It's time for the fun part: predictions.
The NEPSAC girls Elite 8 will begin Wednesday with quarterfinals.
This is my first foray into the whirlwind week-long spring that is the NEPSAC playoffs. So, I'm hoping for some beginner's luck. Remember, if I pick against your team, it's because I have a personal vendetta against them. I'm kidding, of course.
Each matchup in the quarterfinals already happened in the regular season, too. Will the results be similar? Will teams exact their revenge? Is anyone ripe for an upset?
Let's dive in.
No. 1 Nobles vs. No. 8 St. Paul's
These two teams met twice in the regular season, and both times Nobles came away with a win. The Bulldogs took the Harrington Tournament crown with a 4-0 win over SPS before beating them 6-1 in January.
The path to an upset for St. Paul's comes and goes with two players: Cami Bell (Barre, Vt.) and Ally Martiniello (Salem, NH). Bell leads SPS with 23 goals and 30 points. She's a dynamic scoring threat with the offensive ability to dominate shifts. Meanwhile, Martiniello was nails last season in the playoffs, leading the Big Red to the Large School title, and she's been one of the NEPSAC's absolute best again this season. Bell and Martiniello need to be the authors of the potential upset if St. Paul's wants to pull it off.
GIRLS PREVIEWS: Elite 8 Tournament | Large School Tournament | Small School Tournament
But Nobles is deep in every facet of the game. Each of it's top three lines can create and finish chances, thanks mainly to a forecheck that completely suffocated St. Paul's earlier this season. On defense, it's a murderer's row, as I've said all year. Anya Zupkofska (Braintree, Mass.) can go toe-to-toe with Martiniello too.
This game could be headed for a similar script as the previous two.
Prediction: Nobles wins, 3-1
No. 2 Williston Northampton vs. No. 7 Tabor
What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?
Tabor enters the postseason as one of the hottest teams in the NEPSAC, entering the postseason on a 9-2-0 run in their last 11 games. Meanwhile, Williston enters as back-to-back champions in search of a three-peat, enjoying yet another dominant season.
The thing that works against Tabor this week is its record against Elite 8 teams (1-5-1), the worst of anyone in the field. That includes a 7-1 loss to Williston in January.
But the Seawolves have been on a roll. To keep it going, they'll need Avery Olson to be at her best in net. She's seen the third-most shots of any Elite 8 goalie this season. So, Tabor's defense, especially Adeline Paskowski (Plymouth, Mass.) and Kaitlin Sullivan (Needham, Mass.), will need to limit dangerous chances in front of Olson. They'll need Ayla Abban (Duxbury, Mass.) and Lizzy Greeley (Hyde Park, Mass.) to continue their career seasons, too.
Ultimately, Williston, despite battling injuries at different points this season, has the edge here. It comes down to the plethora of top talent that Christa Talbot Syfu's team boasts, like Monique Lyons (Bedford, Mass.), Nora Curtis, Violet Carroll (Milton, Mass.), Mia Daley (Lynnfield, Mass.) and Caroline Aufiero (Belmont, Mass.). Olivia Ferebee gives them the all-important edge in goal, too.
MVP CANDIDATES: 17 players who could win MVP in the Elite 8
Prediction: Williston wins, 2-1
No. 3 Phillips Andover vs. No. 6 Deerfield
Ask, and you shall receive. I hoped for a postseason rematch between these two sides after seeing their head-to-head battle earlier this season, and here we are.
Speaking of unstoppable forces, I've said it before and Ill say it again, but nobody is as hot as Andover is right now. They're unbeaten in 14 straight (13-0-1), a streak that includes their 3-2 win over Deerfield on Jan. 27. The Big Blue came back from a 2-0 hole in that game, too.
On the other hand, Deerfield struggled down the stretch, going 2-4-2 in their final eight games, which might have been the most difficult finishing schedule of any team. The Big Green's potent offense has been quiet of late, too.
But Deerfield is very battle-tested, and Annie Dinges (Woodstock, Conn.) and the rest of the offense could catch fire at a moment's notice.
It's hard to go against the hot hand here. Everything has been coming together for Andover at the right time. Their top-six is too deep between Caroline Averill (Wayland, Mass.), Sarah Powers (Lynnfield, Mass.), Emily Mara (Winchester, Mass.) and Peyton Kennedy (Sudbury, Mass.), among others.
Prediction:Â Andover wins, 4-2
No. 4 Loomis Chaffee vs. No. 5 Kent
Loomis and Kent met previously on Jan. 10 with the Pelicans winning, 4-2.
But the latter is on a seven-game heater. Meanwhile, Loomis went 2-2-1 over a grueling final stretch.
GIRLS BRACKETS: Elite 8 Tournament | Large School Tournament | Small School Tournament
The key for the Lions will be if they can get to the Pelicans early, whether it be via leading scorer Mia Montanari (East Hampton, Conn.) or top-end playmakers like Renee Bishop and Megan Duplantie with Lauren Ferrari doing her thing in the crease.
Loomis can rely on its goalie, Leila Fournier (West Kingston, R.I.), too. What truly sets them apart from Kent is their depth, both up front and on defense. Their top-six can match up with anyone, and they have three stalwart defenders in Megan Hosman, Catie Collins (South Burlington, Vt.) and Carly Dann (Hanover, NH). Fournier and Grace Morin have already come through in the clutch in a tournament scenario earlier this season as well.
This feels like another quarterfinal pick that goes chalk. I know I'm lame.
Prediction:Â Loomis wins, 4-2
