The Catholic Conference has been the most dominant league in Massachusetts high school hockey for a long time.
Led by Catholic Memorial’s 13 titles, the conference is responsible for 25 of the 30 MIAA Division 1A Super 8 championships since the tournament came to be in 1991. After BC High won back-to-back championships in 2018 and 2019, the league was shut out in 2020.
Still, along with the Middlesex League, the Catholic Conference boasted many of the top teams and top players in the MIAA circuit this winter. Four of the five league teams made the Super 8.
Below is a look at 15 players — eight forwards, four defensemen and three goaltenders — from the Catholic Conference who excelled on the ice this past winter. This list is recognition of solid performances during the 2019-20 season and not partial to projected success in the future. Players are listed in alphabetical order by position.
Forwards
Matthew Babineau
Malden Catholic, 4/4/04, LW, left shot, 6-0/165
Babineau is a tall, lanky winger with upside. He has the ability to blossom into a power forward. Babineau displayed that in a game against BC High in January in which he scored two goals, including the overtime winner. He drove the net and protected pucks while skating well for a player his size. In total, Babineau had six goals and 12 assists in 17 games.
David Bazile
Malden Catholic, 9/10/02, C, right shot, 5-11/175
Bazile’s best asset is the energy he brings to each shift. He keeps his feet moving, wins puck battles and goes to the dirty areas. In 18 games this winter for the Lancers, he had nine goals and nine assists.
Matt Keohane
BC High, 1/1/01, C, right shot, 5-9/190
NCAA commit: Assumption
Keohane led the Eagles in scoring with 15 goals and 14 assists during 20 regular-season games. At the high school level, he’s able to use his strength to bull his way to the net and fend off opposing defenders when he has the puck on his stick. He’ll have to continue working on his second gear in order to make the most of his ability at Assumption.
Ned Malolepszy
St. John’s Prep, 8/27/02, C, right shot, 5-11/170
Malolepszy averaged a point per game during the regular season and seemingly picked that pace up a notch in the postseason. He certainly scored some key goals as SJP advanced to the loser’s bracket final.
Zach McKenelley
St. John’s Prep, 4/11/02, RW, right shot, 6-1/185
McKenelley provided a goal-scoring touch from one of SJP’s secondary lines in most games I saw this winter. He scored 10 regular-season goals for Kristian Hanson’s team.
Colin Norton
BC High, 5/23/03, C/LW, left shot, 5-10/175
Norton had 12 goals and 13 assists for BC High as a junior. He was one of the smarter players I saw in Massachusetts high school hockey this winter. He sees the ice well and was impactful in all situations. He backchecks, kills penalties and can contribute offensively. His skating and finding that high motor will be what makes the difference for him in terms of making it to Division 1.
Ryan Pomposelli
Xaverian, 6/5/01, C, left shot, 5-11/190
Pomposelli is a good-sized forward who was a solid four-year contributor for the Hawks. It seemed like he had a hand in the Xaverian goals in every game I saw and every time I’d glance at a box score or see a mention on Twitter.
Matt Ryan
Xaverian, 4/29/01, C, right shot, 6-1/185
Ryan, similarly to Pomposelli, was a four-year standout for the Xaverian hockey team. A power forward, he was able to find his way to the net and jam home rebounds or shoot it hard. Ryan did a good job below the dots.
Defensemen
Andrew Cole
St. John’s Prep, 4/18/02, D, right shot, 5-10/175
I’m going a little off the board with this pick, but Cole impressed me a few times. I thought he was particularly noticeable in the Pete Frates Classic back in December. He played hard and has a good stick defensively to jam up opposing forwards.
Michael Dragon
BC High, 10/5/01, D, right shot, 6-2/170
NCAA commit: Merrimack (baseball)
Dragon had three goals and nine assists for John Flaherty’s team. He’s a big, athletic kid who is committed to play baseball at Merrimack. However, he could absolutely play college hockey at some level, if he wanted to. He’s strong and plays with a mean streak. He’s somewhat of a jack of all trades. He’d sometimes be spotted in front of the net on BC High power plays.
John Logan
BC High, 5/3/03, D, right shot, 5-10/170
Logan had a goal and 11 assists in the regular season for BC High. There wasn’t a better defenseman in the MIAA than Logan. His mobility and puck-moving ability helped BC High incredibly. He’s steadily gotten better over the course of the past few years.
Jack Gilligan
St. John’s Prep, 5/29/02, D, right shot, 6-1/201
Gilligan was a solid two-way contributor for the SJP blue line. He had four goals and six assists while playing solid defense in his own zone. As of March, he had a few offers to join selective prep schools for a PG year.
Goaltenders
Noah Dorsey-Sorofman
St. John’s Prep, 1/1/01, G, catches left, 6-3/170
Dorsey-Sorofman is a big, prototypical modern-era butterfly goaltender who played well for St. John’s Prep. As a senior, he backstopped the Eagles to just one game short of TD Garden and a chance to compete in the Super 8 final.
Thomas Kiesewetter
BC High, 1/2/05, G, catches left, 6-5/180
Kiesewetter took the reins from junior Dalton Neelon and ran with it. A big goaltender, he didn’t face much rubber as BC High was the superior team most night. However, he stopped most of the pucks he was supposed to and allowed the Eagles to make it deep into the Super 8 before ultimately failing to make it three straight titles.
Dom Walecka
Catholic Memorial, 8/17/03, G, catches left, 5-9/150
Walecka helped the Knights advance to the Super 8 for the first time since 2014. He’s on the smaller side but has quick reflexes and made some key stops. He was the main reason CM was able to win some games with most of the team outmanned by the opposition.
