John Findley has been around high school girls hockey for nearly two decades. As Notre Dame Academy’s head coach, he can’t help but notice the surplus of talent on the ice these days.
“Girls hockey has just gotten so much better over the past five to 10 years,” Findley said. “I just see them all, they’re all good players now.”
Here are some of the top New England high school girls to watch this upcoming season.
Lily Prendergast
Jr. G, Notre Dame Academy (Mass.)
Prendergast has been Notre Dame Academy’s starter in net since the 2018-19 season when she powered the Cougars to 16 wins and an MIAA Division 2 state title appearance as an eighth-grader.
Findley believes Prendergast was one of the state’s top goaltenders as soon as she joined the program. Three seasons later, Findley says the Hanover, Mass., native has only gotten better.
“I probably have the best hockey player in the Northeast,” Findley said. “Goalie, forward, defense, prep, public or Catholic. She’s probably the best player I’ve seen, and I’ve been around for a long time.”
In her sophomore year, Prendergast posted a .988 save percentage and guided NDA to a 6-1-2 record. The Cougars can beat anyone with Prendergast between the pipes, giving Notre Dame good state title chances the next two seasons.
What stands out most to Findley is her relaxed demeanor when the pressure is on.
“She’s a very stoic kid,” Findley said. “It’s very calming to everybody. With her as my starting goalie, I think it pays dividends to the other girls on the team. They never get too high or too low during a game.”
Jenna Chaplain
Jr. C, St. Mary’s of Lynn (Mass.)
Chaplain has more than proven her offensive prowess as an underclassman. Recently, the center has been focusing on improving in all three zones, something that should terrify opposing coaches.
Chaplain (Peabody, Mass.) might be the best scorer in the state, as she already has 77 goals and 55 assists for the Spartans. Last year she tallied 37 points and helped St. Mary’s win the inaugural CCL Cup title.
According to St. Mary’s coach Frank Pagliuca, Chaplain’s shot release and composure are second to none.
“She doesn’t panic with the puck,” Pagliuca said. “I think that really sets her apart in public school hockey as one of the elite goal scorers. … She doesn’t overdo it, she’s not afraid to move the puck up if she has to, she doesn’t force things.”
A varsity forward since seventh grade, Chaplain already is 10th in program history in scoring. She could very well top that list once her high school career is over.
Chaplain’s work ethic has Pagliuca excited to see what she does next.
“She’s a rink rat,” Pagliuca said. “She’ll be the first one on the ice, the last one off the ice. She really loves hockey, and I think that’s really helped her develop her game.”
Celia Wiegand
Jr. D, Essex (Vt.)
Wiegand is the top returner for an Essex, Vt., program that has won a Division 1 state title three years in a row. An All-State caliber defenseman, Wiegand tallied eight goals and four assists in nine games her sophomore year.
Though the 2021 state final was canceled due to COVID-19, Wiegand (Jeffersonville, Vt.) already has proven her value in big moments. She netted two goals and an assist in a 4-2 win over Burlington/Colchester in the 2020 championship game.
Now a junior, Wiegand blends speed and vision to both protect the net and join the rush in the offensive zone. She’ll be Essex’s top athlete as it loads up for another title run.
Maddie Epke
Sr. F, Guilford (Conn.)
Whichever team Epke suits up for, success follows.
Epke has won two Connecticut Class M state titles with Guilford’s field hockey team and conference championships in lacrosse and hockey. A James Madison lacrosse commit, Epke plays at a high level on the ice for the Grizzlies.
A two-time conference Player of the Year, Epke scored her 100th goal last year, finishing with 25 goals and 18 assists in 10 games. She currently has a whopping 175 career points in 51 games.
According to Guilford coach Rich Binkowski, Epke’s athleticism gives her an advantage in nearly every one-on-one scenario.
“In a lot of situations she’s stronger, faster, quicker than the immediate player that’s a challenge to her,” Binkowski said. “She can negotiate those obstacles very well and then score, or make that defensive play, make that quick transition, capitalize on that turnover.”
Thanks in part to Epke’s playmaking, as well as contributions from senior blueliner Olivia Gill and freshman winger Sophia Cuozzo, the Grizzlies won their first Southern Connecticut Conference title in 2020, then finished second in the conference last season.
Having Epke on the Guilford roster for another winter means she’ll continue to inspire her teammates.
“The rising tide lifts all boats. She definitely does that,” Binkowski said. “That’s one of the more special things about her, she’s really a team-oriented player. … I think that’s one of her qualities that also lends a lot to our success.”
Leah Landry
Sr. F, Lewiston (Maine)
A two-time All-State selection, Landry can score in a myriad of ways for the Blue Devils. In the past two seasons, she’s scored 61 total points.
As a sophomore in 2020, Landry played a key role in helping Lewiston win its first state title since 2015. Not only did the 5-foot-8 forward lead the team in scoring that year, but she also assisted the game-winning overtime goal in the championship game, a 1-0 victory over Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/South Portland.
There was no postseason in Maine last year, but Landry still impressed in a condensed schedule, averaging over two points a game and totaling 16 goals and 11 assists. A high IQ athlete, Landry will be a key part of Lewiston’s title defense this winter.
Others to watch
Isabel Hulse, sr. F, Austin Prep (Mass.): Hulse is a 100-point scorer and team captain who hopes to lead the Cougars back to a Division 1 state title.
Kathryn Karo, sr. F, Austin Prep (Mass.): Karo transferred to AP from Hingham, where she broke the 100-point plateau in just two seasons.
Hannah Haxton, jr. F, La Salle (R.I.): Haxton posted 17 goals and 12 assists last season for La Salle, a powerhouse in Rhode Island that has won three straight state championships.
Grace Nowak, sr. G, West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy (Conn.): The All-State goalkeeper totaled a .958 save percentage and 0.81 goals-against average in the 2020-21 season. She also posted three shutouts.
Mackenzie Chapman, sr. F, Simsbury (Conn.): Chapman is coming off an All-State junior year, scoring 16 goals and 14 assists and guiding Simsbury to a conference championship.
Louisa Thomsen, jr. D, Harwood (Vt.): Thomsen tallied 10 goals and six assists in nine games and has a bright future in Vermont.
This article appears in the November/December print edition of New England Hockey Journal.
