When the regular season ended a year ago, six Independent School League teams had been selected for NEPSAC tournaments.
There were no championships produced by ISL schools in the Stuart/Corkery (St. Sebastian’s and Lawrence Academy), Martin/Earl (Noble and Greenough) or Piatelli/Simmons (St. Mark’s, Groton and Rivers) tournaments, but all six of those teams — and others — enter the new season again taking aim at high goals.
In the Keller Division, at the start, the top tier appears to be formed by Lawrence, St. Seb’s, Nobles and Thayer.
Lawrence boasts a standout junior forward tandem in Riley Duran (Providence College) and David Sacco (New Hampshire). Whether the team can produce last year’s success — just three losses in 29 games — depends on how things take shape around those two.
St. Seb’s and Nobles are two other teams with good firepower up front. Liam Connors (Boston University) and Timmy Delay (Boston College) lead the Arrows, while Nobles’ trio of Jack Cronin, Casey Severo and David Jacobs combined for 48 goals and 115 points last season.
“How well our leadership group leads and how quickly our new players feel a part of our team will go a long way in determining how quickly we can establish the kind of culture that we want on our team,” said Nobles coach Brian Day.
Thayer is in as good a shape as anyone in net, with Gavin FitzPatrick back between the pipes, and has a star up front in Sasha Teleguine (Northeastern), while Belmont Hill and Milton are both poised to bounce back after losing seasons.
In the Eberhart Division, there’s little question that Rivers and St. Mark’s will be playing somewhere in March. The real question is which teams will join them.
Rivers returns its top line of Phil Tresca (Yale), Matt Cormier and Mike McEachern, while St. Mark’s looks strong both on defense with Ian Moore (Harvard) and Tucker Hartmann, and up front, with Danny Ciccarello coming off a 51-point season.
Roxbury Latin would love to be in the conversation and could be, with an experienced defense and a strong goalie in Mikey Jones.
“The challenge for this year’s team will be where the secondary scoring comes from,” said RL coach Dave Cataruzolo. “Overall, I think we will be a very difficult team to play against, and a fun team to watch and coach.”
Groton will be breaking in a new cast up front as it looks to repeat last year’s winning season. St. George’s returns a dynamic forward tandem of B Jenkinson and Michael Dimascolo, and Brooks looks to get back to winning ways behind an improved defense.
“Eberhart will be the most competitive it’s been in years,” said Brooks coach Dave Ries. “Rivers will be strong again. St. Mark’s may have the most talented team of Carl’s tenure. St. George’s is the best they’ve been in a while. Middlesex and Groton will also be very strong. Will be fun but a big challenge.”
Independent School League
Keller Division
Belmont Hill
Coach: Jeremiah McCarthy
2018-19 record: 10-17-3
Players to watch: Ryan McGuire, jr., F; Tyler Rubin, jr., D; Luke Khozozian, sr., F; Brendan Murphy, jr., D; Paul Halloran, jr., F; Will KIlloran, soph., D; Tom Goguen, soph., D
Outlook: McGuire (Colgate), who can play on the right wing or at center, and Rubin (Princeton) are the backbone of a strong junior class that should have Belmont Hill making strides forward the next two seasons. There’s good senior leadership, led by forward and captain Khozozian. but also some voids with Brett Bliss and Mike Brown opting for juniors. Maybe a year away from returning to the postseason.
Governor’s
Coach: Brian McGuirk
2018-19 record: 5-19-2
Players to watch: Owen Fowler, jr., F; Mitch McGinn, sr., F
Outlook: The rebuild began with McGuirk taking over at his alma mater last season and improving the team’s win total by three. It will try to keep progressing behind the talented Fowler, a UMass Lowell commit. Targeted areas for improvement start with defense, after Governor’s gave up four or more goals in 17 games last season.
Lawrence Academy
Coach: Robbie Barker
2018-19 record: 20-3-6, lost to Kimball Union in Stuart/Corkery semifinals
Players to watch: David Sacco, jr., F; Riley Duran, jr., F; Conor Lovett, sr., F; Holt Oliphant, sr., F; Blake Humphrey, jr., F; Cole Teleki, sr., D; Damien Carfagna, jr., D; Brandon Milberg, sr., G
Outlook: The Spartans take the ice with two of the region’s top 11 draft prospects in Duran (Providence) and Sacco (New Hampshire), who’ll lead the team after the departure of a talented group. Duran can slot in at center or right wing, and Sacco plays a physical game on the wing. Barker likes his team’s leadership and cohesiveness but wants to see more focus from a squad that’s not overly experienced as a whole.
Milton
Coach: Paul Cannata
2018-19 record: 4-16-2
Players to watch: Shane O’Sullivan, sr., F; Tyler Crist, sr., F; Jeffrey Lee, jr., F; Max Cassella, sr., D; Chris Demers, jr., G; Ethan Mistry, jr., D; Chris Romaine, fr., D; Matt Danziger, soph., D; Brandon Plaga, soph., D; David Chen, jr., F; Ethan Davidson, soph., F; Tanner Smith, jr., F
Outlook: After four straight trips to NEPSAC tournaments, including two trips to the Stuart/Corkery and an appearance in the championship game, the Mustangs took a step back last year and began rebuilding. There should be visible improvement this winter; whether it’s enough to get them back into the postseason will depend on how well they can overcome their relative lack of size and experience.
Noble & Greenough
Coach: Brian Day
2018-19 record: 18-9-2, lost to Cushing in Martin/Earl semifinals
Players to watch: Jack Cronin, sr., F; Casey Severo, sr., F; David Jacobs, jr., F; Robert Lapsley, sr., F; Aidan Lyons, soph., D; Peirce Kenney, sr., D; Colby Bailey, sr., D; Owen O’Connor, sr., F; Marc Smith, jr., G
Outlook: Nobles hits the ice with a veteran squad after graduating just four seniors from last year’s team. Cronin (26-18-44), Severo (15-24-39) and Jacobs (7-25-32) pack plenty of scoring punch up front, and Lapsley, Lyons and Kenney also produced double-digit points last year, and Smith posted a 2.25 goal-against average and .919 save percentage.
St. Sebastian’s
Coach: Sean McCann
2018-19 record: 23-6, lost to Dexter in Stuart/Corkery quarterfinals
Players to watch: Liam Connors, sr., RW; Connor Joyce, sr., C; Timmy Delay, soph., C; Brendan Gorman, soph., RW; Thomas Messineo, jr., D; Ryan MacDermott, sr., D; Luke Garrity, sr., G
Outlook: Most of the pieces seem to be in place for the Arrows to make another run. There’s good team speed, a senior goalie and strong leadership. Developing more scoring depth after Connors (Boston University), Joyce, Delay (Boston College) and Gorman will be a key for a team that welcomes several newcomers.
Tabor
Coach: Gerry Dineen
2018-19 record: 9-17-2
Players to watch: Morgan Winters, jr., F; Connor Tobin, sr., F; Jake Cady, sr., F
Outlook: In Winters (34 points), Tobin (28 points) and Cadu (31 points), Tabor returns its entire top line, and a productive one at that. There are a lot of new faces, so it will be put upon the returning veterans to play big roles and lead the way. Secondary scoring and defense are two other areas that will be addressed as the season goes on.
Thayer
Coach: Tony Amonte
2018-19 record: 13-11-4
Players to watch: Gavin FitzPatrick, sr., G; Sasha Teleguine, jr., F
Outlook: Teleguine, a Northeastern commit, is regarded as one of the top players in the league, and averaged nearly a point per game last season. In FitzPatrick, the Tigers also boast one of the league’s best netminders. They missed the tournaments last year after graduating a loaded class, and many of the players who got their feet wet are now hoping to guide a trip back to the postseason.
Eberhart Division
Brooks
Coach: Dave Ries
2018-19 record: 11-14-1
Players to watch: Michael Bencivengo, jr., F; Stephen Higgins, sr., F; Parker Sondag, sr., F; CJ Beals, sr., D; Kevin Golden, jr., D
Outlook: Ries feels his team is set to make strides defensively after struggling at times a year ago, even though the team’s win total improved by four. Another strength should be balance across the lineup. Goaltending is still a question mark until somebody takes the reins, while the attack up front will be led by Bencivengo. Ries thinks the division could be the most competitive it’s been in some time.
Buckingham, Browne & Nichols
Coach: Chris Nagy
2018-19 record: 0-24-2
Players to watch: Nick Wang, sr., F; Will Taft, sr., F; Dan Addonizio, sr., F; Liam McGuirty, sr., F; Quinn Serpa, sr., F/D; Matt Bulman, sr., D
Outlook: A senior class hungry for its first win in two years and a seven-member freshman class that is the first one for this group of coaches are some of the reasons for optimism for the Knights, who will need to replace a strong last line of defense in All-ISL goalie John Day (Stonehill). The new players figure to contribute right away as BB&N looks to escape the division basement.
Groton
Coach: William Riley
2018-19 record: 19-8-2, lost to St. Mark’s in Piatelli/Simmons quarterfinals
Players to watch: Eamon McNamara, sr., D; Thomas Dempsey, jr., D; Trey Whitehead, jr., D; Marc Borghi, sr., F; Will Molson, jr., F; Kevin Clark, sr., G
Outlook: Riley feels he has a hard-working team in all areas of the ice, “with big hearts and a high compete level.” Whitehead and Dempsey were All-Eberhart a year ago, with Borghi an honorable mention on a team that pushed into the small-school tournament. Biggest losses were up front, so they’ll need some new faces to chip in production.
Middlesex
Coach: Joe Mallen
2018-19 record: 12-13
Players to watch: Kyle Heath, jr., F; Cedrick Paradis, sr., F; Ben Friedman, sr., D; Joe Freeman, soph., D; Rex Mabbs, soph., D; Colin Craig, sr., F; Jordan Busner, jr., G; AJ Finta, soph., G; Jayden Mullens, soph., D; Aidan Tripp, soph., F
Outlook: Middlesex graduated a big senior class (eight players) that included goalie Joe Stanizzi, the division’s Flood Shield Award winner who posted the highest save percentage in prep school hockey. A team that was going to be young got even younger with injuries to a couple key juniors, and it will be players like Heath, a blueliner who was All-Eberhart honorable mention a year ago, trying to steady the ship.
Rivers
Coach: Shawn McEachern
2018-19 record: 19-10-2, lost to Holderness in Piatelli/Simmons semifinals
Players to watch: Phil Tresca, sr., F; Matt Cormier, sr., F; Mike McEachern, sr., F; Ryan Rahbany, sr., D; Pat Lawn, sr., D; Casen Janko, sr., G
Outlook: Rivers could trot out one of the most effective lines in prep hockey, with Tresca (Yale), Cormier and McEachern, who were all All-Eberhart selections a year ago. Tresca has gained both size and confidence, which were on display as he was named the division’s MVP last year. A strong senior class will lead the way for this team in its quest for another postseason berth and — hopefully — hardware at the end.
Roxbury Latin
Coach: Dave Cataruzolo
2018-19 record: 12-10-1
Players to watch: Mikey Jones, sr., G; Dante Cuzzi, sr., D; Joey Ryan, sr., F; Bobby Luca, jr., F; Will Murphy, jr., D; Peter Frates, jr., D
Outlook: The Foxes look like they’ll be strong from the goal out, starting with Jones between the pipes after an All-Eberhart honorable mention season. A group of five experienced blueliners is led by team captain Cuzzi, and Murphy and Frates. Where the secondary scoring comes from, beyond Ryan and Luca, could determine how far Roxbury Latin goes and whether it’s still playing in March.
St. George’s
Coach: Jeff Dwyer
2018-19 record: 14-14
Players to watch: B Jenkinson, jr., F; Michael Dimascolo, sr., F; Ryan Buckley, soph., D; Jack Almeida, soph., F; Matt Kursonis, soph, F; Shane Mulhern, jr., F
Outlook: One of the better groups of forwards in the division belongs to St. George’s, led by Jenkinson, who is coming off a 21-goal, 48-point season, and could team again with Dimascolo to form a dynamite top line. That depth, and some quality goaltending, are team strengths, while the early question mark is a largely inexperienced defense after Buckley.
St. Mark’s
Coach: Carl Corazzini
2018-19 record: 19-10-3, lost to Tilton in Piatelli/Simmons semifinals
Players to watch: Danny Ciccarello, sr., F; Tucker Hartmann, sr., D; Ian Moore, jr., D; Brendan Gibbons, jr., F; Jackson Coutu, jr., F
Outlook: The Lions return four players who collected more than 30 points last winter — Ciccarello (31-20-51), Hartmann (5-32-37), Harvard commit Moore (16-20-36) and Gibbons (15-17-32). It’s a team that’s deep both up front and on defense, though inexperience in net is a concern at the start. Moore will have pro scouts along for the ride all season.
This story is from the December issue of the New England Hockey Journal. Subscribe here.
