Groton reached new heights last season.
After making the previous two Small School tournament finals, the Zebras qualified for the Elite 8 for the first time in program history.
"Ever since I took over five years ago, we've always tried to find ways to build the program and find the right kids to come in here," Groton coach Tim LeRoy said. "We were excited to hit a bunch of goals we wanted to do, and the kids were ecstatic for what they were able to achieve."
In the postseason, the No. 8 Zebras fell to top-seeded Williston Northampton in the quarterfinals, finishing 17-5-2. It was their third straight season with at least 17 wins.
"At the same time, we wanted more," LeRoy said. "We ran up against a really good Williston team, and it showed us how much more work there is left to be done, but also knowing we have the right kids and the right mentality to keep this going. ... We're not going to sit back and just hope it happens again."
So, how does Groton plan to continue its upward trajectory?
Leaning on an experienced defense
One area that will be critical for the Zebras this season is the blue line.
Groton graduated just one defender from last season's squad, Kate Bartlett (Norwich, Vt.), but they bring back a seasoned group ready to step up.
"The depth of our defensive core this year is something that we haven't had in our five years," LeRoy said. "We're gonna be the deepest we've ever been."
At the forefront of that experience will be a trio of seniors in assistant captains Jamie Noonan (East Bridgewater, Mass.) and Sydney Nelson (Lowell, Mass.), as well as Oona Kathan (Arlington, Mass.).
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Noonan is a Stonehill commit. The speedy skater had six points last season after posting 12 and 11 in the previous two seasons, respectively. Meanwhile, Nelson, who is committed to Dartmouth for rowing, plays a sound, stay-at-home game. She had seven points (one goal) last winter. Kathan, a Colby commit, broke out for 13 assists as a junior last season.
"They have that experience of being in big games and being relied on heavily at times," LeRoy said. "It's going to help them. We're not bringing in a ton of new kids where we have to change our systems and adapt. They know what we do, and they know how we run things. That piece is vital for our success."
On top of the seniors, Groton is eager to see what is in store for talented junior Tatum Friedholm (Sudbury, Mass.).
After standing out with Lincoln-Sudbury in the MIAA, Friedholm was a key player for the Zebras as a true sophomore last season. She finished with 12 points (two goals).
"She's continued to find ways to get better," LeRoy said. "For her last year, I think she was trying to find her way. Stepping into the top of a power play between a Tina Scalese and a Maddie Cronan, that kind of threw her to the wolves right away. I think she had to find time to adjust and find her game a little bit."
Friedholm's confidence grew as she adjusted to prep last season. With a year of key experience under her belt as well as a strong fall playing a premier role for a strong Boston Americans 16U squad, LeRoy has high hopes for the rangy blue-liner.
"She's going to be one of the top kids leading the way, whether at 5-on-5, her ability to run a power play or her ability to put pucks through in those situations," LeRoy said.
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Newcomers, like former North Yarmouth Academy standout and repeat sophomore Caroline Matusovich (New Gloucester, Maine) as well as eighth-grader Elaine Wu (Concord, Mass.), will bolster Groton's depth. Matusovich had 10 points (eight goals) on NYA's blue line last season, while Wu, a '12, plays beyond her years in LeRoy's eyes.
Continuity in the crease
What helps the defensive outlook even more is a strong group of goaltenders, led by junior Nora Wilson (Weybridge, Vt.). In her first season as the starter last winter, Wilson posted a .935 save percentage.
"This is her net for us right now," LeRoy said. "She had her ups and downs last year, but at the same time, we put her in some big games when she was only a sophomore, and she played well. She's so patient and her rebounds are in control. She slows things down, and if you talk to the kids, she's so comfortable and calm. She's a good kid to be around, and it carries over to her game."
Behind Wilson, Groton also has sophomores Maggie Whelden (Sandwich, Mass.) and Bea MacLean. Whelden, who also plays with the Bay State Breakers, had a .943 save percentage in a limited sample last season. MacLean, who plays for Assabet, skated at USA Hockey's National 15 Camp in the offseason.
"From the blue line back into the net, we're solid and very comfortable with whoever's going to be out there," LeRoy said. "With Nora leading the way, she's gonna push those other two to keep up with her game."
Shaping out the forward group
The Zebras' calling card in recent seasons was a vaunted top line with Scalese (West Boylston, Mass.), Cronan (Ashland, Mass.) and Jaelyn Trudell (Andover, Mass.).
That line will have a new look this season with Cronan off to the collegiate ranks at Colgate, as will much of the forward group after also graduating Dani Shyjan (Westford, Mass.) and Hazel Hughes (Lancaster, Mass.), who's now at Hamilton College.
Experienced returners like captains Scalese and Ella Nannene (Acton, Mass.), as well as Trudell and Zoe Smith (Bolton, Mass.), will have even more on their plates.
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Trudell had 16 points (four goals) last winter after 22 points (10 goals) the year prior. Meanwhile, Nannene set new career-highs with eight points (six goals) last winter, while Smith had seven points (two goals) as a freshman.
The Zebras know they can rely on Scalese, in particular. The Princeton commit enters her senior year with 150 points (82 goals) in 92 career games at Groton. She's scored over a point per game in each of her four previous seasons and has been an All-NEPSAC First Team selection for three consecutive years.
"There's always the challenge of what she has to do to get better," LeRoy said. "The thing about Tina is she's such a flashy player at times, but sometimes people miss the part of her game that's really dangerous, which is her defensive play. She's a 200-foot player. She just finds ways to take over a game."
After 51 points in 2023-24 and 42 points in 2022-23, Scalese finished with 38 points last winter. Her 25 goals were enough to tie her for second in prep.
"This year, she's going to be without (Cronan), so that's a new thing for her compared to the last four years," LeRoy said. "She's gonna have to step up, adapt, play with different kids and find new ways to get herself going while also being that voice that really gets the forward group going when we need her to."
Like on the blue line, Groton has a handful of exciting newcomers up front, including repeat sophomore Charlotte Matusovich (New Gloucester, Maine) and freshman Ava Barbour. The former had 10 points (five goals) for NYA last winter.
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Barbour, an '11 out of Calgary, AB, plays with the East Coast Wizards 14Us. She had 60 points (29 goals) in 30 games with the Bow Valley Nationals 14U squad last season.
"She's a difference-maker. She's the type of kid that gets the puck on her stick, and things happen," he said. "She reminds me a lot of Tina at a younger age with her patience, her vision and just her touch, which is exciting."
Building off of last season
Few teams have had closer calls than Groton over the past few seasons. The Zebras fell to New Hampton in back-to-back Small School championships in 2023 and 2024. Their Elite 8 run in 2025 was short-lived.
Nevertheless, the bar remains high.
"We always say we want to be playing hockey in March. That's a goal for us," LeRoy said. "Given the taste we had last year with the Elite 8, even though we bowed out pretty quickly, that feeling of making it there and being in that category with Williston, Loomis Chaffee and Phillips Andover, that's a pretty good group to be surrounded with."
Now the Zebras know what it takes to get back there.
"We always have team goals, but it's the girls that really set the goals and expectations," LeRoy said. "I feel like they're going to come in saying, 'We want to win the Elite 8.' Given the experience we've had and the close opportunities we've fallen short in the past couple of years, we've been there. Trying to find ways to stay in competition, build throughout the year, have ups and downs and find ways to get through them will help us get there."
Groton bolstered its schedule to test and prove itself against upper-echelon teams. On top of their usual ISL slate and Cushing's Watkins Tournament around the holidays, the Zebras added Phillips Andover and Dexter Southfield to the calendar.
"Playing those teams in the regular season is going to be a battle for us," LeRoy said. "At the same time, we're ready for it."
