Sat. 1/10/15
RPI Rankings: Check 'Em Out
The Holiday Tournaments are done, we’re nine days into January and, through Friday, over 600 NEPSIHA games have been played, with most teams having played an average of 8-12 games. In other words, the sample size is large enough for the numbers to have meaning. And the meaning will increase by the day.
This year, unlike previous seasons when we published the RPI weekly, now the results are calculated in real time -- just click the RPI link in the navigation menu at any time to see the latest results.
Before we get to the rankings, however, we feel a quick reminder of what goes into the rankings is in order, especially considering that every year we have some new readers. The RPI is set up as a way to rank NEPSIHA teams in an equitable manner, one that attempts to take into account both how well a team has performed as well as the strength of its schedule. With that in mind, here are a couple of reminders. 1) Only games against other NEPSIHA teams count toward playoff calculations. 2) Games in tournaments decided after the first five minutes of overtime (i.e., via an extended overtime, or shootout) count as ties for both teams involved. 3) All games between NEPSHIA teams will count towards the RPI.
In addition, there are four affiliate NEPSIHA teams this season: Hill, Lawrenceville, Stanstead College, and Académie Saint-Louis. Their games against traditional NEPSIHA schools, as well as games amongst themselves, all go into the calculations.
RPI calculations are based on three categories:
1. The first portion of the calculation is based on a team’s winning percentage. Simply put, this is how well a team performs in its own games. This is important because a team needs a strong winning percentage regardless of whom they play. A team’s winning percentage is calculated by adding the number of wins plus 1/2 the number of ties and dividing the total by the number of games played. Winning percentage accounts for 25% of the total RPI calculation.
2. The second portion of the RPI is a calculation of each team’s opponents winning percentage. In other words, how good are the teams that you are playing during the year in question? Winning percentage is calculated the same way as above, but this time the mathematics is based on the total number of your opponent’s wins, plus half the number of their ties. Next, divide that total by the number of games played by your opponents. This category is worth 21% of the RPI calculation because how you play (your own winning percentage) should be worth a bit more than how your opponents fare (the second category).
3. The third portion of the RPI takes things a step further, and is based on your opponents’ opponents’ winning percentage. This is, basically, a ‘strength of schedule’ component, and is an attempt to eliminate much of the variation that can happen to teams on a yearly basis in terms of wins and losses. This helps eliminate the need/desire to change schedules because one team may be stronger or weaker from one year to the next. It also eliminates the possibility that, by defeating another team, your own RPI could actually decrease . This third category is worth 54% of the total RPI calculation.
The above RPI calculations, as utilized by NEPSIHA, mirror those used by Division I college hockey and were adopted for use in 2006, when Div. II was eliminated in boys prep hockey. However, the Stuart/Corkery ‘Elite Eight’ playoff tournament seedings are not determined solely by RPI. To arrive at the final seedings for the Elite 8 another step is required. That’s where the JSPR system comes into play. Just as college hockey has a system for comparing the top teams and how they fare against one another -- i.e., the Pairwise Rankings – prep hockey utilizes the JSPR system as a means of comparing how the top teams fared against each other. At this point of the season the RPI rankings give the best point of comparison, but soon we will begin posting JSPR rankings (along with an explanation of how those numbers are calculated). Bear in mind that, in order for a team to be eligible for JSPR consideration, they must finish among the top 16 teams in RPI. When the regular season ends, and the top eight finishers, as determined by the JSPR formula, are arrived at. They become the Elite 8. The eight remaining schools, solely using the RPI, are then seeded for both the Big School and Small School Tournaments.
Notes:
-- First off, please note that, regardless of its RPI, if a team does not play 15 games against NEPSAC competition, they will not be eligible for the playoffs. This used to apply to a handful of schools, but those to whom it regularly happened – Hamden Hall, Harvey, King-Low, Rye Country Day, St. Luke’s, and St. Thomas More -- are no longer in NEPSIHA.
-- If you are curious as to how things can change, or happen to be on a team that’s feeling pretty pleased with itself -- or not pleased at all -- consider this:
Last year at this time, Gunnery was 18th in RPI, but finished at #8 – and went on to reach the prep final, where they lost to Salisbury, 3-2 in OT. Nobles was at #10 a year ago, but pulled up to #5, and made it into the Elite 8. Conversely, KUA was at #5 and dropped to #10 – and didn’t make the Elite 8. (They won the Small School Tournament, however). Loomis was at #30 on this date a year ago and wound up 18th in RPI, and edged St. Paul’s, who was at #11, in the Large School final. Choate pulled themselves up from 27th to 14th and made the Large School Tournament. Ditto for Belmont Hill, who pulled themselves up from #28.
There were some teams that plummeted, the biggest being BB&N, which was #8 in RPI on this date a year ago, but fell to #30. (They had BU recruit Brien Diffley and a couple of solid seniors, but lack of depth caught up with them.) Also, Williston fell from #12 to 26.
In other words, the season is far from over. Every game affects everyone else. And what may seem like a relatively inconsequential loss -- at any point of the season -- can be the difference between playing in March or not. Every team that just misses the playoffs can always pinpoint that one they wish they could have back.
There are some big hockey games ahead and they just keep getting bigger as we make our way through February. We'll attempt to point them out when they arise.
***
Large School/Small School Breakdown
Here is the Large School/Small School Breakdown for this season. There are 58 Div. I schools and, ranked by male enrollment, they are split down the middle, with 29 on each side of the ledger.
Large School/Small Schools by the numbers
Mon. 1/26/15
Girls Prep Composite, Week of Jan. 26, 2015
Mon. Jan. 26
Portsmouth Abbey @ St. George's, 4:45 pm
Gunnery @ Taft, 5:00 pm
Tues. Jan. 27 (check the skies first)
Proctor @ Tilton, 4:30 pm
Wed. Jan. 28
Berkshire @ Gunnery, 2:00 pm
Millbrook @ Hotchkiss, 2:30 pm
Exeter @ Tilton, 2:30 pm
Loomis-Chaffee @ Taft, 2:30 pm
Westminster @ Williston-Northampton, 2:30 pm
Governor's @ Southfield, 3:00 pm
Rivers @ Thayer, 3:00 pm
Cushing @ Andover, 3:15 pm
Brooks @ Worcester Academy, 3:30 pm
St. Mark's @ St. George's, 3:30 pm
Stanstead College @ Vermont Academy, 3:30 pm
North Yarmouth Academy @ Proctor, 4:15 pm
Kent @ Choate, 4:30 pm
Berwick @ Newton CD, 4:30 pm
Northfield - Mt. Hermon @ St. Paul's, 4:30 pm
Rye Country Day @ Canterbury, 4:30 pm
Pingree @ Groton, 4:30 pm
Kingswood-Oxford @ Portsmouth Abbey, 4:30 pm
Pomfret @ Deerfield, 4:45 pm
Noble & Greenough @ Lawrence Academy, 5:00 pm
New Hampton @ Winchendon, 5:30 pm
Holderness @ Kimball Union, 6:30 pm
Thurs. Jan. 29
Kingswood-Oxford @ Canterbury, 5:00 pm
Fri. Jan. 30
North Yarmouth Academy @ Hebron, 3:45 pm
New Hampton @ Tilton, 4:00 pm
Groton @ Lawrence Academy, 4:30 pm
Winchendon @ Vermont Academy, 4:30 pm
Noble & Greenough @ Cushing, 5:00 pm
Berwick @ Exeter, 5:00 pm
Kimball Union @ Governor's, 5:00 pm
New Hampton @ Kents Hill, 5:00 pm – at Bridgton Academy
Brewster Academy @ Loomis-Chaffee, 6:00 pm
Rye Country Day @ Pingree, 6:00 pm
Brewster Bulldogs @ Canterbury, 7:30 pm (S)
Sat. Jan. 31
Winsor @ Berwick, 11:15 am
Portsmouth Abbey @ Beaver Country Day , 11:45 am
Brewster Academy @ Choate, 12:00 pm
Greenwich @ Loomis-Chaffee, 2:00 pm
Northfield - Mt. Hermon @ Pomfret, 2:15 pm
Middlesex @ Thayer, 2:15 pm
Rye Country Day @ North Yarmouth Academy, 2:15 pm
Berkshire @ Millbrook, 2:30 pm
Hebron @ Exeter, 3:00 pm
Winchendon @ St. Paul's, 3:00 pm
St. Mark's @ New Hampton, 3:30 pm
Gunnery @ Westminster, 3:30 pm
Andover @ Deerfield, 4:00 pm
Cushing @ BB&N, 4:00 pm
Tilton @ Governor's, 4:00 pm
Holderness @ Groton, 4:00 pm
Hotchkiss @ Williston-Northampton, 5:00 pm
Brooks @ Southfield, 5:15 pm
Kingswood-Oxford @ Worcester Academy, 6:00 pm
Taft @ Kent, 7:00 pm
Mon. Feb. 2
Tilton @ Holderness, 2:45 pm
Hotchkiss @ Gunnery, 5:00 pm
Mon. 1/19/15
NOTE: USHR's dedicated volunteer, who uploads missing scores into the Scoreboard Page, will be taking a well-deserved winter break this week. As usual, we welcome all coaches to upload their own team's results. And thank you to all who already do so.
Girls Prep Composite, Week of Jan. 19, 2015
Tues. Jan. 20
NEWHL @ Southfield, 5:15 pm (S)
Wed. Jan. 21
Middlesex @ St. Mark's, 2:30 pm
Vermont Academy @ Kimball Union, 2:30 pm
Tilton @ Brooks, 2:30 pm
Hebron @ North Yarmouth Academy, 2:45 pm
Westminster @ Millbrook, 3:00 pm
Berkshire @ Northfield - Mt. Hermon, 3:00 pm
Hotchkiss @ Cushing, 3:00 pm
Tabor @ St. George's, 3:00 pm
Thayer @ St. Paul's, 3:00 pm
Brewster Academy @ Noble & Greenough, 3:15 pm
Gunnery @ Canterbury, 3:30 pm
Portsmouth Abbey @ Newton CD, 3:30 pm
Worcester Academy @ Pingree, 4:00 pm
Holderness @ Exeter, 4:00 pm
Williston-Northampton @ Kingswood-Oxford, 4:00 pm
Taft @ Loomis-Chaffee, 4:15 pm
Kent @ Pomfret, 4:30 pm
Milton @ Governor's, 4:30 pm
Groton @ Proctor, 4:30 pm
BB&N @ Rivers, 5:00 pm
Dana Hall @ Berwick, 5:00 pm
Lawrence Academy @ Andover, 5:15 pm
Deerfield @ Choate, 5:30 pm
Fri. Jan. 23
Dana Hall @ Newton CD, 3:30 pm
Rivers @ Groton, 4:45 pm
Middlesex @ Cushing, 5:00 pm
Berwick @ North Yarmouth Academy, 5:00 pm
Deerfield @ New Hampton, 6:00 pm
Governor's @ St. George's, 7:00 pm
Sat. Jan. 24
Thayer @ Kents Hill, 2:00 pm
Newton CD @ Middlesex, 2:00 pm
Andover @ St. Mark's, 2:30 pm
BB&N @ Winchendon, 3:00 pm
Taft @ Deerfield, 3:00 pm
Hotchkiss @ Westminster, 3:00 pm
Loomis-Chaffee @ Pomfret, 3:00 pm
Kimball Union @ Berwick, 3:00 pm – at Dover Ice Arena
Exeter @ Noble & Greenough, 3:30 pm
Vermont Academy @ Groton, 3:30 pm
Greenwich @ Millbrook, 4:00 pm
Northfield - Mt. Hermon @ Tilton, 4:00 pm
Holderness @ Southfield, 4:00 pm
Worcester Academy @ North Yarmouth Academy, 4:15 pm
Rivers @ Brewster Academy, 4:30 pm
Williston-Northampton @ Kent, 4:30 pm
Pingree @ Portsmouth Abbey, 4:30 pm
Milton @ St. Paul's, 4:45 pm
Gunnery @ Lawrenceville, 4:45 pm
Lawrence Academy @ Berkshire, 5:00 pm
Kingswood-Oxford @ Canterbury, 6:00 pm
Proctor @ Hebron, 6:30 pm
Sun. Jan. 25
Cushing @ Berkshire, 12:00 pm
Proctor @ Kents Hill, 12:00 pm
Mon. Jan. 26
Portsmouth Abbey @ St. George's, 4:45 pm
Gunnery @ Taft, 5:00 pm
Mon. 1/12/15
Girls Prep Composite, Week of Jan. 12, 2015
Mon. Jan. 12
Winsor @ Newton CD, 4:30 pm
BB&N @ Milton, 4:45 pm
Brooks @ Andover, 5:15 pm
Rivers @ Noble & Greenough, 5:15 pm
Tues. Jan. 13
Berwick @ Brooks, 5:00 pm
Wed. Jan. 14
Holderness @ Tilton, 2:00 pm
Berkshire @ Williston-Northampton, 2:30 pm
Choate @ Westminster, 2:30 pm
Canterbury @ Millbrook, 3:00 pm
Tabor @ BB&N, 3:00 pm
Brewster Academy @ Cushing, 3:00 pm
Northfield - Mt. Hermon @ Deerfield, 3:00 pm
Hotchkiss @ Greenwich, 3:00 pm
Taft @ Pomfret, 3:00 pm
Lawrence Academy @ St. Mark's, 3:30 pm
Loomis-Chaffee @ Kent, 3:30 pm
Pingree @ Newton CD, 3:45 pm
Worcester Academy @ Exeter, 4:00 pm
St. Paul's @ Brooks, 4:00 pm
North Yarmouth Academy @ Groton, 4:00 pm
Kimball Union @ Stanstead College, 4:00 pm
Hebron @ Berwick, 4:15 pm
Portsmouth Abbey @ Winsor, 4:15 pm
Gunnery @ Vermont Academy, 4:30 pm
Noble & Greenough @ Middlesex, 4:30 pm
Proctor @ Winchendon, 4:30 pm
St. George's @ Rivers, 4:30 pm
Polar Bears @ Kingswood-Oxford, 5:30 pm
Thurs. Jan. 15
Tilton @ Proctor, 4:30 pm
Fri. Jan. 16
NEWHL @ Middlesex, 12:00 pm
Hebron @ Kents Hill, 4:00 pm
Beaver Country Day @ Pingree, 4:00 pm
Milton @ Thayer, 4:00 pm
Brewster Academy @ Andover, 5:00 pm
Newton CD @ Berwick, 5:00 pm
New Hampton @ BB&N, 5:30 pm
Northfield - Mt. Hermon @ Winchendon, 5:30 pm
Canterbury @ Kingswood-Oxford, 5:30 pm
Tabor @ Southfield, 6:00 pm
Pomfret @ Lawrence Academy, 6:30 pm
Holderness @ Vermont Academy, 6:30 pm
Sat. Jan. 17
Exeter @ Deerfield, 1:30 pm
Pingree @ Proctor, 1:30 pm
Berwick @ Worcester Academy, 2:00 pm
Rivers @ Winchendon, 2:00 pm
Governor's @ Middlesex, 2:00 pm
Southfield @ Thayer, 2:15 pm
Brooks @ Lawrence Academy, 2:30 pm
St. Mark's @ Cushing, 3:00 pm
St. Paul's @ Andover, 3:00 pm
Groton @ Milton, 3:15 pm
Berkshire @ Noble & Greenough, 3:30 pm
Gunnery @ Williston-Northampton, 4:00 pm
Greenwich @ Canterbury, 4:15 pm
Tilton @ North Yarmouth Academy, 4:15 pm
Hotchkiss @ Loomis-Chaffee, 4:30 pm
Lawrenceville @ Kent, 4:30 pm
Vermont Academy @ Portsmouth Abbey, 4:30 pm
Kimball Union @ Holderness, 4:30 pm
St. George's vs. Kents Hill, 4:30 pm -- @ BB&N
Taft @ Choate, 5:00 pm
Tabor @ Brewster Academy, 5:15 pm
Northfield - Mt. Hermon @ Westminster, 5:30 pm
Sun. Jan. 18
Pomfret vs. New Hampton, 12:00 pm -- at Harvard
Lawrenceville @ Berkshire, 1:00 pm
Alumni @ Westminster, 3:00 pm (S)
Mon. Jan. 19
Holderness @ Tilton, 3:45 pm
Tues. 1/6/15
Girls Prep Composite, Jan. 6-12, 2015
Tues. Jan. 6
Tilton @ Proctor, 4:30 pm
Wed. Jan. 7
Kent @ Canterbury, 2:30 pm
Northern Cyclones @ Proctor, 2:30 pm (S)
Rye Country Day @ Greenwich, 3:00 pm
North Yarmouth Academy @ Kents Hill, 3:00 pm
Worcester Academy @ Andover, 3:30 pm
Tilton @ Hebron, 3:30 pm
St. Mark's @ Southfield, 3:45 pm
LaSalle Academy @ St. George's, 3:45 pm (S)
Brewster Academy @ Kimball Union, 4:00 pm
Exeter @ Pomfret, 4:00 pm
New Hampton @ Northfield - Mt. Hermon, 4:00 pm
Groton @ Pingree, 4:00 pm
Loomis-Chaffee @ BB&N, 4:15 pm
N.E. Falcons @ Deerfield, 6:30 pm (S)
Fri. Jan. 9
Southfield @ Milton, 5:00 pm
Hebron @ Pingree, 5:00 pm
Rye Country Day @ Kingswood-Oxford, 5:00 pm
Kimball Union @ Millbrook, 7:00 pm
Sat. Jan. 10
Winsor @ Pingree, 11:15 am
Deerfield @ Kingswood-Oxford, 12:00 pm
Greenwich @ Hill School, 12:00 pm
Cushing @ Lawrence Academy, 1:00 pm
Governor's @ St. Mark's, 1:30 pm
Groton @ BB&N, 2:00 pm
Kimball Union @ Canterbury, 2:00 pm
Exeter @ Brewster Academy, 3:00 pm
Middlesex @ Holderness, 3:00 pm
Holderness @ North Yarmouth Academy, 3:15 pm
Proctor @ Northfield - Mt. Hermon, 3:30 pm
Taft @ Westminster, 3:30 pm
Portsmouth Abbey @ Berwick, 4:15 pm
Stanstead College @ Pomfret, 4:30 pm
Tilton @ Millbrook, 5:00 pm
Williston-Northampton @ Tabor, 5:00 pm
Gunnery @ Hotchkiss, 5:30 pm
Andover @ Choate, 6:00 pm
Winchendon @ New Hampton, 6:00 pm
Rivers @ Brooks, 6:00 pm
Berkshire @ Loomis-Chaffee, 7:00 pm
Sun. Jan. 11
Stanstead College @ Pomfret, 12:00 pm
Tilton @ Canterbury, 12:00 pm
Proctor @ Brewster Academy, 2:00 pm
St. Mark's (neutral site) Worcester Academy, 3:00 pm
Mon. Jan. 12
Winsor @ Newton CD, 4:30 pm
BB&N @ Milton, 4:45 pm
Brooks @ Andover, 5:15 pm
Rivers @ Noble & Greenough, 5:15 pm
Sat. 1/3/15
New Year’s Girls' Tournaments
Winchendon Invitational -- Williston Tops BB&N; Wins Championship
Sat-Sun. Jan 3-4, 2015
@ the Winchendon School; Winchendon, Mass.
Ritchie Division: Cushing, NMH, BB&N
Wapiti Division: Winchendon, Lawrence, Williston
Sat. Jan. 3, 2015
8:00 am – BB&N 3, Cushing 0
9:45 am – Lawrence 7, Winchendon 1
11:30 am – NMH 3, Cushing 1
1:15 pm – Williston 6, Lawrence 0
3:00 pm – BB&N 4, NMH 1
4:45 pm – Williston 3, Winchendon 1
Sun. Jan 4, 2015 -- Playoff Schedule
9:00 am – 5th Place Game: Cushing 2, Winchendon 1
11:15 am – 3rd Place Game: Lawrence 5, NMH 2
1:30 pm – Championship Game: Williston 2, BB&N 0
***
Exeter Girls’ New Year's Tournament --- Milton Tops Rivers; Wins Title
Sun-Mon. Jan. 4-5, 2015
@ Phillips Exeter Academy; Exeter, NH
Cardinal Division: Exeter, Milton, Rivers
Grey Division: Stanstead, Rice, Brooks
Sun. Jan. 4, 2015
11:00 am – Milton 2, Stanstead 1
11:15 am – Exeter 1, Brooks 0
12:30 pm – Rivers 3, Rice 1
6:45 pm – Milton 5, Brooks 4
7:00 pm – Stanstead 4, Rivers 3 (shoootout)
8:15 pm – Exeter 3, Rice 1 (Rink A)
Mon. Jan. 5, 2015
9:00 am – Stanstead 3, Exeter 0
9:15 am – Rivers 3, Brooks 1
10:30 am – Milton 3, Rice 2 (shootout)
3:15 pm – 3 vs. 3: Stanstead 3, Exeter 1
3:30 pm – 2 vs. 2: Rice 2, Brooks 1
4:30 pm – 1 vs. 1: Milton 3, Rivers 1
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