RinkWise podcast: Previewing the 2023-24 girls prep hockey season

Williston Northampton has a target on its back after back-to-back titles. (Colin Smith/NEHJ)

The girls prep hockey season is finally here.

Williston Northampton took home the Elite 8 title last season over Phillips Andover. Christa Talbot Syfu‘s team must deal with filling the gaps left by significant departures, like Emily Crovo (Melrose, Mass.).

It won’t be easy for the Wildcats as they vie for a three-peat, either. Other stalwarts like Andover, Nobles, Tabor and others are sure to try to knock them off the throne.

New England Hockey Journal editor Evan Marinofsky and writer Patrick Donnelly sat down to preview the upcoming season during the latest RinkWise podcast.

Watch/listen to the podcast

The importance of experience

Marinofsky: “That’s the big thing, I think, is the experience. You nailed it. It’s experience. … Talent is one thing, especially like, younger talent. Like, we always fixate in the area of talent. ‘Oh, who’s coming up? Who are the ’08s? Who are the ’09s?’ But it’s also like, to win, to go deep – even on the boys side last year, Avon Old Farms, their top players were all seniors. They’d all been there for three, four years. So, Williston, going for the three-peat, becoming a dynasty. … It would not surprise me or surprise anybody. But, as I said, there are lots of teams below them who look poised to take them down, potentially.”

An under-the-radar team to watch

Donnelly: “You always have those teams that you fall in love with as a bit of a sleeper, and you don’t want to put them too high. But you don’t want to put them too low. Groton is probably it. Groton was 18-4-4 last year. They went to the Small School title game. The pieces they have coming back, specifically Tina Scalise – Tim Leroy calls her ‘a program changer.’ She, as a freshman last year, had 43 points and 23 goals. Maddie Cronan is back. She had 34 points last year. On defense, they have Keira Ley, who’s committed to Harvard. Veronika Hadamovsky in net was one of the best in New England last year with a .954 save percentage. She’s still looking for that D1 offer somewhere. So, she’s motivated to have another good season. But really, Tina Scalise as a sophomore is who we’re going to be focusing on.”

The RinkWise podcast can be streamed here and on major platforms, such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify.