Here we are — the final New England boys prep hockey rankings of the regular season. Come Sunday, the brackets will be out, and the playoffs will get underway.
It's the best time of year.
But before all of that happens, we should look at where things stand entering the final week. And we aren't without our drama.
There is a new No. 1 team in the region. For weeks, Dexter Southfield held onto that No. 1 spot without much competition from below. Leave it to the 11th hour.
Elsewhere, the top 10 got a reshuffle, and one new team entered.
Let's dive in for one final time.
1. Deerfield (19-4-0)
Previous ranking: 2
Head coach: Tim McVaugh
Next game: at Kent, Feb. 26, 4:45 p.m.Â
What a run from Deerfield. At the 11th hour, the Big Green moved into the No. 1 spot and, barring a loss, will likely be the No. 1 team in the Elite 8. Their incredible run continued this past week, getting wins over Taft, Williston Northampton and Phillips Exeter. Deerfield lost its final two games at the Flood-Marr Tournament, fell to Salisbury on Jan. 11 and then to lost to Trinity-Pawling on Jan. 18. Since then, McVaugh's team has won 11 in a row. They're deep, experienced and don't have any holes.
2. Dexter Southfield (19-4-1)
Previous ranking: 1
Head coach: Danny Donato
Next game: vs. Holderness, Feb. 26, 4:45 p.m.Â
It had been awhile since Dexter struggled, as its last loss prior to this week was against Cushing on Jan. 5. But after tying Portsmouth Abbey on Feb. 14, Dexter fell to St. Paul's, 3-1, and Winchendon, 2-1, over the last week. While it did earn a 10-2 win over Kents Hill, those two losses knocked Dexter out of the No. 1 spot, which is where it was for most of the season. Their season ends on a hard note, as they host Holderness.
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3. Cushing (18-7-2)
Previous ranking: 6
Head coach: Ryan Bourque
Next game: at New Hampton, Feb. 26, 4:30 p.m.
No team has had its stock rise as Cushing's has in recent weeks. In a pivotal week, the Penguins came away with a 4-3 overtime win over Phillips Andover and a 4-2, come-from-behind win against Kimball Union. Senior forward Eric Lund (Bridgewater, Mass.) was the hero against Andover, scoring two (including the winner) and aiding with an assist. Against KUA, senior forward Max Dineen (Brentwood, N.H.) continued his phenomenal season with two goals.
4. Rivers (19-5-1)
Previous ranking: 7
Head coach: Freddy Meyer
Next game: vs. Brooks, Feb. 26, 3:30 p.m.Â
The Red Wings are scorching hot. After losing to St. Mark's by a goal on Jan. 18, they've won 11 games in a row. This past week, they upset St. Mark's, 4-2, before needing overtime to beat Middlesex, 2-1. It was another Carter Meyer (Winchester, Mass.) takeover game in the win over St. Mark's. While needing overtime to beat Middlesex isn't the greatest, it's still a win. Freshman forward Finn Sears (Medford, Mass.) had the game-winner, bringing him to 22 goals and 48 points in 25 games.
5. St. Mark's (20-4-2)
Previous ranking: 3
Head coach: Carl Corazzini
Next game: vs. St. George's, Feb. 26, 3:30 p.m.Â
It wasn't the best week for the Lions, who started with a 4-2 loss to Rivers. They beat Berwick, 6-1, but needed overtime to take down Lawrence Academy, 3-2, on Saturday. Still, two wins are two wins, and they would be the No. 5 seed in the Elite 8 if the tournament began today. Sophomore forward Will Manchuso (Stow, Mass.) had another big week with a hat trick against Berwick and two assists against Lawrence. Two of St. Mark's final three games will be difficult as it faces St. George's on Wednesday and Groton on Saturday.
6. Salisbury (17-6-5)
Previous ranking: 5
Head coach: Andrew Will
Next game: vs. Hotchkiss, Feb. 26, 4:30 p.m.Â
While the Crimson Knights didn't win any games this past week, they did tie Brunswick, 3-3, and Avon Old Farms, 2-2. The reason they fell one spot was a 3-2 overtime loss to Westminster last Monday. Scoring has still been an issue, but that hasn't stopped senior Ryan Hedley from producing. He had two goals against Westminster and a goal and an assist against Brunswick. He leads Salisbury in goals (18) and points (41).
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7. Brunswick (22-8-3)
Previous ranking: 4
Head coach: Mike Kennedy
Next game: at Trinity-Pawling, Feb. 28, 5 p.m.Â
Dropping Brunswick from No. 4 to No. 7 might be a bit much, but the Bruins had a choppy week. To their credit, they came back from a 3-0 deficit to force a 3-3 tie against Salisbury. They followed that up with a 6-0 win over Frederick Gunn but lost to Taft, 6-1, on Saturday, making their final game against Trinity-Pawling a must-win. Harvard commit Joe Salandra had yet another big week, scoring twice against Salisbury, two more times and adding an assist against Frederick Gunn, and scoring one more time against Taft. He leads the region in points with 67.
8. Belmont Hill (20-5-3)
Previous ranking: 8
Head coach: Brian Phinney
Next game: vs. Tabor, Feb. 26, 5 p.m.Â
The Sextants would've soared up these rankings after taking down rival then-No. 9 Nobles, 5-2, on Friday. But they fell to Milton Academy, 5-2, on Wednesday, so I kept them at No. 8. Despite the loss, sophomore forward David Bosco had a great week. The Winchester, Mass., native scored and tallied an assist against Milton before potting another in the win over Nobles. Belmont Hill finishes with a hard week, facing Tabor and Westminster before seeding comes out Sunday.
9. Berkshire (21-6-0)
Previous ranking: NR
Head coach: Kevin Czepiel
Next game: vs. Canterbury, Feb. 24, 5:15 p.m.Â
Berkshire earned its spot back in the top 10. The Bears had a three-win week, taking down Hotchkiss, Trinity-Pawling and Westminster. None of the games were particular close. Sophomore forward Jonah Rainisch had a strong week with a pair of two-goal games. He even added an assist against Trinity-Pawling. While senior Duncan Thompson is the team's best player, the story with Berkshire is its depth and Rainisch signifies that.
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10. Nobles (16-7-1)
Previous ranking: 9
Head coach: Brian Day
Next game: at Governor's Academy, Feb. 26, 4:45 p.m.Â
While Nobles fell to Belmont Hill, 5-2, it didn't fall past No. 10 this week. Day's team also took down BB&N, 6-1, on Wednesday. The odds are against the Bulldogs making the Elite 8 after the loss to Belmont Hill, but they should still be the No. 1 seed in the Large School Tournament. Junior forward Billy MacAusland (Westwood, Mass.) had another big week, scoring three goals and adding two assists over the two games.
DROPPED OUT:Â Holderness (19-5-1; 10)
IN THE HUNT:Â Kimball Union, Holderness, Phillips Andover, Tilton, Avon Old Farms, Governor's Academy
