What a week it was in girls prep hockey.
The last few days had several marquee matchups, all of which had some ramifications across the landscape. Whether it was St. Paul's 3-1 win over Andover, Choate's 3-1 win over Westminster or Loomis Chaffee's 4-2 win over Kent, it all led to some major shuffling in the top 10.
Loomis made a huge charge, cracking the top three. Meanwhile, Deerfield also continues to surge, while Choate enters the top 10 for the first time this season.
Luckily for Phillips Andover, they'll see Molly Boyle (Scituate, Mass.) as well as Caroline and Maggie Averill (Wayland, Mass.) return from their gold-medal run with Team USA at the U18 Women's Worlds. Thayer will also get star Morgan McGathey (Braintree, Mass.) back.
Some more key games lie ahead this week as we continue to make our way through the heart of the schedule. As always, there is still a ton of runway left this season, too.
Let's dive into this week's rankings.
1. Nobles (12-0-1)
Previous rank: 1
Head coach: Tom Resor
Next game: vs. Austin Prep, Jan. 17, 5 p.m.
Nobles is rolling right along after downing Hotchkiss, 10-1, and shutting out Berkshire, 5-0. Five of the Bulldogs' last seven games have been shutouts, too. Senior Maddie Krepelka (Arlington, Mass.) had three goals across the two games. Meanwhile, junior Molly MacCurtain (Reading, Mass.), eighth-grader Catherine McCool (West Roxbury, Mass.) and senior Olivia Maffeo (Canton, Mass.) had big weeks as well. Maffeo is setting the pace for the Bulldogs with 18 points (five goals) in 13 games on defense. Austin Prep is on deck this week ahead of a weekend tilt with Exeter.
2. Williston Northampton (9-1-1)
Previous rank: 2
Head coach: Christa Talbot Syfu
Next game: vs. Dexter Southfield, Jan. 17, 4:30 p.m.
The Wildcats made light work of their matchups last week, rolling past Berkshire, 8-2, before a 10-1 drubbing of Frederick Gunn. They're now up to four straight wins and six straight unbeaten. Christa Talbor Syfu's team also has a flat-out ridiculous 25-4 differential over their last three games. The top line of Monique Lyons (Bedford, Mass.), Nora Curtis and Mia Daley (Lynnfield, Mass.) had a huge week, including a four-goal outing for Lyons against Berkshire. Lyons (13g, 14a) and Curtis (12g, 13a) are scoring over two points per game. Next up is Dexter Southfield, who's won three in a row, before Kent this weekend.
3. Loomis Chaffee (9-3-0)
Previous rank: 6
Head coach: Liz Leyden
Next game: at Taft, Jan. 17, 2:30 p.m.
The Pelicans' win streak now sits at eight in a row after their huge win over Kent and a 2-0 shutout of Hotchkiss. Junior Grace Morin continues her torrid season, now sitting at eight goals and 13 points in 11 games. She came up with a huge goal against Kent, picking the top left corner with a terrific wrist shot on a 2-on-1. Junior Catie Collins (South Burlington, Vt.; 5g, 1a) and sophomore Megan Hosman (1g, 5a) have also kept up their solid production on the blue line. It doesn't get easier for Loomis, though, as they face Taft before a big tilt with Tabor this weekend.
GOLDEN: 9 New Englanders win gold with Team USA at U18 Women's World Championship
4. Deerfield (11-1-1)
Previous rank: 10
Head coach: Brooke Fernandez
Next game: vs. Choate, Jan. 17, 4:30 p.m.
I know, Deerfield only cracked the top 10 last week, and now they're in the top five? Look, credit where it's due. Only Nobles has won more games. Only Nobles (62-8) and Williston (61-14) have better goal differentials than the Big Green (55-16). Simply put, I've been sleeping on Deerfield, and now they're getting their flowers after another dominant week, shutting out Middlesex, 9-0, and Exeter, 4-0. Annie Dinges (Woodstock, Conn.) is up to 14 goals and 22 points in 13 games this season after a hat trick against Middlesex and another tally against Exeter. Sophomore Ava Giroux (St. Albans, Vt.) also had a strong week. Tough battles with Choate and New Hampton lie ahead.
5. Kent (5-2-2)
Previous rank: 3
Head coach: Sam Ftorek
Next game: at Williston, Jan. 20, 4 p.m.
Kent had a tough week, first falling to Loomis, 4-2, before Lawrenceville, 2-1. That puts the Lions at 1-2-2 over their last five games. The loss to Loomis was also the first time Kent had given up more than two goals this season. Sophomore Renee Bishop came through with a goal against Lawrenceville, putting her up to point-per-game production this season (1g, 8a). Megan Duplantie remains at a point-per-game clip (4g, 5a), too, after a pair of assists in the last week. It doesn't get any easier with Williston on tap this weekend before Choate and Taft next week.
6. St. Paul's (7-4-0)
Previous rank: 7
Head coach: Kelli Mackey
Next game: vs. Cushing, Jan. 17, 4:30 p.m.
St. Paul's was on its way to a win at Dexter Southfield before giving up two unanswered in the third to send it to overtime, where Dexter ended it early. The Big Red charged back on the road at Andover, winning 3-1. Cami Bell (Barre, Vt.) continues to score at a mind-boggling pace with 13 goals in 11 games. She had a pair against Dexter and another against Andover. Charlie Vogue, Tess Mulkerron (Concord, N.H.) and Georgia Bussey found the back of the net, too. A busy week lies ahead for Kelli Mackey's group as Cushing, Kimball Union and Vermont Academy are on deck.
TAKEAWAYS: 6 observations from St. Paul's 3-1 win over Phillips Andover
7. Tabor (7-2-3)
Previous rank: 5
Head coach: Eric Long
Next game: at Loomis Chaffee, Jan. 20, 3:30 p.m.
The Seawolves bounced back from their 7-1 loss to Williston with a get-right 5-0 shutout over Brooks. They closed their 1-0-2 week with 2-2 ties with New Hampton and Hill. Offense remains somewhat hard to come by for Tabor, though. The five-goal outburst against Brooks was just the second time in their last nine games that the Seawolves have scored more than two goals. Nevertheless, Ayla Abban (Duxbury, Mass.; 7g, 4a) and Lizzy Greeley (2g, 9a) have set the pace offensively. Stalwart blue-liners Adeline Paskowski (Plymouth, Mass.; 3g, 7a) and Kaitlin Sullivan (Needham, Mass.; 6g, 3a) continue to do it all on the blue line. Another high-stakes matchup faces them this weekend in a visit to Loomis Chaffee.
8. Phillips Andover (5-3-1)
Previous rank: 4
Head coach: Martha Fenton
Next game: at Lawrence Academy, Jan. 17, 3:30 p.m.
Andover picked up a 2-1 victory over Kimball Union before falling to St. Paul's to finish the week. The Big Blue have lost three of five. Against SPS, Sarah Powers (Lynnfield, Mass.) scored the lone goal for Andover. Her line with Peyton Kennedy (Sudbury, Mass.) and Emily Mara (Winchester, Mass.) had strong days, as well as Lilly McInerney's (North Reading, Mass.) line with Keira Bruen (West Roxbury, Mass.) and senior Shea Freda (Lexington, Mass.). But it just didn't translate to the scoresheet. The Big Blue have missed Boyle and the Averills, but their returns come at a perfect time. Andover has chances to bounce back against Lawrence and St. Mark's this week.
9. Groton (7-3-1)
Previous rank: 9
Head coach: Tim LeRoy
Next game: vs. Proctor, Jan. 17, 4 p.m.
The Zebras played just once last week, taking down Milton with a gutsy, 4-3, win. Groton fell behind 2-0 and 3-1, but Dani Shyjan (Westford, Mass.) and Jamie Noonan (East Bridgewater, Mass.) started the comeback. In the third, Tina Scalese (West Boylston, Mass.) came through once again with a pair of goals, tying it before giving Groton the lead. Scalese is up to 10 goals and 19 points in 11 games for the Zebras, who have won two straight after an 0-2-1 stretch. They have a chance to keep things rolling with Proctor and Rivers on deck this week.
10. Choate (10-3-0)
Previous rank: NR
Head coach: Laura DiCarlo
Next game: at Deerfield, Jan. 17, 4:30 p.m.
Choate is in a similar boat as Deerfield. They're just entering the rankings, but it simply might just be that I've overlooked them this season. If the tournament started today, they'd be in the Elite 8, according to USHR's projections. Choate's won four straight, including wins over Andover and Westminster. They knocked off the latter as well as Hill and Taft in the last week. The Wild Boars have allowed more than two goals just twice this season, thanks in large part to Elsa Haakonsen (Trumbell, Conn.).
Laura DiCarlo's team has had balanced production as five skaters have at least four goals this season. Seniors Norah Morris (7g, 4a) and Caroline Holm (Cheshire, Conn.; 4g, 7a) are leading the way with 11 points apiece. Choate's schedule kicks into high gear, though, with Deerfield up next. Canterbury lies ahead this weekend as does Kent, Williston and Loomis in the next few weeks.
Dropped out:Â Westminster (7-3-1)
In the hunt:Â Westminster, New Hampton (6-2-4), Thayer (8-3-1), Phillips Exeter (8-3-0),
