The Housatonic division is always one of the strongest in New England boys prep hockey.
Avon Old Farms and Salisbury, two Housatonic powerhouses, were in the Elite 8 last season. Kent won the Large School Tournament. The previous year, Taft was the Large School champion.
This season will be no different, as each team presents some sort of challenge. There won't be many easy matchups with any of these squads.
Here is our team-by-team breakdown.
Avon Old Farms
Coach: John Gardner
2023-24 record: 23-3-1; lost to Cushing in semifinals of Elite 8 Tournament
Players to watch: Cooper Snee, F; Maxx Corradi, F; Indiana Grossbard, F; Jake Schultz, F; Mason Minsky, F; Brooks Armstrong, F; Jacob Jett, F; Liam Donnelly, F; Nico Ciardiello, F; James Odyniec, D; Josh Travaglino, D; James Tucker, D; Matthew Koch, D; Oskar Drabczynski, D; Jake Power, D; Anthony Palmer, G; Michael Heinke, G
Outlook: Gardner’s 50th season at the helm in Avon will begin with a whole new look after the top eight scorers departed from the team that won the Founders League and advanced to the New England semifinals a season ago. Thus, the legendary coach aims to build this club from the goaltender out with both Palmer and Heinke returning to the program. Palmer’s .939 save percentage was tied for the highest in New England. Captain Snee (Providence) is the top returnee on offense with 18 points in 27 games last season, while Grossbard transfers in after notching 36 points in 22 games for league rival Loomis Chaffee. Odyniec is a returning senior who will anchor the blue line.
Choate
Coach: Mike Pereira
2023-24 record: 3-22-0
Players to watch: Jacob Saldanha, G; Tyler Donroe, G; Will Henderson, D; Rowan Aggarwal, D; Ian Franasiak, D; Lexi Kert, D; Paul Stearns, D; Harris Pangretitsch, D; Justin Dupuis, D; Jacob Head, F; Michael Papaspyros, F; Matt Trudell, F; Alec Hodgson, F; Easton Kinsler, F; Greg Najda, F
Outlook: Pereira returns to the NEPSAC ranks to lead the Wild Boars following a two-year stint as an assistant coach at UConn; he was previously Gardner’s associate head coach at Avon Old Farms. Looking to improve upon a difficult 2023-24 season will be what the new coach projects as an older group with steady leadership that looks to compete in every game. A strong, experienced defense corps is led by Henderson, who was the top scorer on that unit with 16 points last season. There is a mix of talent up front, with a pair of five-goal scorers looking to further their roles in Kisler and Trudell. Najda, a newcomer from Ontario, is a Yale commit.
PREP HOCKEY: 32 breakout forward candidates | 18 breakout defensemen candidates
Deerfield
Coach: Timothy McVaugh
2023-24 record: 14-8-3; lost to Kent in quarterfinals of Large School Tournament
Players to watch: Justin Tavares, F; Lance Roberts, F; Drew Keiver, F; Oliver Duininck, F; Ben Patterson, F; Cam Umlah, F; Zachary Chehade, D; Nate Watson, D; Ryan Diffley, D; Elliot Lennon, G; Lukas Machan, F
Outlook: Following a Large School first-round loss to eventual champion Kent last winter, the Big Green has an older team and returns virtually the entire defensive group from a season ago. Two of the team’s top four scorers return for their senior seasons in Tavares (14 goals, 40 points) and Roberts (24 points). Leading the way for a now-experienced blue line, Chehade and Watson were double-digit point scorers and each potted seven goals a year ago. Watson will look to continue his impact as a second-year junior in the program. Umlah (Babson) figures as an impact newcomer up front from MIAA powerhouse St. John’s Prep.
Hotchkiss
Coach: Mike Doyle
2023-24 record: 8-13-4
Players to watch: Jack McGregor, F; Aidan Patton, F; Evan Jones, F; Jake Doherty, F; Thomas Malawski, D; Evan Williams, D; Tyler Roccas, D; Connor Towle, G
Outlook: The Bearcats will be deeper than in past years while looking to returnees and newcomers alike to contribute, though fitting the lineup pieces together will be the biggest challenge at the outset. McGregor (12 goals, 33 points) was previously the team’s second-leading scorer and figures to lead the way in the new year, while Towle (Holy Cross) looks to be one of the top goalies in New England with a .930 save percentage a year ago. The return of sophomore Roccas from a season-long injury will be key on defense. Since taking over a four-win team in 2021-22, Doyle has helped Hotchkiss improve its results and produce victories over some of the region’s strongest programs.
Kent
Coach: Dale Reinhardt
2023-24 record: 15-8-2; beat Dexter Southfield in championship of Large School Tournament
Players to watch: Ryan Poirier, D; Stefano Pietrantonio, F; Jack Broderick, F; Jacoby Weiner, G; Nate Dichiara, D; Luke Dow, F
Outlook: The Lions were the No. 5 seed in the NEPSAC Large School bracket and emerged with their second championship in three seasons last March. There will be plenty of new faces in the fold after graduating the likes of 25-goal scorer Gio DiGiulian, but Reinhardt is maintaining his high expectations for the program even with a plethora of new faces and sees a “high flying” forward group developing. Pietrantonio (Dartmouth) figures to be a forward counted upon for another step after chipping in 10 goals and 28 points last season. Led by a product of the prominent Mid Fairfield Rangers in Weiner (Harvard), goaltending should also be a strong suit as the new season begins.
PREP PREVIEWS: Avon Old Farms | Belmont Hill | Berkshire | Brunswick | Frederick Gunn | Holderness | Kent | Kimball Union | Phillips Andover | Salisbury
Loomis Chaffee
Coach: J.R. Zavisza
2023-24 record: 14-10-1
Players to watch: Will Watson, F; Owen Swarz, F; Gennaro Pompano, F;
Outlook: Zavisza expects the Pelicans to maintain their program’s key characteristics and be a fast, hard-working team, though four of last season’s top five scorers and top defender Drew Anastasio graduated.
Salisbury
Coach: Andrew Will
2023-24 record: 20-6-1; lost to Kimball Union in semifinals of Elite 8 tournament
Players to watch: Connor Davis, F; Nick Petrut, F; Jake Novak, F; Ryan Hedley, F; Keanan Hodgson, F; Liam Baxter, F; Brud Delaney, F; Colin Feeley, D; Chris Baird-Gajdos, D; Jake Jarrell, D; Zach Gill, D; Steven Luciano, G;
Outlook: There’s a reason Salisbury is our No. 1 team. The Knights boast a deep forward group full of different kinds of players. It’s undoubtedly led by Davis, who opened the season on NHL Central Scouting’s radar for next June’s draft. Will’s team brings in several intriguing players to the program. That’s highlighted on defense with a number of newbies who will make an impact. Luciano looks poised and ready to take over the net for Salisbury. It won’t be easy to stop this team this season.
Taft
Coach: Ryan Shannon
2023-24 record: 10-11-4
Players to watch: Noah Jettelson, D; Matt Lemay, F; Preston Hidy, F, Brady Morris, G; JT Rothstein, F; Brady Smith, D; Dom Clarizio, F; Dylan Chery, F; Carson Lowry, F; Tommy Drienik, D; Nick Cirka, G; Joe Gannon, F; Henning Reinprecht, F
Outlook: The Rhinos were dealt a difficult blow in the fall as senior forward and co-captain Joey Crescimanni suffered an Achilles injury that is potentially season-ending, but Shannon believes that the rest of his elder class is prepared to provide leadership and uphold the team’s aspirations of winning a NEPSAC championship for the second time in three years. Heading that group is Lemay, whose 12 goals and 19 points paced the team a year ago. Last season was an impressive one for Taft’s now-junior class, with Rothstein breaking out for 18 points during his first go-around with the program. Drienik, Lalonde and Gannon are newcomers expected to make an impact.
Trinity-Pawling
Coach: Robert Ferraris
2023-24 record: 6-18-1
Players to watch: Ondrej Matousek, G; Ian Arnott, G; Liam Lefebvre, F; Sam Marchand, F; Nick Peragine, F; Jack Rodman, F; Luke Tropeano, F; Andrew Migliore, F; Gavin Burke, D; Ludovik Gauvin, D; Ryan Wallace, D
Outlook: An older team on the blue line and in goal, the Pride looks to focus on playing a tight style in its quest to improve its year-over-year win total. Burke, who was the team’s top scoring defenseman with 10 assists, and Gauvin return to the defense corps with experience. Matousek returns from seeing significant action last season, while Arnott arrives as a senior from Ontario to add depth to the goaltending position. Vermont commit Lefebvre is the unquestioned leader up front, having scored 12 goals and 29 points during his junior campaign.
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Westminster
Coach: Timothy Joncas
2023-24 record: 10-12-3
Players to watch: Blake Burke, F; Quinn Pine, F; Derek Rhodes, F; Cullen Horn, F; Tommy Coccaro, F; Timmy Donohue, F; JJ Hurley, D; Conor Murphy, D; Jack Fichthorn, G
Outlook: Following a sub-.500 season in 2023-24, Joncas is excited that the Martlets return with significant leadership and experience in both league and non-league play. Pine was the team’s leader in both goals (12) and points (28) last year, but the top three and four of the top five scorers overall are back. Coccaro (Colgate) was one of three Westy players to hit the 20-point mark, doing so as only a sophomore. Fichthorn has gained more and more experience in the net, working into six games last season, and returns to campus as the top returnee this time around.
