Fri. 2/26/10
Small School Tournament Controversy
Three teams currently contending for a spot in the ‘small school' prep tournament -- Pomfret, Tilton, and South Kent -- could, despite qualifying by NEPSIHA rules, be bounced from the tournament by a New England Prep School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) rule banning sub-.500 teams from post-season play.
As most USHR readers know, when Div. II folded up shop after last season and the ranks of Div. I hockey schools swelled to 61, a new playoff formula was adopted, and the playoffs were expanded from 16 to 24 teams.
In the new formula, strength of schedule, manifested in the form of the RPI, plays a huge role. While teams competing in the top tournament qualify under a combined RPI and JSPR ranking, teams in the other two tournaments - the so-called ‘large school' and ‘small school' tournaments - are chosen strictly from the RPI. This is something the NEPSIHA coaches voted on in the off-season.
Now, the NEPSAC executive board, headed up by Williston-Northampton AD Mark Conroy, is citing the NEPSAC rule that states that "to be considered for a NEPSAC invitational tournament, a team must have at least a .500 record in NEPSAC play."
The board refuses to waive the rule, but left the window for those schools open a bit by saying, in an email to league coaches, that "we think it is important for the selection committee to use the human factor to interpret the rankings in order to award the most deserving schools tournament berths. If the committee feels that there is an under .500 team or two that merits a berth, these cases would be appealed to me and our co-directors of championships - Jim McNally from Rivers and Kathy Noble from Lawrence. We will be available on Sunday if this is the case. We know that it is inevitable that deserving teams will be left out and not happy but this is the case each year in every tournament."
We here at USHR don't think much of this decision, and feel that last line is a cop-out. We do not think that it is ‘inevitable' that deserving teams will be left out. The new formula virtually guarantees that deserving teams are not left out. The reason those three school are ranked higher is simply that all three schools play a significantly more demanding schedule than any of the three teams that would supplant them if the sub-.500 NEPSAC rule is upheld. If the season ended today, Pomfret, Tilton, and South Kent should be in the tournament. It's as simple as that. To keep them out would be grossly unfair, and an embarrassment.
Can this whole issue be avoided by Pomfret, Tilton, and South Kent reaching .500? It's possible, but four games would all have to fall a certain way for that to happen.
Here's what would have to happen:
#5 Pomfret (11-11-4), which hosts Williston tomorrow, must win.
#6 Tilton (11-13-4) must beat Holderness today in the Lakes Region Tournament play-in game. If they can do that, they will travel to Kimball Union for a semi-final game tomorrow. They must win that one, too. That's a tall task.
#8 South Kent (12-13-1) hosts Winchendon tomorrow. They must win.
John Gardner, Avon Old Farms head coach and NEPSIHA president, said, "My opinion is that we should go with the criteria the coaches voted on and adopted."
The teams that could move up and take the spots of a sub-.500 team are St. George's, Berwick, and Groton. Could the coaches of those teams, if thrust into the playoffs, decline the invitation to the tournament? No. Coaches, due to Jack Foley's refusal to take his Thayer team to the short-lived "1-A" prep tournament a number of years back, are not allowed to decline a tournament invitation. To do so would subject them to a five-year ban.
It's up to Conroy and the board to do the right thing.
Update: All three schools won the games they had to, and the below-.500 scenario never became an issue. However, unless it's dealt with in the off-season, this problem will likely come up again next year. When you have a field of 58 eligible teams, as was the case this year, and 24 teams get in and strength of schedule is heavily weighted, you're going to have teams under .500. There's no getting around it. And if teams are penalized for playing tough schedules, a whole different set of problems will arise. The prep hockey coaches want the sub-.500 rule waived, and it's important that the NEPSAC executive board acts on their recommendation.
Sun. 2/21/10
This Week's Schedule
Mon. Feb. 22
Cushing @ Lawrence, 4:15 pm (rescheduled from 2/10)
St. George's @ BB&N, 4:30 pm (rescheduled from 2/10)
Gunnery @ Millbrook, 4:30 pm
Holderness @ New Hampton, 4:30 pm
Thayer @ Governor's, 5:00 pm (rescheduled from 2/10)
Noble & Greenough @ Groton, 5:00 pm (rescheduled from 2/10)
Brewster Academy @ Andover, 5:00 pm
Wed. Feb. 24
Westminster @ Andover, 3:00 pm
Middlesex @ BB&N, 3:00 pm
Thayer @ Groton, 3:00 pm
Greenwich @ Kingswood-Oxford, 3:00 pm
Brooks @ St. Mark's, 3:00 pm
Newton Country Day @ EIL Tournament, time TBA
Tabor @ Cushing, 3:15 pm
Exeter @ Winchendon, 4:00 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Loomis-Chaffee, 4:00 pm
Milton @ Pomfret, 4:00 pm
St. George's @ St. Paul's, 4:00 pm
Kents Hill @ NYA, 4:00 pm
Berkshire @ Taft, 4:15 pm
Deerfield @ Williston-Northampton, 4:15 pm
Choate @ Hotchkiss, 4:30 pm
New Hampton @ Kimball Union, 4:30 pm
Millbrook @ Rye Country Day, 4:30 pm
Rivers @ Lawrence, 5:00 pm
Noble & Greenough @ Governor's, 5:30 pm
NE Falcons @ Kent, 5:30 pm
Tilton @ Proctor, 6:00 pm
Fri. Feb. 26
Southfield @ Rivers, 3:15 pm
Tabor @ Thayer, 4:00 pm
New Hampton @ Tilton, 4:15 pm
St. Paul's @ Holderness, 4:30 pm
Williston-Northampton @ Winchendon, 5:00 pm
Proctor @ Northfield Mt. Hermon, 6:00 pm
Berkshire @ Pomfret, 6:00 pm (rescheduled from 2/10)
Sat. Feb. 27
NYA @ Hebron, 12:00 pm
Greenwich @ Southfield, 12:00 pm
Newton Country Day @ EIL Tournament, time TBA
Rivers @ Tilton, 1:15 pm
Exeter @ Andover, 2:00 pm
BB&N @ Thayer, 2:00 pm
Gunnery @ Canterbury, 2:00 pm
Brooks @ Governor's, 2:00 pm
Groton @ St. Mark's, 2:00 pm
Stanstead College @ Holderness, 2:00 pm
Middlesex @ St. George's, 2:00 pm
Vermont Academy @ Kimball Union, 2:15 pm
Cushing @ Choate, 2:30 pm
Taft @ Hotchkiss, 2:30 pm
Millbrook @ Kingswood-Oxford, 3:00 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Brewster Academy, 3:45 pm
Loomis-Chaffee @ Deerfield, 4:00 pm
Noble & Greenough @ Milton, 4:00 pm
New Hampton @ Kents Hill, 4:00 pm
St. Paul's @ Lawrence, 4:15 pm
Pomfret @ Winchendon, 4:30 pm
Westminster @ Kent, 6:30 pm
Mon. 2/15/10
This Week's Schedule
Mon. Feb. 15
Millbrook @ Berkshire, 5:15 pm
NE Jr. Falcons @ Pomfret, 6:45 pm
Tues. Feb. 16
Choate @ Kingswood-Oxford, 4:30 pm
Wed. Feb. 17
Canterbury @ Millbrook, 2:15 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Williston-Northampton, 2:15 pm
Kent @ Hotchkiss, 2:30 pm
Middlesex @ Lawrence, 2:30 pm
Taft @ Westminster, 2:30 pm
NYA @ Kents Hill, 2:30 pm
Pomfret @ St. Mark's, 2:45 pm
Andover @ Noble & Greenough, 3:00 pm
Cushing @ Deerfield, 3:00 pm
Groton @ Brooks, 3:00 pm
St. Paul's @ BB&N, 3:15 pm
Southfield @ Newton Country Day, 3:30 pm
Choate @ Berkshire, 4:00 pm
Tabor @ Exeter, 4:00 pm
Brewster Academy @ Loomis-Chaffee, 4:00 pm
St. George's @ Milton, 4:00 pm
Holderness @ Vermont Academy, 4:00 pm
Kimball Union @ Tilton, 4:30 pm
Dana Hall @ Pingree, 4:30 pm
Hebron @ Proctor, 5:00 pm
Rye Country Day @ Morristown Beard, 5:00 pm
Berwick @ Winsor, 5:15 pm
Gunnery @ Greenwich, 5:15 pm
Rivers @ Governor's, 5:30 pm
Fri. Feb. 19
Rivers @ NYA, 3:00 pm
Pingree @ Newton Country Day, 3:30 pm
Southfield @ St. Paul's, 4:00 pm
Winsor @ Thayer, 4:15 pm
Dana Hall @ Portsmouth Abbey, 4:30 pm
Brewster Academy @ Exeter, 5:00 pm
Kents Hill @ Hebron, 5:00 pm
Vermont Academy @ Kingswood-Oxford, 5:00 pm
Milton @ Andover, 5:15 pm
Rice @ Kimball Union, 5:30 pm
Brooks @ Middlesex, 6:00 pm
Mid-Fairfield @ Gunnery, 6:45 pm
Sat. Feb. 20
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Exeter, 1:30 pm
Winsor @ Portsmouth Abbey, 1:30 pm
Governor's @ Lawrence, 2:00 pm
Newton Country Day @ Berwick, 2:00 pm
Cushing @ Pomfret, 2:15 pm
Kents Hill @ Thayer, 2:15 pm
Berkshire @ Westminster, 2:30 pm
Kent @ Kingswood-Oxford, 2:30 pm
Brooks @ Tabor, 2:30 pm
Millbrook @ Greenwich, 2:30 pm
Groton @ St. George's, 2:30 pm
Canterbury @ Winchendon, 3:00 pm
Williston-Northampton @ Loomis-Chaffee, 3:00 pm
Hebron @ New Hampton, 3:00 pm
Tilton @ Vermont Academy, 3:00 pm
BB&N @ St. Mark's, 3:30 pm
Hotchkiss @ Deerfield, 3:30 pm
St. Paul's @ Noble & Greenough, 3:30 pm
NEWHL @ Holderness, 3:45 pm
Gunnery @ Southfield, 4:00 pm
Proctor @ Rivers, 4:00 pm
Choate @ Taft, 4:30 pm
Pingree @ Middlesex, 4:30 pm
Milton @ Brewster Academy, 5:00 pm
Mon. Feb. 22
Cushing @ Lawrence, 4:15 pm (rescheduled from 2/10)
St. George's @ BB&N, 4:30 pm (rescheduled from 2/10)
Gunnery @ Millbrook, 4:30 pm
Holderness @ New Hampton, 4:30 pm
Thayer @ Governor's, 5:00 pm (rescheduled from 2/10)
Noble & Greenough @ Groton, 5:00 pm (rescheduled from 2/10)
Brewster Academy @ Andover, 5:00 pm
Tues. 2/9/10 -- updates on Wed.
Wed. Postponements and Cancellations
There's a winter storm watch in effect for Connecticut and Massachusetts starting Wednesday morning and extending through late Wednesday night/Thursday morning. Snowfall amounts of over 12" are predicted, with less the farther north you go. We will have all the latest postponements and cancellations here. A note for coaches: please email information@ushr.com with the relevant info, and update your team's schedule on USHR in order to ensure that the changes appear on future weekly composite schedules. Thanks.
Wed. Feb. 10 Snow-outs:
Nobles @ Groton -- rescheduled to 2/22 (time TBA)
Thayer @ Governor's -- rescheduled to Mon. 2/22 at 5:00 pm
Kent @ Canterbury -- rescheduled to Thurs. 2/11 at 5:00 pm
Holderness @ Brooks -- rescheduled to Thurs. 2/11 at 4:00 pm
Cushing @ Lawrence -- postponed; no makeup date yet
Williston @ Choate -- no makeup date announced
St. Mark's @ Milton -- rescheduled to Fri. 2/12 at 4:30 pm
St. Paul's @ Middlesex -- rescheduled to Thurs. 2/11 at 5:00 pm
NMH @ K-O -- no makeup date announced
Taft @ Greenwich -- no makeup date announced
St. George's @ BB&N -- rescheduled to Mon. 2/22 at 4:30 pm
Berkshire @ Pomfret -- no makeup date announced
Hotchkiss @ Loomis -- no makeup date announced
Deerfield @ Westminster -- no makeup date announced
Winchendon @ Southfield -- rescheduled to Thurs. 2/11 @ 3:45 pm
Mon. 2/8/10
This Week's Schedule
Mon. Feb. 8
St. George's @ Portsmouth Abbey, 4:30 pm (postponed)
Tues. Feb. 9
Kent @ Canterbury, 4:00 pm
Rye Country Day @ Princeton Day School, 5:00 pm
Wed. Feb. 10
Exeter @ Kimball Union, 1:30 pm
Cushing @ Lawrence, 2:15 pm
Brewster Academy @ Proctor, 2:30 pm
Gunnery @ Millbrook, 2:30 pm
Williston-Northampton @ Choate, 3:00 pm
St. Mark's @ Milton, 3:00 pm
St. Paul's @ Middlesex, 3:00 pm
Noble & Greenough @ Groton, 3:30 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Kingswood-Oxford, 3:30 pm
Taft @ Greenwich, 3:30 pm
Vermont Academy @ Tilton, 3:30 pm
Tabor @ Andover, 3:45 pm
Thayer @ Governor's, 3:45 pm
St. George's @ BB&N, 4:00 pm
Berkshire @ Pomfret, 4:00 pm
Kent @ Canterbury, 4:00 pm
Hotchkiss @ Loomis-Chaffee, 4:00 pm
Hebron @ Berwick, 4:00 pm
Kents Hill @ New Hampton, 4:00 pm
Pingree @ Winsor, 4:15 pm
Deerfield @ Westminster, 4:30 pm
Holderness @ Brooks, 4:30 pm
Winchendon @ Southfield, 4:45 pm
Thurs. Feb. 11
Stanstead College @ Rice, 5:30 pm
Fri. Feb. 12
Governor's @ Andover, 4:30 pm
St. Paul's @ Tilton, 4:30 pm
BB&N @ Noble & Greenough, 5:00 pm
Rivers @ Cushing, 5:15 pm
Newton Country Day @ Portsmouth Abbey, 5:30 pm
N.E. Falcons @ Williston-Northampton, 6:00 pm
Southfield @ Proctor, 6:00 pm
Westminster @ Loomis-Chaffee, 6:30 pm
NEWHL @ Vermont Academy, 7:00 pm
Sat. Feb. 13
Exeter @ Brewster Academy, 12:00 pm
Proctor @ Holderness, 1:30 pm
Lawrence @ Thayer, 2:00 pm
Kingswood-Oxford @ Gunnery, 2:00 pm
Deerfield @ Berkshire, 2:15 pm
Tabor @ Pomfret, 2:15 pm
Governor's @ St. Paul's, 2:30 pm
Hotchkiss @ Taft, 2:30 pm
Middlesex @ Milton, 2:30 pm
St. Mark's @ Rivers, 2:30 pm
Kimball Union @ Williston-Northampton, 3:00 pm
Westminster @ Noble & Greenough, 3:15 pm
Brooks @ St. George's, 3:30 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Cushing, 4:30 pm
Kent @ Winchendon, 5:00 pm
Kents Hill @ Winchendon, 5:00 pm
Choate @ Loomis-Chaffee, 6:00 pm
Hebron @ Canterbury, 7:00 pm
Millbrook @ Kent, 7:00 pm
Sun. Feb. 14
Kents Hill @ Canterbury, 11:30 am
Exeter @ Brewster Academy, 12:00 pm
Hebron @ Winchendon, 1:00 pm
Mon. Feb. 15
Millbrook @ Berkshire, 5:15 pm
NE Jr. Falcons @ Pomfret, 6:45 pm
Mon. 2/1/10
This Week's Schedule
Mon. Feb. 1
Hebron @ NYA, 4:00 pm
Westminster @ Kingswood-Oxford, 5:00 pm
NEWHL @ Millbrook, 6:30 pm
Tues. Feb. 2
Tilton @ New Hampton, 4:30 pm
Wed. Feb. 3
Hotchkiss @ Berkshire, 2:00 pm
Tabor @ Rivers, 2:30 pm
Groton @ Middlesex, 2:30 pm
Proctor @ Vermont Academy, 2:30 pm
Andover @ Exeter, 2:45 pm
Brewster Academy @ Cushing, 3:00 pm
Loomis-Chaffee @ Gunnery, 3:00 pm
Taft @ Williston-Northampton, 3:00 pm
Thayer @ Brooks, 3:00 pm
Kimball Union vs. Kents Hill, 3:00 pm (@ Rochester, NH)
Canterbury @ Lawrenceville, 3:30 pm
St. Paul's @ St. Mark's, 3:30 pm
Stanstead College @ Tilton, 3:30 pm
Greenwich @ Kent, 4:00 pm
Lawrence @ Milton, 4:00 pm
Holderness @ Hebron, 4:00 pm
Noble & Greenough @ St. George's, 4:15 pm
Governor's @ BB&N, 4:30 pm
Westminster @ Pomfret, 4:30 pm
Berwick @ Pingree, 4:45 pm
Kingswood-Oxford @ Millbrook, 4:45 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Choate, 5:00 pm
NEWHL @ Deerfield, 6:30 pm
Thurs. Feb. 4
Princeton Day School @ Rye Country Day, 5:00 pm
Fri. Feb. 5
Pingree @ NYA, 4:00 pm
Hebron @ Middlesex, 4:30 pm
Cushing @ BB&N, 4:30 pm
New Hampton @ Vermont Academy, 4:30 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Kimball Union, 6:00 pm
Lawrence @ Tabor, 6:30 pm
Sat. Feb. 6
Taft vs. Andover, 12:30 pm (@ Harvard University)
Vermont Academy @ Northfield Mt. Hermon, 1:00 pm
Hebron @ Rivers, 1:00 pm
Kents Hill @ Southfield, 1:00 pm
Greenwich @ Winchendon, 1:00 pm
Winsor @ Berwick, 1:45 pm
Brooks @ Noble & Greenough, 2:00 pm
Thayer @ Portsmouth Abbey, 2:00 pm
Bay State Breakers @ Middlesex, 2:00 pm
Lawrence @ Groton, 2:30 pm
Governor's @ St. George's, 3:00 pm
Tabor @ St. Mark's, 3:30 pm
Pingree @ Tilton, 4:00 pm
Proctor @ Kimball Union, 4:30 pm
Holderness @ NYA, 4:30 pm
Sun. Feb. 7
Rice @ Stanstead College, 11:00 am
Mon. Feb. 8
St. George's @ Portsmouth Abbey, 4:30 pm
