drop Brunswick any lower. The Bruins are a sure-fire top-10 team who will stabilize. This week, however, will be a test: at Kent on Wednesday and then at Westminster on Saturday.

10. Rivers (2-1-0)

Previous ranking: NR
Head coach: Freddy Meyer
Next game: vs. St. George's, Dec. 6, 4:30 p.m.

I debated this one the most. Meyer's team played St. Sebastian's well, despite falling, 7-3, in the season-opening game. The real reason Rivers finds itself at No. 10 is its 4-2 win over Kimball Union on Saturday at the Exeter Invitational. You can read more on that game here but that's an impressive feat for such a young team. The younger players have contributed, but seniors Cayden Miceli (Natick, Mass.) and Jacob Kulas (Stow, Mass.) both lead the team in points with five each.

Boys prep hockey rankings: Frederick Gunn, Rivers join the top 10

Upgrade to get unlimited access

1. St. Sebastian's (2-0-0)

2. Cushing (3-0-0)

3. Avon Old Farms (2-0-0)

4. Salisbury (1-0-0)

5. Kimball Union (4-1-0)

6. Nobles (2-0-0)

7. Holderness (2-0-0)

8. Frederick Gunn (3-0-0)

9. Brunswick (1-1-1)

10. Rivers (2-1-0)

Related prep reading: