This is it. With teams in Maine high school hockey gearing up for regular-season finales this week, our final boys top 10 of the season features a little bit of everything.
For starters, Thornton Academy hasn’t gone anywhere and is undoubtedly the favorite in Class A, led by offensive dynamo Jake Skillings. But elsewhere, Falmouth continues to impress in its stunning late-season turnaround while a handful of teams are experiencing some adversity near the finish line.
It’s no surprise that fatigue is beginning to set in, as teams have been thrown a handful of challenges as they gear up for the postseason. There is also a new team in the rankings this week after an impressive recent push.
Let’s dive into our last top 10 before the madness of the state tournament.
1. Thornton Academy (14-1-0)
Previous rank: 1
Class A
Coach: Jamie Gagnon
Next: at Scarborough, Feb. 17, 12:40 p.m.
Thornton Academy hasn’t lost its footing, skating to a pair of recent wins to maintain its strong hold on the No. 1 spot. After pulling out a strong 4-0 win over Cheverus/Yarmouth, the team skated to a dominant 11-0 romp over Leavitt/Poland/GNG/Oak Hill. Thornton has two games remaining on the docket, as strong opponents in Scarborough and Falmouth await before the start of the state tournament. Skillings (17-27-44) continues to be a step above.
2. Falmouth (11-5-0)
Previous rank: 4
Class A
Coach: Hogan Tracy
Next: at Bangor/Brewer/Skowhegan/Narraguagus, Feb. 16, 3 p.m.
From once being unranked to the No. 2 spot in our top 10. Falmouth’s rise through the Maine boys high school ranks was unlikely, but it’s impossible to ignore at this point. And with some of the other teams previously ahead of them suffering tough losses, the sea has parted for Falmouth. The team is winners of seven of its last eight, recently downing Lewiston, 7-3, after edging Scarborough (6-2) to bounce back from a 6-3 loss to Edward Little to even the season series. Falmouth tapped into seven different goal scorers in its 7-3 win over Scarborough. Finding the back of the net were Ramsey Hinkley, Brendon Welch, Michael Geoghan, Chase Woolworth, Joe Graceffa, Cale Hanson and Anthony Graceffa.
READ MORE:Â Top boys prep performers from Feb. 4-10
3. Messalonskee (13-3-0)
Previous rank: 2
Class B North
Coach: Dennis Martin
Next: at Old Town/Orono, Feb. 16, 7 p.m.
Messalonskee recently suffered a pair of losses to Hampden/Nokomis/Ellsworth/MDI (4-3) and John Bapst/Hermon/Bangor Chris (3-1), but it isn’t enough to move down more than a spot. The team has shown what it is capable of this winter — notably beating Thornton Academy — and will look to tune it back up in the final two games of the campaign. Messalonskee also played to a strong 4-3 win over Cony Co-op in between the defeats. Alex Beckwith (17-15-32) and Christian Salvadori (17-14-31) continue to star.
4. Lewiston (11-5-1)
Previous rank: 4
Class A
Coach: Sam Cloutier
Next: at Kents Hill/Oceanside, Feb. 16, 5 p.m.
Lewiston is on the heels of two crushing defeats to Falmouth (7-3) and Bangor/Brewer/Skowhegan/Narraguagus (8-1). But like Messalonskee, the Blue Devils have proved their mettle and should be a playoff contender in Class A. Lewiston will look to take care of business against Kents Hill/Oceanside in the season finale. Top scorer Aizyk Laliberte (31-9-40) has been on a tear.
5. Cheverus/Yarmouth (10-6-0)
Previous rank: 5
Class A
Coach: David St. Pierre
Next: at Trail Blazers, Feb. 16, 2:50 p.m.
After battling in a 4-0 loss to Thornton Academy, Cheverus/Yarmouth won two games over Scarborough (4-1 and 1-0). They also took down Kents Hill/Oceanside, 1-0. We know what Cheverus/Yarmouth can do, holding some wins against tough competition like Lewiston, Falmouth and Edward Little. Look for St. Pierre’s team to be in the mix in a few weeks.
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6. Edward Little (10-7-0)
Previous rank: 5
Class A
Coach: Kevin Smith
Next: at Oxford Hills, Feb. 20, 7 p.m.
Edward Little has won two games in a row, including a 6-3 revenge victory over a red-hot Falmouth team after suffering a defeat a few weeks prior. The team then picked up a 2-0 win over Leavitt/Poland/GNG/Oak Hill as it eyes the penultimate game of the season against Oxford Hills on Friday. The Red Eddies also recently fell to Thornton Academy, 6-1. Nolan Heath and Romeo St. Pierre lit the lamp in the 2-0 win over Leavitt/Poland/GNG/Oak Hill.
7. Scarborough (10-6-1)
Previous Rank: 7
Class A
Coach: Eric Wirsing
Next: vs Thornton Academy, Feb. 17, 12:40 p.m.
How’s that for a playoff warm-up? Scarborough drops the puck against Thornton Academy on Tuesday, a big test ahead of the state tournament for a team on a two-game skid. Scarborough has recently collected losses to Cheverus/Yarmouth (1-0) and Falmouth (6-2), but remains a sleeper team in Class A after turning the tide midway through the season.
8. Cony Co-op (12-5-0)
Previous rank: 9
Class B North
Coach: Dan Foster
Next: at Presque Isle/CAHA/Caribou/Wisd, Feb. 17, 3:15 p.m.
Cony Co-op has been playing solid hockey of late, picking up wins over Old Town/Orono (7-0) and Camden Hills Regional (6-2) around a close 4-3 loss to Messalonskee. Jackson Wing scored twice in the win over Old Town/Orono and has been one of the top scoring threats in Maine this winter, posting 17-13-30. Cooper Clark (14-21-35) also scored in the win.
9. John Bapst/Hermon/Bangor Christian (10-6-0)
Previous rank: NR
Class B North
Coach: Kodi Legassie
Next: vs Hampden/Nokomis/Ellsworth/MDI, Feb. 17, 6:30 p.m.
With wins over Cony Co-op (5-3) and Messalonskee (3-1), John Bapst/Hermon/Bangor Christian is in the top 10 for the first time this winter. And Legassie's team couldn’t be finding their groove at a better time. Cooper Lewis, who dished an assist in the 3-1 win over Messalonskee, has cemented himself as one of the better playmakers in the state (18-13-31) as John Bapst/Hermon/Bangor Christian looks to make a late-season push in Class B North.
READ MORE: The latest New England boys prep rankings
10. Gorham/Massabesic Co-op (12-4-0)
Previous rank: 10
Class B South
Coach: Shawn Sullivan
Next: at Gardiner, Feb. 16, 5 p.m.
Gorham/Massabesic Co-op got a 3-2 win over Leavitt/Poland/GNG/Oak Hill on Saturday and recently split a home-and-home series with York/Biddeford/OOB to stay in the No. 10. Levi Wagner continues to carry the offensive workload, scoring twice in the team’s 3-1 win over York/Biddeford/OOB last week. He has nine goals and 24 points this season.
