The girls prep and high school seasons are officially behind us.
Naturally, the focus shifts to the top spring events. Soon enough, we'll have Mass. Hockey Festival, Final 40 and the New England District tryouts on the books.
But before we get to any of that, there's USA Hockey Nationals. Many of the region's top players will rejoin their club teams for one last shot at glory. This year's 19U Tier 1 Nationals will be held from March 24-29 in Amherst, N.Y.
Assabet Valley automatically qualified after winning the Mass. state title over the Massachusetts Spitfires last November. The Mid Fairfield CT Stars also automatically qualified after taking down the Connecticut Polar Bears last fall for the New England District crown. The Spitfires and Polar Bears made Nationals on an at-large basis, as did the East Coast Wizards and NAHA.
We’ll break down the region’s 16U representation later. For now, let’s get into who to watch among the 19Us.
Assabet Valley
Many of these teams are stacked with college hockey commits. That's especially true with Assabet.
Among the headliners is a trio from Phillips Andover. Princeton commit Caroline Averill (Wayland, Mass.) finished fourth in NEPSAC scoring as a senior with 52 points (20 goals). Junior defenders in Princeton commit Maggie Averill (Wayland, Mass.) and Delaware commit Kimee Duplessis (Framingham, Mass.) were productive, too. The former had 30 points (14 goals) and captained Team USA to gold at the IIHF U18 Women's World Championship.
You've also got another Princeton commit in Groton's Tina Scalese (West Boylston, Mass.), the ISL co-MVP, fresh off leading the Zebras to a Small School title.
Dexter Southfield is well-represented with a trio of seniors in Yale commits Evelyn Doyle (Needham, Mass.) and Sawyer Merrill (Hingham, Mass.), as well as UNH commit Elizabeth Allen (Brookline, Mass.). Doyle led Dexter with 28 points (15 goals), while Merrill was right behind with 27 points (12 goals).
Another UNH commit, Berwick's Ella Souza (Portsmouth, N.H.), will help patrol the blue line.
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Assabet features four standouts from Cushing, too. Senior UNH commit Madi Soderquist (Woburn, Mass.) was among the Penguins' best with 28 points (15 goals), while junior Lyla Rahn (Stratham, N.H.) broke out for 16 points (seven goals). Senior Stonehill commit Julia Lambert (Wilmington, Mass.) put up 15 points (five goals) as she battled injuries this season. Junior goalie Ines Khamis has proven herself with Assabet.
There's a pair of junior Yale commits from Nobles, too, with Ava Decourcey (Rockland, Mass.) and Annika Jonas (Weston, Mass.). Decourcey was one of the most productive defenders in prep with 32 points (12 goals). Jonas was one of the top goalies, posting a .950 save percentage as the Bulldogs took the top seed in the Elite 8.
You've also got St. Paul's defender Maggie Berleth (Manchester, N.H.), a Brown commit, along with Middlesex's Janie Martin (Burlington, Mass.), an Assumption commit. Governor's senior goalie Liz Luong (Framingham, Mass.) earned an All-ISL First Team nod. She's a Colby field hockey commit.
Among other uncommitted juniors to watch is St. Paul's Grace White and BB&N's Mary Murray (Hingham, Mass.). Murray had a breakout season with 21 points (10 goals).
Connecticut Polar Bears
The Polar Bears are chock-full of NEPSAC standouts.
Choate is well-represented with four skaters. On the back end, there's Harvard commit Sophia Lind (Madison, Conn.), plus uncommitted junior Juliana Iannace. Forward Maggie Swanson (Fairfield, Conn.) is bound for Williams next season. There's also uncommitted junior forward Claire Chanfrau.
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You've got Williston Northampton representation as well. Holy Cross commit Nina Coffee (Old Lyme, Conn.), a 6-foot-tall defender, had her best season yet as a senior. UPenn field hockey commit Zola Piekarski was one of the Wildcats' most productive forwards with 22 points (15 goals) as a senior. Uncommitted junior forward Riley Stocker had a career year with 20 points (nine goals).
Berkshire has plenty of players in the mix, too, including goalie Katie Hurley, a St. Cloud State commit. Brown commit Gabby Ogunnupe adds size and skill to the blue line, too. Sophomore forward Cora Davidson has been productive in her two prep seasons as well.
There are several key players from The Hill School, too, including Middlebury commit Jillian Smith, who had 27 points (12 goals) as a senior. There's also junior forward Mya Chotvacs Chase, as well as goalie Amy Wang, a senior Wesleyan commit.
Kent and Deerfield each have a pair of skaters headed to Nationals with the Polar Bears as well. Defender Kate McKiernan, a Bowdoin commit, and forward Chloe Pittinaro (Endicott) were two of the Lions' best skaters this winter. Meanwhile, forwards Milana Shuman (Westfield, Mass.) and Brianne Martin were key depth for the Big Green this season.
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The blue line also includes defender Amanda Ranaudo, a Sacred Heart commit. Up front, Stonehill commit Bella Zapata, a Westminster junior, will be a factor as well, along with uncommitted Loomis Chaffee junior Brooke Murphy and Taft sophomore Lindsay Kunzelmann (Avon, Conn.).
East Coast Wizards
Count the Wizards among the star-studded rosters.
You've got Loomis Chaffee defenders Carly Dann (Hanover, N.H.) and Alexine Beaulieu (Hudson, N.H.). Dann, a Cornell commit, had a career season playing forward with 31 points (15 goals). Beaulieu is an RPI commit.
Nobles' Rachel Zhao (Westwood, Mass.) was among prep's best as well. The uncommitted senior had 42 points (22 goals). Another uncommitted prospect to watch is New Hampton's Emma MacPherson (Sandwich, Mass.). She broke out for 39 points (22 goals), leading the Huskies on a Cinderella run to the Small School final. Phillips Andover junior defender Sienna DeAngelis is uncommitted, too. She has a knack for pushing the pace in transition.
Cushing is well-represented. RPI commit Sadie Bellissimo will be key in net. Uncommitted junior Violet Dittman had a breakout season with 17 points (15 assists). There's also St. Anselm commit Lily Winckler.
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Deerfield has three players on the Wizards, including Dartmouth commit Ava Giroux (St. Albans, Vt.). Defenders Amelia Healey (Barre, Vt.) and Taylor Wilburn are two uncommitted juniors to watch.
There's plenty of Dexter Southfield representation as well. Twins Mackenzie Sutherland (West Roxbury, Mass.), a defender committed to Stonehill, and Addie Sutherland, a goalie headed for Assumption, are coming off strong senior seasons. Maggie Lovering (Scituate, Mass.) broke out for 23 points (seven goals).
Other key pieces for the Wizards include Rivers' Brooke Bartlett (Wayland, Mass.), Williston's Brenna Ziter (Williston, Vt.), BB&N's Kate Glantz (Burlington, Mass.) and Vermont Academy's Talia Engel. Bartlett is a junior Harvard commit. Ziter is a senior Colby commit. Meanwhile, Glantz is a junior Brown commit. Engel is an uncommitted junior.
Massachusetts Spitfires
The Spitfires are also loaded with some of New England's best.
Harvard commit Lindsay Stepnowski (South Glastonbury, Conn.) is the headliner, fresh off a second straight Elite 8 MVP and championship with Loomis Chaffee. The senior had 10 points (six goals) in the postseason and 41 points (21 goals) overall.
You've also got Andover's Sarah Powers (Lynnfield, Mass.), who is bound for Boston College. She was one of prep's most productive skaters with 52 points (34 assists). The same goes for BB&N's Anika Singh (Lexington, Mass.), who is headed for Brown. She had 34 points (16 assists).
Tabor is well-represented with four Seawolves on the roster. Brown commit Evelyn Lacey (Braintree, Mass.) was an All-ISL First Teamer in net. There's also St. Michael's commit Jen Birolini (Pembroke, Mass.), plus uncommitted defender Lindsay Fox (Franklin, Mass.).
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A couple of Yale commits dot the roster, too, between Nobles' Gretta Hulbig (Foxboro, Mass.) and St. George's Maddie Lahah (North Attleboro, Mass.). Hulbig had 28 points (14 goals), and Lahah had 37 points (19 goals) this season.
You've got a pair of defenders from Williston Northampton in Amherst commit Yasmine McKenzie (Holden, Mass.) and UNH commit Catie Putt (Norfolk, Mass.). Putt can also play forward.
Thayer's Abby DeAnzeris (Needham, Mass.) has consistently been a productive presence on the blue line. She's a St. Anselm commit. Teammate Madison Hayes (Foxboro, Mass.)
Among others to watch is powerful Holy Cross commit Mary Quatrale (Pembroke, Mass.), who led Milton Academy with 23 points (12 goals). Meanwhile, you've got Dexter Southfield's Maddie Funk (Duxbury, Mass.), a Northeastern field hockey commit.
Additionally, Rivers sophomore Nora McLean (Canton, Mass.) is a younger player to watch.
Mid Fairfield CT Stars
Mid Fairfield features some of prep's very best skaters.
You've got Loomis Chaffee star seniors in Annie Schwarz (Fairfield, Conn.), Megan Hosman and Hattie Willard. Schwarz, a Yale commit, was one of the NEPSAC's top scorers with 47 points (24 goals). Hosman, a Penn State commit, had 29 points (seven goals) on a defensive pair with Willard, a Wesleyan commit. Goalie Adeline Roper (Kennebunk, Maine) is bound for Williams after backstopping a second straight title run. There's also hard-nosed forward Elle Pagliaro.
There's plenty of Deerfield representation, too, fresh off a run to the Elite 8 final. Yale commit Chloe Cleaves (Riverside, Conn.) had 30 points (15 goals) on defense, while Yale commit Sophie Frost led Big Green forwards with 27 points (17 goals). Defender Keira Austen (Darien, Conn.) and forward Olivia Austen (Darien, Conn.), both Brown commits, are key, too. You've also got goalie Ana Makrogiannis.
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Some of Choate's best are key fixtures for the Stars as well, including Assumption commit Annie Forker (Stratford, Conn.). She led the Wild Boars run to the Large School final with 29 points (19 goals). Kate Tortorella (Westport, Conn.), an Ohio State rowing commit, will be key on the blue line. The same goes for Hamilton commit Natalie Beach (Darien, Conn.) up front.
There's also a pair of Kent forwards in Olivia Machan and Ainsley Moffitt as well.
Also on defense is Hamilton commit Lila Fiorita (Darien, Conn.), a standout with Darien High. She led Darien to a CIAC state title earlier this month, earning Most Outstanding Player honors in the final. She scored 26 goals this season, including two in the championship.
NAHA
The Hawks are filled with skill and commits, including several with New England ties.
Leading the way is Boston University commit Quinn Taylor (Centerville, Mass.), who leads NAHA with 125 points (73 goals) in 73 games. Postgrad Colby commit Ellie Lachance (West Hartford, Conn.), a former Loomis Chaffee standout, has 62 points (22 goals) on the season. Speedy Quinnipiac commit Cassidy Lobisser (Bellingham, Mass.) is a threat up front, too, with 45 points (25 goals).
Among other forwards to watch is St. Michael's commit Kate Louder (Holden, Mass.) and Sacred Heart commit Danica Morden (Suffield, Conn.).
Meanwhile, the locals to watch on the blue line include Stonehill commit Olivia Bonarrigo (Walpole, Mass.) and Merrimack commit Kaylee Mandeville (Uxbridge, Mass.). Also, keep an eye on Avah Miller (Plymouth, Mass.).
There's also goalie Jayden Elias, a former standout with Portsmouth Abbey.
Shattuck-St. Mary's
Shattuck boasts some of the top prospects with local ties.
Headlining the group is Ohio State commit Jane Daley (Medfield, Mass.). The electrifying '09 has 76 points (25 goals). She had 17 points and a tournament-record 12 goals in six games as Team USA won gold at the U18 Women's World Championship in January, earning MVP.
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Also up front is former Nobles standout Alexa Georgantas (Foxboro, Mass.). She has 27 points (11 goals).
On the back end, dynamic Wisconsin commit Emma Cerruti (Norwood, Mass.) leads the way. You've also got Cornell commit Kate Hall (Greenwich, Conn.).
BK Selects
The defending 19U national champs are loaded with college commits and talent from around the country and even the world. That includes electrifying Wisconsin commit Nela Lopušanová (Slovakia).
Among the local interests is Princeton-committed defender Erin Healy (South Burlington, Vt.).
