Which teams will emerge from among the Independents? As Jeff Cox cited in his annual preseason rankings, a couple of Independent teams have the talent to make a run at the Elite 8. Here's what the coaches think.
Dexter Southfield and Gunnery are being counted on to be good again, but will they be able to withstand key losses? Will their scoring hold up? How about the defense?
And let's not discount one of last season's contenders, Cushing Academy, and up-and-comers Albany Academy if the latter can overcome inexperience in net.
Below are complete analytical capsules of the Independents.
This story is from the December issue of the New England Hockey Journal. Subscribe here.
Independents
Albany Academy
Coach: Eric Cavosie
2018-19 record: 20-10-3
Players to watch: Mike Murtagh, soph., F; John Goldowski, sr., F; Nolan Towne, sr., D
Outlook: Albany Academy hopes to reload after last year’s team featured a combined 16 seniors and postgrad players. The team lost each of its top five scorers, but Murtagh and John Goldowski are coming off respectable seasons in which they put up 16 points apiece. Defensively, the team should be more experienced, returning the majority of its players, but it does not return any veteran goaltenders.
Berkshire School
Coach: Dan Driscoll
2018-19 record: 7-18-3
Players to watch: Jed Baliotti, jr., G; Aidan Thompson, sr., F; Jack Whitney, sr., F;Â Briggs Gammill, sr., F
Outlook: Berkshire will hope for better offensive output this season after last year’s struggles (1.93 goals per game). Top scorer Aidan Thompson (nine goals, 11 assists) returning should help , although the scoring effort likely will be spread out. Having Baliotti (2.20 GAA, .919 save percentage) should be a plus, although losing four of the team’s top six on defense could make things more difficult.
Berwick Academy
Coach: Jeoff Jarnot
2018-19 record: 9-18-2
Players to watch: Tyler Gaulin, sr., Chris Dowd, sr., F/D; Carson James, sr., F/D; Alex Ramsay, sr., G
Outlook: Berwick Academy is coming off a rebuilding year in which it had only two seniors on the roster. Experience is a plus for the team now in all facets of the game, especially on the attack, with the return of three players who had double-digit goal totals last season: Gaulin (14 goals, 22 assists), Dowd (11 goals, 16 assists) and James (13 goals, 11 assists). Ramsay (4.13 GAA, .901) should be helped out by a more experienced defense — the opposition averaged 39 shots on goal per game last season.
Brunswick School
Coach: Mike Kennedy
Top players:Â Matt McGroarty, sr., F; Andon Cerbone, soph., F; Connor Welsh, soph., F; Beanie Richter, soph., F
Outlook: Brunswick is rebuilding after losing three key forwards from last year’s team, including Ryan St. Louis who is now playing for the NTDP. Leading the way is Quinnipiac commit Matt McGroarty.
Canterbury School
Coach: Paddy McCarthy
2018-19 record: 4-23-2
Players to watch: Andrew Mancini, sr., D; Cal Skwara, sr., G
Outlook: Canterbury School lost nine seniors to graduation, so it will continue a rebuild phase. Last year, the team averaged just 1.52 goals per game. Defense and goaltending are likely to be the strong suits once. Skwara (3.51 GAA, .900 save percentage) proved competent as a backup last season, earning 507 minutes of playing time. Mancini (six goals, six assists), the No. 2 man on defense last season, should propel the unit; he is also the team’s leading returning goal scorer.
Cushing Academy
Coach: Steve Jacobs
2018-19 record: 18-11-4, lost to Kent in Martin/Earl tournament championship
Players to watch: Jake Hewitt, sr., F; Jacob Banks, sr., F; Billy Norcross, jr., F; Lukas Gustafsson, jr., D; Jackson Dorrington, So, D
Outlook: Cushing should have no issue scoring with two of the top three goal scorers back, Nick Cafarelli (18 goals, 27 assists) now skates in the BCHL, but Hewitt (15 goals, 14 assists) and Banks (16 goals, 11 assists) are back. The downside, however, is that of the five players Cushing lost to graduation, those included the starting goaltender and top two on defense. The team is bound to be offensive-first this season with a young defensive unit gaining experience.
Dexter Southfield
Coach: Dan Donato
2018-19 record: 22-4-4, lost to Salisbury in Stuart/Corkery tournament semifinals
Players to watch: Aidan Connolly, sr., F;Â Ben Raymond, sr., F; Culin Wilson, soph., F
Outlook: Dexter Southfield has a solid foundation again. Coming off a season in which it averaged 4.43 goals per game, the team returns three of the top five goal scorers — Raymond (18 goals, 12 assists), Connolly (10 goals, 21 assists) and Wilson (10 goals, 19 assists). Dexter lost some depth on defense and in goal but should still be in a position to excel.
The Gunnery School
Coach: Craig Badger
2018-19 record: 22-6-3, lost to Kimball Union in Stuart/Corkery tournament quarterfinals
Players to watch: Alex Jefferies, sr., F; Daniel Sambuco, jr., F; Mark D’Agostino, sr., F; Carmine Andranovich, sr., G
Outlook: The Gunnery School won’t have the depth it did last season, losing 12 seniors to graduation, but does return a share of key players, including four of its top seven point scorers. Jeffries (27 goals, 30 assists) broke out last year, emerging as the team’s leading scorer. Rayhill (8 goals, 20 assists) should lead the defense again, and in net, Andranovich (2.04 GAA, .892 save percentage) will take on a bigger role after seeing 318 minutes of ice time last season.
Hebron Academy
Coach: Casey Ftorek
2018-19 record: 9-17-1
Players to watch: Spencer Ryall, sr., F; Anthony LeBlanc, sr., F; Samuel Tetreault, jr., D
Outlook: Losing eight seniors to graduation, including three of the team’s top four players in points from last season, is a challenge Hebron Academy will need to overcome this season. The starting goaltender is gone, as are a few valuable defensive players. However, two of the top three goal scorers are back in Ryall (11 goals, 25 assists) and LeBlanc (10 goals, two assists). That said, the offense should not be an issue.
Hoosac School
Coach: Brett Heigl
2018-19 record: 6-15-0
Players to watch:Â Manuel Cabral, sr., F; Tyler Drummond, sr., D
Outlook: Coming off a season in which it scored 2.05 goals per game and allowed 4.90, Hoosac could enjoy better results this season with a more experienced roster. No one on the team scored at least 10 goals last season, but Paragallo (nine goals, 12 assists) and Manuel Cabral (seven goals, nine assists) are back; they were first and second on the team in total points last season. Most of the defense returns and while the primary goaltender is gone, Hoosac has two backups who each played more than 100 minutes last season.
Kents Hill
Coach: Larry Cockrell
2018-19 record: 13-12-3
Players to watch: Miles Kirby, sr., F;Â Nolan Cunningham, sr., D: Max Macchioni, sr., G
Outlook: Kents Hill had a total of 11 seniors and postgrads combined on its roster last season, including its top five in points. It helps that the majority of the defense, including Cunningham (nine points), returns, as does starting goaltender Macchioni (3.12 GAA, .906 save percentage). Kirby (nine goals, two assists) should help the team’s attack, as will a handful of other returning forwards.
Kingswood-Oxford
Coach: John Hissick
2018-19 record: 7-6-1
Players to watch: John McLaughlin, sr., G; Karstian Lang, sr., D; Cohl D’Addabbo, jr., D
Outlook: A young program gaining experience, Kingswood-Oxford has gotten better over each of the past three seasons. Although its rosters tends to be small and the team doesn’t have the most depth, Kingswood-Oxford has returnees in all three facets of the game. On defense, players such as Lang and D’Addabbo have shown they are capable scorers in addition to their primary duty.
Millbrook School
Coach: Vincent Sorriento
2018-19 record: 17-13-1
Players to watch: Zach Bookman, sr., D, Niko Rexine, sr., F, Kyle Neudorf, sr., F
Outlook: Millbrook returns three players on defense as well as its starting goaltender, Fernandez, who allowed just 2.56 goals per game last season. Two of the top four point scorers are back as well, and while the team might have to rely on some younger forwards for production, there is plenty of talent and depth.
Northfield Mount Hermon
Coach: Kevin Czepiel
2018-19 record: 22-6-2, lost to Lawrence in Stuart/Corkery tournament quarterfinals
Players to watch: Connor Hasley, sr., G; Reese Farrell, sr., F; Chris Throndson, sr., D
Outlook: Northfield Mount Hermon can feel safe with Hasley (1.57, .938) protecting the net again, but after losing a pair of defensemen to graduation, the team does have a depth question. It also remains to be seen how it will be able to respond to losing six of the top seven point scorers, including all four double-digit goal scorers from last season. Farrell (seven goals, 18 assists) is the highest-scoring returnee from last year.
Phillips Andover Academy
Coach: Paul Tortorella
2018-19 record: 16-12-1
Players to watch: William Hughes, soph., F; Chase Spencer, jr., D; Charlie Archer, sr., G
Outlook: Phillips Andover might not be the same offensive-minded team it was last year after losing its top five scorers to graduation. Even so, Hughes (eight goals, 12 assists) showed promise as a freshman. The upside, however, is that the defense is largely intact, and the team returns a talented goaltender in Archer (3.10 GAA, .916 save percentage).
Phillips Exeter Academy
Coach: Dana Barbin
2018-19 record: 19-11-2, lost to Cushing in Martin/Earl tournament quarterfinals
Players to watch: Danny Colon, sr., F; Ryan Welch, sr., G; Reese Ramirez, sr., F
Outlook: The upside for Phillips Exeter this season is returning star goaltender Welch (1.96 GAA, .924 save percentage). The downside is Exeter lost five of its six top scorers to graduation as well as all but one on defense. Colon (20 goals, 11 assists) led the team in goals last season, so Exeter likely will depend on him and Ramirez (seven goals, nine assists) for production.
Pingree School
Coach:Â Dan Gordon
2018-19 record: 9-20-1
Players to watch: Brendan Driscoll, sr., F; Ian Driscoll, jr., F; Cam Brown, jr., G
Outlook: Pingree averaged 3.03 goals per game last season and lost only one of its top five scorers to graduation, so the offense has a chance to shine this season. Brendan Driscoll (20 goals, 28 assists), Ian Driscoll (19 goals, 27 assists) and Halecki (nine goals, 20 assists) are among the returning assets the team can rely on for scoring. Although the team struggled with defense and goaltending last season, returning both of netminders is a plus, although the defense won’t be the most experienced bunch.
Pomfret School
Coach: Matt Goethals
2018-19 record: 16-13-1, lost to Tilton in Piatelli/Simmons tournament quarterfinals
Players to watch: Kyle Tomaso, sr., F; Tyler Bourque, sr., F; Sami Hakkarainen, sr., F
Outlook: After posting a winning season last season, Pomfret has the opportunity to repeat that success. Offense was not a strength last year (2.67 goals per game), but it could be this season. Pomfret returns each of its top three scorers from last season in Tomaso (10 goals, 27 assists), Bourque (20 goals, 14 assists) and Hakkarainen (nine goals, 14 assists). However, the team loses three of its top four on defense to graduation and the starting goaltender, so it has some talent to replace.
Portsmouth Abbey
Coach: Allie Skelley
2018-19 record: 0-21-1
Players to watch: John O’Hoins, soph., F; Will Crowley, sr., F; Ryan Porter, jr., G
Outlook: The upside for Portsmouth Abbey is it had only three seniors on their team last season, so it returns a young and experienced club as it undergoes a rebuild. O’Hoins showed promise as a freshman with a team-high 11 goals, tying Crowley for the most points (13) on the team. Goaltender Porter (.884 save percentage) returns, as does most of the defense, giving this team a shot to have better results than last year.
Williston-Northampton School
Coach: Derek Cunha
2018-19 record: 12-14-1
Players to watch: Jake Sacratini, sr., F; Matt Pimental, sr., F; Shaul Mitton, sr., F; Tommy Harty, sr., F; David Novotny, jr., D; Tyler Varin, jr., D; Mitchell Hansen, sr., D; Trevor Corsello, sr., G; Emile Savoie, jr., G
Outlook: Williston-Northampton lost three of its four double-digit goal scorers from last season; Sacratini (12 goals, eight assists) is the only one returning for the team, which averaged 3.56 goals per game last season. Defensively, the team should be on the younger side again, but last year’s backup goaltender, Corsello (3.28 GAA), was competent, so he should be able to move into the starting role without issue.
Winchendon School
Coach: Brian Troy
2018-19 record: 8-18-2
Players to watch: Jake Black, jr., F; Danny Cavanagh, sr., F; Max Caouette, sr., G
Outlook: The Winchendon School had an inexperienced team last season and did not have much in terms of scoring production. With the top two goal scorers from last season, who combined for 30 of the team’s 70 goals, departed, the team will need new answers there. Fortunately, Winchendon returns most of its other forwards, including Cavanagh (10 goals, nine assists), as well as the majority of the defense and starting goaltender Caouette.
Worcester Academy
Coach: Bob Lavin
2018-19 record: 6-21-1
Players to watch: Matt Monopoli, sr., F; Ryan Prewitt, jr., D; Lucas LaRoche, sr., G
Outlook: Coming off a rebuilding season, Worcester Academy should be on the more experienced side this time around. Of the team’s six players who netted at least five goals last season, four of them are back, and on defense, the team lost only two players to graduation. Worcester Academy struggled in net last season with an inexperienced squad (5.78 GAA), but none of the five goaltenders graduated, so there is room for growth back there.
--Independent capsules by Tom Joyce
