Not all New England boys prep hockey teams have been in action since the pre-Christmas tournaments. But enough teams played to update our top 10 rankings.
Interestingly enough, a lot of the teams in action were ones in the back half of our top 10 and at the top of last week's Next 15.
Despite many teams not being in action, there were changes.
Patrick Donnelly and I will dive deeper into this on the podcast this week, but the biggest theme of this season so far has been parity. I hate saying that because it's cliché, but there isn't much that separates teams in the top 10 from the ones in the Next 15.
Let's dive in.
1. Dexter Southfield (9-1-2)
Previous ranking: 1
Head coach: Danny Donato
Next game: vs. Worcester Academy, Jan. 9, 5:15 p.m.Â
Sure, Dexter technically lost, 4-3, in a shootout to Thayer in its first game of the Watkins Tournament. But Donato's team followed it up with a 4-1 win over Stanstead College and a 5-4 victory against then-No. 9 Cushing. Senior forward Jack Fitzpatrick has been one of the biggest breakout forwards in prep so far. Against Stanstead and Cushing, he had a combined two goals and three assists, and he ranks third on his team in points (16). Dexter remains the top team in the region.
2. St. Mark's (9-0-0)
Previous ranking: 2
Head coach: Carl Corazzini
Next game: at Berwick, Jan. 9, 5:30 p.m.Â
St. Mark's hasn't been in action since winning the Barber Tournament. According to USHR's JSPR, which decides the Elite 8, Small School and Large School playoffs, St. Mark's is No. 1. For those who say St. Mark's hasn't had a tough schedule so far, it has No. 7 Tabor, Rivers and No. 9 Belmont Hill coming up in the next couple of weeks.
READ MORE: The Next 15 teams outside of the top 10
3. Avon Old Farms (8-1-0)
Previous ranking: 3
Head coach: Mark Naclerio
Next game: at Taft, Jan. 10, 2:30 p.m. Â
Avon has been off since winning the Avon Old Farms Christmas Classic. The No. 3 team in JSPR has a legit next three games with Taft, No. 10 Hotchkiss and Kent coming up.
4. Kimball Union (10-2-1)
Previous ranking: 4
Head coach: Tim Whitehead
Next game: vs. New Hampton, Jan. 7, 5 p.m.Â
Kimball Union hasn't played since the Flood-Marr Tournament before Christmas. The Wildcats' week of New Hampton and then the GameSheet Prep Cup, where they will face a gauntlet. It starts with Northwood, and then they will face either Culver or Nichols. Come the final day, they will get one of Frederick Gunn, No. 6 Salisbury, South Kent or St. Andrew's College.
5. Phillips Andover (6-4-0)
Previous ranking: 5
Head coach: Paul Tortorella
Next game: at St. George's, Jan. 7, 4 p.m.Â
Andover continues the trend of teams in the top 10 not in action since the pre-Christmas tournaments. The Big Blue have a sneaky hard stretch coming up with St. George's, Choate, Tilton and St. Paul's. A player to watch when they come back is Dartmouth commit Alex Theodore. The junior forward only has two goals and four points in 10 games. Once he gets going, Andover should be able to stay around the middle of the top 10.
6. Salisbury (7-1-1)
Previous ranking: 6
Head coach: Andrew Will
Next game: vs. South Kent, Jan. 9, 10 a.m. (at The Rinks at Exeter)Â
The Crimson Knights haven't been in action since the Flood-Marr Tournament. The No. 2 team in JSPR will be tested at the GameSheet Prep Cup this coming weekend. Things don't get any easier when they travel to Cushing on Jan. 14.
READ MORE: 9 standouts, takeaways from Thayer's Watkins win over Lawrence Academy
7. Tabor (8-2-0)
Previous ranking: NR
Head coach: Gerry Dineen
Next game: at St. Mark's, Jan. 10, 3 p.m.Â
Finally — someone who played. The Seawolves won their own New Year's tournament, beating The Hill School (3-2), Proctor (6-1) and Winchendon (5-2). The three wins showcased how production has come from everywhere this season. Senior forward Colvin Callahan (Lexington, Mass.) had a goal and an assist against The Hill School. Sacred Heart commit Ethan Travis (Narragansett, R.I.) had two goals and a helper, while senior Chase Watts (Barrington, R.I.) had a goal and an assist against Proctor. Defensemen Oliver Benoit and Owen Carter (Warwick, R.I.) both had two points, along with forward Ares Miller, against Winchendon. Oh, and junior goalie Vinnie D'Urso (Andover, Mass.) made 40 saves to take down Winchendon.
8. Holderness (7-1-0)
Previous ranking: 8
Head coach: Alan Thompson
Next game: vs. Pingree, Jan. 7, 5 p.m.Â
The Bulls haven't played since falling just short of winning the Groton/Lawrence Tournament. With Holderness' schedule, its biggest thing is taking care of business. After Pingree on Wednesday, Rivers and St. Paul's will provide difficult tests.
9. Belmont Hill (8-1-2)
Previous ranking: NR
Head coach: Brian Phinney
Next game: at Milton, Jan. 7, 5:45 p.m.
Belmont Hill had a big weekend at its own tournament, kicking things off with a big, 1-0 win over then-No. 7 Brunswick on Friday morning. The Sextants lost to Gilmour Academy, 2-1, later that day, but followed it up with a 4-2 win over Millbrook on Saturday and a 3-1 victory against Ridley College. An interesting storyline to follow is the goalie tandem of senior JJ Thibodeau (Waltham, Mass.) and junior Ethan Bauer (Belmont, Mass.). Both had great showings in two games apiece this weekend.
READ MORE:Â Top boys prep performers from the first month
10. Hotchkiss (3-2-0)
Previous ranking: 10
Head coach: Mike Doyle
Next game: vs. Millbrook, Jan. 9, 5 p.m.Â
There was no reason to move Hotchkiss out of the No. 10 spot. The Bearcats haven't been in action since winning the Flood-Marr. The next five games will be big in deciding what kind of playoff team Hotchkiss will be: Millbrook, St. Paul's, No. 3 Avon Old Farms, Loomis Chaffee and Kent.
Dropped out:Â Brunswick (8-5-0; 7); Cushing (6-5-0; 9)
In the hunt:Â Brunswick, Cushing, Thayer, St. Sebastian's, Canterbury, Kent
