And then there were four.
If you were expecting chalk in the Elite 8 quarterfinals, you were sorely mistaken. Wednesday's action more than delivered in terms of drama as three of the top four seeds fell.
No. 1 Nobles survived a valiant comeback effort from No. 8 St. Paul's. The Bulldogs won, 5-4, in overtime after holding a 4-1 lead in the second period. No. 7 Tabor, meanwhile, shut down No. 2 Phillips Andover en route to a 2-1 upset win in overtime. Elsewhere, No. 6 Deerfield got revenge on No. 3 Williston, outlasting the Wildcats in a 3-2 win after losing to them, 5-1, just a week prior. You also had No. 5 Loomis Chaffee exploding for five unanswered goals, including three in the third period, to pull away from No. 4 Dexter Southfield in a back-and-forth, 7-3 win.
If you kept track of my quarterfinals predictions, things didn't go great. I went 2-for-4 in the Elite 8, swinging and missing on Tabor-Andover and Deerfield-Williston. Overall, I went 7-for-12 across all three tournaments.
But this is where we bounce back.
Let's dive into our Elite 8 semifinal predictions.
No. 1 Nobles vs. No. 5 Loomis Chaffee
It's a battle of the last two Elite 8 champions. In 2024, Nobles beat Loomis Chaffee in the semifinals en route to a title. In 2025, the Pelicans bounced back with a championship run of their own.
The two sides met earlier this season, too, in a 4-1 win for Nobles at home way back on Dec. 6. That game feels like it was eons ago. Sophia DiGioia (Milford, Conn.) got Loomis on the board first before Nobles racked up four unanswered, thanks to Catherine McCool (West Roxbury, Mass.), Rachel Zhao (Westwood, Mass.) and a pair for Nora Shea (Braintree, Mass.).
TAKEAWAYS: 24 observations from the 2026 NEPSAC girls quarterfinals
The Pelicans were the better team for much of that game, especially in the wake of DiGioia's goal, hemming Nobles in on the forecheck. Easton Pramuka, Brooke Murphy and Elyse Harris hounded puck carriers and were physical down low. But Annika Jonas (Weston, Mass.) helped Nobles hang in there, finishing with 28 saves, and once Nobles got on the board, they zapped all the momentum from Loomis.
So, what'll it be this time around?
Loomis' top players took over against Dexter in the quarterfinals as Lindsay Stepnowski (South Glastonbury, Conn.) had four points (two goals), and Annie Schwarz (Fairfield, Conn.) scored twice. DiGioia was among the stable of depth scorers that scored, too. Special teams were a big factor, too, and it was a productive night for the Pelicans' power play. It was a big reason Loomis got back into the game at the end of the second before they completely dominated the opening minutes of the third. They'll need to jump on Nobles quickly.
Nobles' top players produced against SPS, too. Francie Ames (Brookline, Mass.) and Gretta Hulbig (Foxboro, Mass.) each had a goal and an assist, and Lily Bromley (Carlisle, Mass.) scored, too. Liz Levering (Westwood, Mass.) stepped up to open the scoring, leading a rush and scoring when her centering pass banked in. But Nobles let St. Paul's back into the game after going up, 4-1, and Jonas stopped 22 of 26 shots. It was quite a scare for the Bulldogs, who gave up second-chance opportunities around their net.
GIRLS BRACKETS: Elite 8 | Large School | Small School
Both sides have high-end talent, depth on both sides of the puck and strong goaltending. This could go either way. It could be a barn-burner as easily as it could be a tight goaltending battle.
Prediction: Loomis wins, 4-3
No. 6 Deerfield vs. No. 7 Tabor
On the other side of the card, you've got a rematch of last season's Large School final. Deerfield took home the 2025 title with a 2-0 win, but the two sides haven't met this season.
BOYS BRACKETS: Elite 8 | Large School | Small School
Both goaltenders are playing at high levels. Evelyn Lacey (Braintree, Mass.) needs no introduction, and she made key saves as Seawolves stole the upset over Andover. Izzy Kirby, meanwhile, has been terrific of late and stopped 25 shots against Williston.
Both sides have strong top-six forward groups. Giuliana Polcari (Marshfield, Mass.) came through with the game-winner, plus an assist on linemate Grace Hildebrandt's (Norwell, Mass.) goal. Jen Birolini (Pembroke, Mass.) was strong, too. Sofia Nardelli (Cranston, R.I.) is a big play-driver alongside Lilly Shaughnessy (Medfield, Mass.) and Dawson Styles (South Hamilton, Mass.).
Alessandra Picard (Madison, Conn.) came through with a pair of goals for Deerfield against Williston. Ava Giroux (St. Albans, Vt.) and Brady and Peyton Weirl had strong games for the Big Green as well. That's not to mention Sophie Frost, Gia Thompson or Olivia Austen (Darien, Conn.).
Each has X-factors on defense, too, be it Deerfield's Chloe Cleaves (Riverside, Conn.) or Tabor's Mirella Martinelli (North Providence, R.I.). I'll give a slight edge to the Big Green's supporting cast with Charlotte McFadzean, Nicole Sciarretta and Keira Austen (Darien, Conn.). Jillian Limb was fantastic against Williston, too.
TAKEAWAYS: 32 observations from the 2026 NEPSAC boys quarterfinals
I expect this to be a tight, checking battle, much like last year's title bout.
Prediction: Deerfield wins, 2-1
