We're less than a week from the all-out sprint that is the NEPSAC playoffs.
The final week of the regular season is here, and it's time for teams to make one final push to solidify their seeds.
On Sunday, the brackets will come out, and the tournaments will kick off next Wednesday.
There's still a lot that can change between now and then. The top five teams remain relatively set, and each is safe to make the Elite 8. Nos. 6 through 8 continue to jockey for positioning, and all eyes are on a couple of massive head-to-head matchups this week. You've got Groton going up against Thayer on Wednesday, and Thayer will also face BB&N on Friday. Phillips Andover at Loomis Chaffee could have seeding implications, and Deerfield may have one last gasp against Loomis and Williston Northampton.
Plenty of eyes will be on the current Elite 8 field as well as USHR's projected seeds.
Before any of that, there's a lot to unpack from last week. New Hampton handed Dexter its first loss of the season, and Dexter bounced back with a win over Cushing. Thayer picked up a huge upset win over Nobles, too.
What did it all mean for the rankings? Let's dive in.
MIAA BRACKETS: Division 1 girls | Division 2 girls | Division 1 boys | Division 2 boys | Division 3 boys | Division 4 boys
1. Williston Northampton (20-0-1)
Previous ranking: 1
Head coach: Christa Talbot Syfu
Next game: at Deerfield, Feb. 26, 2:30 p.m.
You'd be pretty hard-pressed to find any holes in Williston's game at the moment. After knocking off Mount Saint Charles, 8-0, the Wildcats took care of Loomis Chaffee, 4-0. It continues to amaze me how easy Williston has made it look against top-tier teams. Aside from the 0-0 draw with Dexter and the 1-0, overtime win over Andover, you've got shutouts against Loomis, BB&N, Nobles and Cushing, as well as a second win over Cushing. With a plus-90 goal differential, the Wildcats have given up just 14 all season (0.667 per game). Barring any craziness against Deerfield or BB&N this week, Williston is safely the No. 1 seed and the clear favorite entering the Elite 8.
2. Dexter Southfield (17-1-4)
Previous ranking: 2
Head coach: Maggie Taverna
Next game: vs. Rivers, Feb. 28, 5:15 p.m.
The Shields took their first loss of the season in a 4-3 loss at New Hampton, but they bounced back in a 1-0 win over Cushing. They briefly lost control of the No. 2 seed but slid back up after Loomis' loss to Williston. Annabelle Aitken (Winchester, Mass.) was sensational against Cushing with a 33-save shutout, and defender Emma Peterson (Westwood, Mass.) scored the lone goal. Evelyn Doyle (Needham, Mass.) scored twice at New Hampton, and Maddie Murphy (Dorchester, Mass.) had three assists. Dexter can't look past Small School-bound Rivers and Lawrence Academy this weekend, but they should safely be among the top seeds in the Elite 8.
3. Loomis Chaffee (20-2-1)
Previous ranking: 3
Head coach: Liz Leyden
Next game: vs. Phillips Andover, Feb. 26, 4:30 p.m.
The Pelicans took over the No. 2 seed for a moment after Dexter lost, but they gave it right back with the loss to Williston. The loss ended Loomis' 15-game winning streak and their 21-game unbeaten streak. It also followed a 3-1 win over Lawrenceville. Loomis will host Andover before Deerfield this week in a pair of games that could have big ramifications on their push for the No. 2 seed, depending on what happens with Dexter.
COACHING NEWS: Tom Resor to return for another season at Nobles
4. Nobles (22-4-1)
Previous ranking: 4
Head coach: Tom Resor
Next game: vs. Governor's, Feb. 26, 5:30 p.m.
Last week was a grind for Nobles. The Bulldogs settled for a 3-3 tie at Phillips Andover before losing to Thayer, 5-2. They bounced back with a 4-2 win at Tabor. Nobles was up 2-0 on Tabor before the Seawolves tied it, and Molly MacCurtain (Reading, Mass.) scored the game-winner midway through the third. A 3-2 lead slipped away in the third against Andover, too. Governor's and Milton would love to play spoiler this week, but at the same time, Nobles has a chance to build some momentum entering the playoffs. Right now, Nobles is the fourth seed, and they're projected to hang onto it. If things hold, they'd get Andover in the first round. That matchup feels like a coin flip right now.
5. Phillips Andover (15-3-3)
Previous ranking: 5
Head coach: Martha Fenton
Next game: at Loomis Chaffee, Feb. 26, 4:30 p.m.
Andover battled back to tie Nobles before shutting out Worcester Academy, 5-0. After a goal and an assist against Nobles, Emily Mara (Winchester, Mass.) had two goals and an assist against Worcester. A tough week is ahead with trips to Loomis Chaffee and Phillips Exeter standing in the way of the postseason. A win against Loomis could be a major boost to the Big Blue's seeding as they currently sit fifth in the Elite 8 picture.
6. Thayer (19-3-2)
Previous ranking: 7
Head coach: Michael Flynn
Next game: vs. Groton, Feb. 26, 5 p.m.
It's amazing how quickly things can change. Last week, Thayer looked to be in danger after two losses in three games. Now, they have an inside track to the Elite 8 after wins over St. Mark's and Pomfret bookended a massive 5-2 win at Nobles. Against Nobles, Morgan McGathey (Braintree, Mass.) scored a hat trick, and Madi Call (Dedham, Mass.) had two goals. The win against Nobles, the Tigers' 18th of the season, set a single-season program record, too. They're not completely out of the woods yet with Groton and BB&N on tap this week. Right now, Thayer is sixth in the Elite 8, and they're projected to finish as No. 8.
BACK-AND-FORTH: 16 standouts, takeaways from Cushing's 5-4 win over Deerfield
7. BB&N (16-7-2)
Previous ranking: 6
Head coach: Ed Bourget
Next game: at Middlesex, Feb. 26, 5:15 p.m.
The Knights picked up a 5-2 win over Tabor and a 7-1 win over Lawrence Academy last week, making for three in a row and seven in their last eight games. Annika Singh (Lexington, Mass.) had a hat trick against Tabor, as did Izzy King (Bedford, Mass.) against Lawrence. Hannah Weyerhaeuser (Cambridge, Mass.) also had three points (two assists) in the latter. BB&N is starting to peak at the right time, but it's a busy end to the season for the Knights, who are currently No. 7 in the Elite 8 and projected to finish No. 6. They'll visit Middlesex on Wednesday before having their hands full with Thayer and Williston on Friday and Saturday.
8. Cushing (22-7-1)
Previous ranking: 8
Head coach: Valerie Bono-Bunker
Next game: vs. Tilton, Feb. 26, 3 p.m.
The Penguins won two of three games last week. They potentially shut the door on Deerfield's Elite 8 hopes in a back-and-forth, 5-4 win before losing to Dexter, 1-0. Cushing responded with a 3-1 win at Milton on Monday. Bella Freitas (Everett, Mass.) and Julia Lambert (Wilmington, Mass.) came through with three points each against Deerfield. The Penguins have struggled a bit of late, going 4-5-1 in their last 10 games, but matchups with Tilton and Choate this week offer them a chance to get back on track. They're currently No. 8 in the Elite 8, but USHR projects them to jump to No. 7.
9. Groton (15-4-2)
Previous ranking: 10
Head coach: Tim LeRoy
Next game: at Thayer, Feb. 26, 5 p.m.
The Zebras stayed hot, picking up two wins for nine wins in their last 10 games. They took care of Brooks, 4-0, before knocking off St. George's, 3-2. Tina Scalese (West Boylston, Mass.), Maddie Cronan (Ashland, Mass.) and Jaelyn Trudell (Andover, Mass.) each had two points against Brooks. Scalese and Cronan also had two points each against St. George's. Currently No. 1 in the Small School tournament, Groton's Elite 8 hopes likely come down to Wednesday's head-to-head matchup at Thayer. A win there as well as a victory over St. Mark's (plus some help elsewhere in the NEPSAC) could vault them into the Elite 8.
MIAA PREDICTIONS: Picking the girls brackets | Picking the Division 1 boys bracket
10. Deerfield (16-5-2)
Previous ranking: 9
Head coach: Brooke Fernandez
Next game: vs. Williston Northampton, Feb. 26, 2:30 p.m.
Deerfield dropped a critical matchup at Cushing last Wednesday in a back-and-forth game. They had a chance to win but fell short in the end. The Big Green bounced back with a 6-1 win over Hotchkiss and a 3-0 win over Kent. As of right now, Deerfield is the No. 1 seed in the Large School tournament, a position they're projected to hold. The loss to Cushing likely ended their shot at the Elite 8, but never say never. The Big Green will face Williston and Loomis this week. If they can pull off an upset or two (and get some help), maybe they can sneak back in, even if it's unlikely.
In the hunt:Â New Hampton (16-6-4), Berkshire (13-6-2), Tabor (11-11-1), Rivers (15-9-1), Phillip Exeter (13-8-1)
