FOXBORO, Mass. — There were some talented players on display Monday night at the Foxboro Summer Prep League.
In what was the fifth night of games during the eight-week season at the Foxboro Sports Center, college coaches, scouts and fans in attendance were treated to two up-and-down contests. Team Levine downed Team Holske, 6-4, in the first game before Team Buckley outlasted Team Omicioli, 6-5, in the nightcap.
For those interested in catching action over the coming weeks, games take place every Monday at 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in Foxboro. There are three weeks left plus the championship game on Tuesday, August 24. Kudos to Tyler Holske of the South Shore Kings and Milton Academy for putting the league together.
The best prospect on the ice Monday night was `06 defenseman Will Felicio of Mount Saint Charles. The Hudson, Mass., native was the youngest and one of the smaller players in the two games. That didn’t stop him from having a tremendous impact. His skating always shines through and his courage on retrievals was notable. With his head up, the lefty did a good job of recovering pucks and making quick, decisive first touches on the breakout. He’s certainly a blue liner that you can expect to make next March’s NTDP Evaluation Camp.
Below is a look at some uncommitted prospect notes from the two games on Monday night. Please keep in mind that this isn’t meant as a tell-all list of good players in the games. It’s meant as an update on some with recruiting notes on others.
Grayson Badger
Dexter Southfield/CC Whalers 18-U, 5/9/04, RW, right shot, 6-0/170
Badger, from Hyde Park, Mass., didn’t have the impact on Monday night’s game that he’s capable of, but expectations are sky high for me when watching him. He’s earned that with his compete level and being a puck hound. Badger is one of the more coveted juniors in the region, but he didn’t commit on August 1. That wasn’t because of a lack of interest from area college coaches. Boston College head coach Jerry York visited Badger and his family at his house on Sunday. Whether it’s the Eagles or not, look for Badger to commit to a Beanpot school in the not so distant future.
Connor Berg
Roxbury Latin/Boston Imperials 18-U, 6/10/03, D, right shot, 6-1/170
Berg has steadily improved his game over the past year. I had previously pegged the Wellesley, Mass., native as a solid NESCAC prospect. While that still holds true, he’s starting to play his way into a Division 1-caliber recruit. A very good student, Berg should be on the radar of schools such as Brown, Dartmouth, Yale, Princeton, Holy Cross, Union and Colgate. Berg had at least two assists on Monday night. He has good size and does a good job of moving pucks north. His skating has gotten more dynamic, which has shown in his ability to evade opposing forecheckers and make plays in transition.
James Fisher
Belmont Hill, 4/28/04, RW, right shot, 6-2/180
Fisher scored at least one goal in the first game Monday night and was around the puck a lot. He’s a power forward whose skating and goal scoring ability will translate to the collegiate level. He loves to shoot the puck and he’ll drive the net. From Wilmington, Mass., Fisher is hoping to play at a Beanpot school.
Matt Kursonis
St. George’s/Boston Imperials 18-U, 3/5/04, LW, left shot, 6-1/185
Kursonis, who will be a senior at St. George’s, puts the puck in the back of the net at every showcase I’ve seen him at this summer. He lit the lamp a few times at the Bulldog Hockey Experience and did so again here on Monday night. He’s heavy on pucks, plays between the circles, and shoots it with some zip. The jury is still out on whether his skating is good enough for Division 1. It could be, but at the very least, every top area Division 3 program should be in hot pursuit.
Landan Resendes
Cushing/River Rats 16-U, 12/10/05, RW, right shot, 5-8/146
Resendes has caught my eye for a few years now, dating back to when he played at Hillside and with the Minuteman Flames. He’s been skilled and crafty. The Hudson, Mass., native has gotten bigger and more dynamic over the past year. He still could afford to bulk up and play a heavier game, but both are trending in the right direction. He scored a beauty of a goal here and was a threat to create offense each time he jumped over the boards on Monday night. He also had a big weekend at the Junior Chowder Cup, helping the New England Crows win the title at the `05 division.
