To say the 2022-23 New England prep school hockey season hasn’t gone according to script would be an understatement.
Yes, Cushing and Avon Old Farms are at the top, as expected. The Penguins and Winged Beavers are hovering right below Nobles in the all-important JSPR, which determines the seeds for the NEPSAC Stuart/Corkery Elite 8 Tournament.
On the other hand, Kimball Union is ranked seventh and Salisbury is perilously hanging on to a spot in the Martin/Earl Large School Tournament. I keep waiting for the Crimson Knights to turn things around, but the recent results don’t bode well for that happening. With Tim Whitehead at the helm, as long as the Wildcats stay in position to make the Elite 8, they will be a dangerous out.
Almost as surprising as the struggles of Kimball Union and Salisbury is the rise of Taft, Tabor and Milton, three teams certainly not destined for the Elite 8 before the season began.
There is still a little over a month to go in the season, which allows for plenty of time for teams to move up or down.
