It's no secret that the New England boys prep hockey rankings have been rocky this season.
They change weekly. Daily even. It feels like the JSPR changes more than the stock market. This is my fourth year covering prep hockey, and this is by far the craziest season due to the parity.
This week, a team in the top five fell out of the top 10, while a prominent squad that looked to be out of it is now inside the top 10 and hunting for the Elite 8.
After teams No. 1 and 2 in this top 10, which are the easiest to rank this season, only one team stayed in the same spot.
Let's dive in.
1. Dexter Southfield (19-2-3)
Previous ranking: 1
Head coach: Danny Donato
Next game: vs. St. Paul's, Feb. 18, 5:30 p.m.Â
As chaotic as the top 10 is, the top two feel secure (for now). Dexter only played once over the last seven days, taking down Portsmouth Abbey, 7-1. Freshman forward Max Prudovsky (Newton, Mass.) had a hat trick. The '11 has 18 points in 24 games, which is staggering given how deep Dexter is up front. Senior defenseman Matt Hines (Hingham, Mass.) and junior forward Noah Survilas (Winthrop, Mass.) both had a goal and an assist. Dates with St. Paul's and Winchendon, two teams just outside our top 10, will be difficult this week. Dexter ranks No. 2 in JSPR.
2. Salisbury (19-3-2)
Previous ranking: 2
Head coach: Andrew Will
Next game: at Brunswick, Feb. 18, 5 p.m.Â
The Crimson Knights took care of business this week, taking down Taft, 7-3, on Wednesday before beating Loomis Chaffee, 5-1, on Saturday. Junior forward Angus Proctor had two goals, while fellow junior forward Nate Burlock had a goal and an assist in the win over Taft. Against Loomis Chaffee, junior forward Greyson Espenshade notched a hat trick and senior defenseman Avery Tymus had a goal and two helpers. Salisbury is the No. 1 team in JSPR.
3. St. Mark's (20-3-0)
Previous ranking: 4
Head coach: Carl Corazzini
Next game: at Rivers, Feb. 18, 5:30 p.m.Â
St. Mark's had a huge week. After beating Brooks, 6-0, on Wednesday, the Lions edged Cushing, 4-3, in overtime on Friday. The next day, they took down Middlesex, 4-1. The story of the week was junior forward Caiden Pellegrino (Uxbridge, Mass.), who tipped senior defenseman Jack Taylor's (Framingham, Mass.) shot into the net with seven seconds left in overtime to beat Cushing. It was Pellegrino's third goal of the game, and he followed that up with three helpers against Middlesex. St. Mark's is No. 4 in JSPR.
READ MORE: The top 10 boys MIAA teams
4. Kimball Union (23-6-1)
Previous ranking: 8
Head coach: Tim Whitehead
Next game: vs. Proctor, Feb. 18, 4 p.m.Â
This is a big jump, but KUA is worthy. For starters, teams in this area of the top 10 last week took some losses, but the Wildcats also had a perfect week. It started with an 11-3 romp of Phillips Andover on Wednesday. Then, in a big back-to-back, the Wildcats took down New Hampton, 4-1, and then-No. 7 Holderness, 3-0. Senior forward Xander Boutilier is back and registered two goals and three assists against Andover, while senior forward Josh Phillips had a hat trick. Senior forward Jackson Kimelman, another big part of that top line, had two goals to beat New Hampton. Against Holderness, Phillips had a goal and a helper, Kimelman had another goal and Boutilier tallied an assist.
After Proctor, the Wildcats have a massive matchup with Cushing on Saturday. KUA is No. 5 in JSPR.
5. Avon Old Farms (14-5-1)
Previous ranking: 3
Head coach: Mark Naclerio
Next game: at Choate, Feb. 18, 3 p.m.Â
Avon's play dipped this time last year, and it's happening again. The Winged Beavers have lost four in a row, with two of those losses coming this past week. They fell to Frederick Gunn, 5-2, on Wednesday, before losing to Deerfield, 3-1. Senior goalie Anthony Palmer (Lynnfield, Mass.) gave up two early goals to Frederick Gunn and was pulled for junior Will Bagot (Old Greenwich, Conn.), who started against Deerfield as well, making 23 saves on 25 shots. Avon is still No. 3 in JSPR, but ranks eighth in projected JSPR.
A date at Salisbury on Saturday will be massive.
6. Hotchkiss (12-4-3)
Previous ranking: 6
Head coach: Mike Doyle
Next game: at Berkshire, Feb. 16, 5 p.m.Â
Hotchkiss stayed put at No. 6 after beating Westminster, 3-1, on Wednesday before falling, 3-2, to Taft in overtime on Saturday. Senior forward Aidan Patton and junior forward Jake Harrison both had two points in the win over Westy, while senior defenseman Evan Seow assisted on both goals in the loss to Taft. The big news of the week for Hotchkiss: junior goalie Neilan Johnson committed to Northeastern. He was strong in both games, with 38 saves against Westminster and 36 in the loss to Taft. A matchup with Berkshire will be big on Monday night, as Hotchkiss ranks No. 7 in JSPR.
READ MORE:Â Top boys prep performers from Feb. 4-10
7. Tabor (16-5-0)
Previous ranking: 9
Head coach: Gerry Dineen
Next game: at St. Sebastian's, Feb. 18, 4 p.m.Â
Tabor jumped two spots after beating Milton Academy, 4-1, and Governor's Academy, 2-0. Junior goalie Vinnie D'Urso (Andover, Mass.) was dynamite this week, making 45 saves to beat Milton and a 27-save shutout against Gov's. Senior forward Heyden Hildebrandt (Norwell, Mass.) scored twice to beat Milton, while senior defenseman Marcello Martinelli (North Providence, R.I.) and junior forward Liam Kailher (Duxbury, Mass.) had the goals against Gov's.
While Tabor is No. 6 in JSPR, it has a difficult road to end the season: St. Sebastian's, St. George's, Thayer, Belmont Hill and Lawrence Academy. Those games will essentially be playoff hockey.
8. Holderness (15-5-1)
Previous ranking: 7
Head coach: Alan Thompson
Next game: vs. Winchendon, Feb. 18, 3:30 p.m.Â
The Bulls dropped one spot after tying Tilton, 3-3, on Wednesday and falling to then-No. 8 Kimball Union, 3-0, on Saturday night. Holderness outplayed Tilton but ran into senior goalie Hunter Marshall, who made 45 saves. Senior forward Jack Welby (Windham, N.H.), junior defenseman Brody Nies and sophomore forward Kane Mori had the goals against Tilton. Holderness split its two-game set with Kimball Union this season, which is a positive. Holderness has a difficult final two weeks with Winchendon this Wednesday, and then St. Paul's, Dexter and the Lakes Region tournament to enter the season. The Bulls are No. 8 in JSPR.
9. St. Sebastian's (15-7-0)
Previous ranking: NR
Head coach: Sean McCann
Next game: vs. Tabor, Feb. 18, 4 p.m.Â
St. Sebastian's made a big statement on Wednesday, beating then-No. 5 Belmont Hill, 4-2. The Arrows followed that up with a 4-0 victory at Lawrence Academy. Sophomore forward Cade Noonan (Needham, Mass.) scored twice to beat the Sextants, while fellow sophomore forward Jack Queally (Milton, Mass.) had two against the Spartans. Junior goalie Tommy Saulnier (Medfield, Mass.) was in flow state this past week (which has become commonplace), with 32 stops against Belmont Hill and a 33-save shutout over Lawrence. St. Sebastian's is No. 10 in JSPR. A win over Tabor this Wednesday would boost its Elite 8 hopes.
READ MORE: 26 candidates for Player of the Year
10. Cushing (15-10-1)
Previous ranking: NR
Head coach: Dan Fontas
Next game: at Phillips Andover, Feb. 18, 4:45 p.m.Â
Stop me if you've heard this before: Cushing is getting hot late and making a run at the Elite 8. The defending champs have won seven of eight with victories against Brunswick (6-2) and Canterbury (3-1) coming over the last week. The lone loss was to then-No. 4 St. Mark's on Friday, and that came in overtime. Senior forward Parker Murch (York, Maine) and junior forward Chase Warsofsky (Northboro, Mass.) had three-point games to beat Brunswick, while freshman goalie Mason Raycroft (Wellesley, Mass.) made 35 saves. Raycroft made 35 more saves against St. Mark's, while Warsofsky tallied two assists in the loss to the Lions. Senior forward Ben Marcolini scored twice to beat Canterbury and sophomore goalie Harper Hubbard made 29 stops.
So, will Cushing make the Elite 8? The Penguins catapulted to No. 9 in JSPR, but are projected to finish No. 11. They have games left against Phillips Andover, No. 4 Kimball Union, New Hampton and Governor's Academy. Since 2014, no team has made the Elite 8 with more than nine losses.
Dropped out:Â Belmont Hill, Canterbury
In the hunt:Â Belmont Hill, Canterbury, Berkshire, Winchendon, St. Paul's
