After years of close calls, Groton finally got over the hump last season.
The Zebras lost back-to-back Small School title games in 2023 and 2024 before falling in the Elite 8 quarterfinals in 2025.
But 2026 was Groton's year, as they slayed New Hampton for the Small School championship. The Huskies, who were going for four straight, beat the Zebras in the 2023 and 2024 finals.
It was Groton's first title in program history.
It was the culmination of a years-long build-up for the Zebras and coach Tim LeRoy.
How can they build on that success in 2026-27?
Zoomed-out view
Groton was in the hunt for the Elite 8 throughout 2025-26 before settling in as the top seed in the Small School field.
After building an identity around a high-powered top line in previous seasons, the Zebras were among the stingiest teams in prep last winter, thanks to then-junior goalie Nora Wilson (Weybridge, Vt.) and a blue line with four upperclassmen, including three seniors. That defensive acumen paid off in their 1-0 shutout in the last game of the season.
In addition to the three blue-liners, Groton also graduated four forwards, including top scorer Tina Scalese (West Boylston, Mass.).
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It's safe to say the Zebras will have a new look this season, but don't call it a rebuild. There's still a large group of returners, especially in the Class of 2028. Wilson and defender Tatum Friedholm (Sudbury, Mass.) will be the lone seniors.
"I wouldn't say we're a young team, but we have a big junior class and a bunch of new faces spread out in the sophomore and freshman classes," LeRoy said. "We've relied so much on experience — experience goes such a long way in this league — but now we're gonna have to really push kids to step into these new roles and new systems."
The last few years
In 2020, LeRoy inherited a program coming off a four-win season that hadn't finished above .500 since 2007-08 and had zero college commits.
He quickly turned things around, amassing an 80-26-15 record over the past five seasons. The Zebras have been a routine postseason contender with four straight playoff appearances, culminating in last season's title.
"It feels like it's been such a battle over the past five years, taking over the program and really rebuilding it and getting things set in the right direction," LeRoy said. "It's exciting, and the community loves it, but at the same time, it just shows how much work you have to do to get to that point."
The coach
Before taking the helm of Groton's girls program, LeRoy spent seven seasons as an assistant coach with the boys program. Before arriving at Groton in 2013, LeRoy spent six seasons as head coach at Cardigan Mountain School. The New York native played Division 1 hockey at St. Lawrence.
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After the Zebras boasted zero college commits in 2020, LeRoy and assistant coach Jacquie Diffley (Burlington, Mass.) have helped produce Division 1 prospects like Scalese (Princeton), Keira Ley (Wayland, Mass.; Harvard), Maddie Cronan (Ashland, Mass.; Colgate) and Jamie Noonan (West Bridgewater, Mass.; Stonehill). Several players have also gone on to the Division 3 ranks, including Oona Kathan (Arlington, Mass.; Colby), Hazel Hughes (Lancaster, Mass.; Hamilton) and Veronika Hadamovsky (Groton, Mass.; UMass Boston).
Who will the stars be?
After last season's large crop of seniors graduated, Friedholm and Wilson are taking the keys to the program.
The pair will set a strong foundation for the Zebras.
"They've kind of already set the tone," LeRoy said. "They're skating on campus with our skills coach. They're doing things to get the season going and bring along all the new kids. ... They understand the expectations. I always say our success comes from our leadership. I think Tatum, Nora and (junior goalie)Â Bea MacLean understand the expectations that our past captains set. So, they're more than ready to step into this important aspect of our team culture."
Friedholm had 13 points (two goals) as a junior, following 12 points (two goals) as a sophomore. The '09 Williams commit is big, strong and contributes in every situation on the back end.
Wilson, meanwhile, is fresh off an MVP run in the postseason in which she allowed one goal in three games, ending with shutouts in the semifinals and championship. She had a .982 save percentage in the postseason and a .941 on the season, overall. The '09 parlayed it into a commitment to Dartmouth.
Newcomers
Among the newcomers who the Zebras are eager to see on the ice is defender Anna Morello.
The right-shot blue-liner out of Beaconsfield, Quebec, has spent the last four seasons with the Lac St-Louis Warriors. Morello is a slippery puck-mover, capable of jumping into the offense and defending with good gaps.
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The '09 has spent the fall with the 19U Massachusetts Spitfires.
Although she's not a newcomer to Groton, the Zebras are also excited to add sophomore forward Neve Kothare to the lineup. She missed her freshman season with a torn ACL. The '10 is a former New Jersey Colonials and Philadelphia Junior Flyers standout.
Breakout candidates
Groton isn't short on players who could step into big roles this season, especially among the juniors.
There's MacLean in net, who is joining the leadership group with Friedholm and Wilson. MacLean, who plays with Assabet Valley, had a .921 save percentage in limited action as a sophomore.
"We're very fortunate that we have three good goalies," LeRoy said. "Bea is someone who's going to be earning more time. She's showing herself well with Assabet, playing in high-end games. Her energy is something that kids feed off of, whether she's on the bench or on the ice. Kids really rally around a kid like that."
On the back end, junior Caroline Matusovich (New Gloucester, Maine) will be a mainstay again. The rangy, physical defender scored the only goal of the Small School final. Freshman Elaine Wu (Concord, Mass.) will push for a bigger role, too.Â
"Elaine is going to really show her ability this year," LeRoy said. "I think she's going to catch some eyes because she's a big, active defenseman. She skates well, and I'm really excited to see her step into some new roles, which include power play and being a top-four D."
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There are plenty of breakout candidates among the forwards, too, namely sophomore Ava Barbour and juniors Charlotte Matusovich (New Gloucester, Maine), Zoe Smith (Bolton, Mass.) and Erin Chen (Andover, Mass.).
Barbour was Groton's second-highest point-getter with 21 points (10 goals) in her debut prep season. Charlotte Matusovich had 15 points, while Smith had 13.
It's time for them to take the next step.
"They understand the experience and the expectations, and I think they're really excited about it," LeRoy said. "Now, the message is, 'This is the beginning. This is what you guys want to make it. It's a new season, new everything.' ... Those kids have really come a long way. I think they're going to really thrive with this new pressure."
The ceiling
It would be easy to point to the last few seasons and say the next step for Groton is contending in the Elite 8. But things aren't always that linear, and the new-look Zebras will again establish a new identity.
But Groton believes it belongs among the best now. The expectations have shifted. The Zebras are no longer the unknown that could catch an opponent by surprise.
"Two years ago, we got a taste of the Elite 8, 'OK, we can be here,' and it started to kind of change," LeRoy said. "So, it's really about their mentality about being in the Elite 8, winning the Elite 8 and winning the holiday tournament.
"Their tone and perspective of, 'We're not just trying to make it anymore. We're trying to win it,' has really helped us. ... Given what we've accomplished the past few years, the kids we have and the kids we have coming in, I don't expect their goals to differ much from the past few years of 'We want to be in the Elite 8. We want to win a big championship.'"
