It’s grind time in the Maine high school boys hockey season.
With the halfway point of the season officially in the rearview mirror, the next few weeks leading into February are some of the most important — and difficult — games of the season.
Fatigue, injuries and the constant grind of the schedule begin to set in. But it's the teams that emerge from the dog days of winter that come out of it stronger ahead of the postseason.
Our latest top 10 rankings have little movement as most of the landscape has settled. But look for upcoming games on the slate to present sizable implications.
For now, Thornton Academy, Messalonskee and Cheverus/Yarmouth have solidified their positions in the top three, with a slew of teams vying for momentum in a Class B field that is especially wide open.
Here is where things currently stand in our latest Maine boys top 10.
1. Thornton Academy (9-1-0)
Previous rank: 1
Class A
Coach: Jamie Gagnon
Next: vs Hampden/Nokomis/Ellsworth/MDI, Jan. 24, 5:40 p.m.
Cheverus/Yarmouth threw a scare into top-ranked Thornton Academy on Jan. 10 — falling in overtime, 4-3 — but Thornton Academy hasn’t lost its edge as the team to beat in the boys landscape. It recently played to a dominant 12-0 romp over Marshwood/Noble/Sanford/Traip. Jake Skillings was the hero in the team’s exciting overtime victory over Cheverus/Yarmouth, scoring two goals in triumph. The talented forward leads the league in scoring (13-17-30).
READ MORE: The latest New England boys prep rankings
2. Messalonskee (6-2-0)
Previous rank: 2
Class B North
Coach: Dennis Martin
Next: vs Leavitt/Poland/GNG/Oak Hill Kings, Jan. 19, 11 a.m.
Messalonskee has perhaps the two biggest wins of the season so far. So far this winter, Martin’s team has beaten both No. 1 Thornton Academy and No. 3 Cheverus/Yarmouth. Skating to a 3-1 win over Cheverus/Yarmouth on Jan. 15, Tatum Doucette, Denny Martin and Alex Beckwith tallied three straight goals in the third period to run away with the victory. Beckwith leads the team in scoring (9-10-19) and will be a big part of Messalonskee’s homestretch of the campaign.
3. Cheverus/Yarmouth (7-3-0)
Previous rank: 3
Class A
Coach: David St. Pierre
Next: vs Falmouth, Jan. 19, 1:40 p.m.
Cheverus/Yarmouth nearly upset Thornton Academy on Jan. 10 in a 4-3 overtime defeat after rallying for three goals in the third period to take a 3-2 lead. Ben Dumais, Lucas D'Alessandro and Joseph Adams lit the lamp, but Thornton ultimately tied the game late in the frame before winning in overtime. It was a strong effort for Cheverus/Yarmouth, nonetheless, which dropped a 3-1 decision to Messalonskee before climbing back into the win column with a 1-0 blanking over Cony Co-op.
4. Lewiston (6-2-1)
Previous rank: 4
Class A
Coach: Sam Cloutier
Next: vs Scarborough, Jan. 19, 12 p.m.
Lewiston has stayed in the win column since our last rankings — pulling out a 1-0 win over Kents Hill/Oceanside before surviving a 4-3 victory over Bangor/Brewer/Skowhegan/Narraguagus last week — and has all the makings of being a threat in Class A come the postseason. In its 4-3 win over Twin City, Austin Landry potted a pair of first-period goals to provide the Blue Devils with an early cushion. Big games against Scarborough and Edward Little await this week.
5. Edward Little (7-3-0)
Previous rank: 5
Class A
Coach: Kevin Smith
Next: at Portland Co-op, Jan. 22, 4 p.m.
Edward Little picked up recent wins over Scarborough (3-1) and Bangor/Brewer/Skowhegan/Narraguagus (4-3) and continues to show the league that it has the tools to make some noise in Class A. Jaret Powers has been finding his game as of late. He pocketed a pair of goals in the team’s win over Twin City. Nolan Heath has remained a dangerous scoring threat, too. He is tied for the team lead in goals (six) and assists (12).
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6. Lake Region/Fryeburg Academy/Oxford (6-1-0)
Previous rank: 6
Class A
Coach: Wayne Neiman
Next: at Falmouth, Jan. 24, 7:30 p.m.
The Ice Cats recently secured a 2-0 blanking over Portland Co-op to reenter the win column after a 9-2 loss at the hands of Edward Little. Jokubas Mostavicius (11-3-14) and Gunner Truman (8-14-22) both lit the lamp in the win and have been at the forefront of the team’s scoring offense all season. If Lake Region Co-op can maintain its consistent play as of late down the stretch of the season, it will certainly be in the mix in the very competitive Class A ranks.
7. Cony Co-Op (7-2-0)
Previous rank: 7
Class B North
Coach: Dan Foster
Next: at Hampden/Nokomis/Ellsworth/MDI, Jan. 19, 6:30 p.m.
Cony Co-op has been one of the intriguing teams to watch due to its ability to compete with the best. It did that in a recent 1-0 loss to Cheverus/Yarmouth and owns an instrumental win over Messalonskee on its resume. Before the close defeat to the No. 3 team, Foster’s team previously played to a 6-0 win over Houlton/Hodgdon/S. Aroostook/Katahdin and a 6-2 romp over Brunswick/Freeport. Cooper Clark (5-8-13) continues to pace the team in the scoring department. Alex Leet had a big game over the Black Hawks, scoring three goals in the 6-0 win.
8. Gorham/Massabesic Co-op (8-2-0)
Previous rank: 9
Class B South
Coach: Shawn Sullivan
Next: at Scarborough, Jan. 24, 12 p.m.
Gorham/Massabesic Co-op is stacking wins in Class B South, recently playing to a 4-3 win over Windham/Westbrook/Bonny Eagle/Sacopee Valley to jump them in our rankings. A widespread scoring output has been a big part of the team’s success. In the recent win over the Trail Blazers, Sullivan’s team benefited from four different goal scorers. Jackson Keene, Andrew Collins, Levi Wagner and Isaiah Waterman all found twine in the thrilling overtime victory. Right now, Gorham/Massabesic is the team to beat in Class B South.
9. Windham/Westbrook/Bonny Eagle/Sacopee Valley (4-7-0)
Previous rank: 8
Class A
Coach: Benjamin Haskell
Next: at Lewiston Jan. 28, 6:10 p.m.
The Trail Blazers are on a two-game skid but fought hard in the overtime loss to Gorham/Massabesic Co-op and ran into the ultra-talented Thornton Academy on Jan. 8, resulting in a 13-2 loss. But the Windham Co-op still has a notable win over Edward Little in its rearview mirror. The team’s looming game with Lewiston is a big one. The Blue Devils dominated with a 5-0 blanking back on Dec. 19.
READ MORE: The latest Maine girls high school hockey rankings
10. Leavitt/Poland/GNG/Oak Hill Kings (6-2-1)
Previous rank: 10
Class B South
Coach: Jason Rouleau
Next: at Messalonskee, Jan. 19, 11 a.m.
Leavitt Co-op has emerged as a team to keep an eye on in Class B South with strong play as of late. It recently suffered a 2-1 loss to Kennebunk Wells, ending its three-game winning streak. Look for its pair of matchups with Gorham/Massabesic Co-op in February to provide a better indicator of where the team stands come postseason time. Tyler Mates (11-10-21) continues to impress.
