Mon. 1/28/19

 

USHR D-I Girls' Poll, Week of Jan. 28th
1. Williston (15-1-1) The Wildcats have won 10 in a row, including an impressive 2-0-win Saturday over red-hot Hotchkiss. Williston looks like it's a team on a mission right now.

2. Tabor (12-0-2) The Seawolves hadn’t played a game since January 18th vs. Milton and it showed on Saturday vs Westminster. They travel to Andover on Wednesday to take on Big Blue in a potential first-round playoff matchup.

3. Nobles (14-0-5) Nobles still hasn’t lost a game this year in regulation and it will probably remain that way for a while as its next three opponents are all D-II teams.

4. Loomis (10-2-4) Loomis is rolling right now and hasn’t lost a game since the Odden Tournament. They only have one game this week vs. Gunnery.

5. St. Paul’s (13-2-2) The Pelicans had another hard-fought tie vs. Nobles on Saturday. They will need to stay sharp this week as they face both St. Mark's and New Hampton.

6. Kent (10-4-0) It was a crazy week for the Lions who got thumped at Choate and then came back with a bang in a 7-0 win over Taft. They have a huge game tomorrow vs. Hotchkiss which will tell us a lot. It's hard to imagine the playoffs starting without the Lions participating.

7. Hotchkiss (8-2-2) The surprising Bearcats lost a heartbreaker Saturday at Williston, 2-0. They will need to recover quickly as Kent looks like they are getting ready for a playoff run.

8. BB&N (7-5-2) A great week for the Knights as they won two out of three to keep their playoff hopes alive. A little easier week ahead as they play Governor's, Milton and then a big game vs. Exeter on Saturday.

9. Deerfield (11-5-2) The Big Green is hungry for its first playoff bid in a long time. They had a huge win vs Andover on Saturday, but will need to be ready for a much-improved Winchendon team on Wednesday.

10. New Hampton (12-4-1) The Huskies had won four in a row before a shocking loss to St. Mark's on Saturday. Have a brutal four-game week with tough tests against Tilton, Cushing, St. Paul’s and Andover.

Under Consideration:

Andover (7-3-3) Andover is still very much in the middle of the playoff race, but they need to start playing a more desperate brand of hockey, as they showed they can do when they were trailing both BB&N and Deerfield late in games last week. When they did that, they took over both games. They will need to continue that as they face Tabor and New Hampton this week.

 

Mon. 1/28/19

  

USHR D-II Girls' Poll, Week of Jan. 28th

1. Brooks (12-1-2) Brooks took care of business on Wednesday vs. Worcester but will have their hands full this week with both Thayer and Nobles.

2. St. George's (8-2-3) The Dragons played St. Mark's to a hard-fought tie this week. Have a tough week ahead of them with both Nobles and then Berwick.

3. Rivers (9-4-1). The Red Wings suffered a tough loss on the road Wednesday at red-hot Thayer, but then rebounded with an impressive 3-0 win vs. Exeter. They have a little easier week ahead with both Tilton and Kent’s Hill.

4. Worcester Academy (11-4-2) Had a tough loss vs. Brooks last week. The Hilltoppers’s are off this week and don’t play again until Sunday vs. Winchendon.

5. Berwick (13-6-1) The Bulldogs have only lost once in their last 10 games. Host St. George's on Saturday.

6. Thayer (9-6-0) The Tigers suddenly look like the most improved team in D-II. They took care of business vs. Rivers on Wednesday. Huge game again on Wednesday when they host #1 Brooks.

7. Holderness (9-6-1). A big win vs KUA last week and then a hard-fought tie at Groton. The Bulls have a little easier week ahead with Hebron and NYA. Holderness looks like they can play with anyone right now.

8. KUA (9-5-1) Two nice bounce-back wins vs Governor's and Hebron after losing a tough one to red hot Holderness. The Wildcats have Brewster and Proctor this week.

 

Sun. 1/27/19

Saturday, January 26th, 2019 Notes 

-- St. Paul’s and Nobles battled to a 1-1 tie in Concord yesterday. It was another tremendous game with two very even teams going back and forth. It was similar to the Harrington final in which these same two teams also played to a 1-1 tie (St. Paul’s won in a shootout). We wouldn’t be at all surprised to see these two top teams meet again in March for all the marbles.

Nobles was once again playing without top defenseman Lily Farden, who has been out for a few games with an undisclosed injury. We are so impressed with the depth Nobles has on its back end. The two MacDonald sisters, Jenna and Kailey, as well as senior Nicki Lutschaunig all had strong games and made things difficult for the talented St. Paul’s forwards.

-- Thayer has quietly won four in a row and looks like a team that is heating up at the right time. Juniors Claire Weber and Madison McCaffrey are both putting up some very impressive numbers.

The Tigers will host USHR # 1 Brooks on Wednesday.

-- Williston scored two goals in the third period to find a way to get the win over an impressive Hotchkiss team. Senior Kate Holmes had the winner.

Hotchkiss will have to rebound very quickly as they host Kent tomorrow in a game with huge playoff implications.

-- We were pretty excited here at USHR to see that Pomfret won its first game in two years yesterday, beating NMH 1-0. We have said many times that the Griffins had all the pieces in place to get back into the thick of things in girls’ hockey, especially with head coach Sam Slotnick at the helm.

-- BB&N, with a great weekend of hockey, showed why they should be a team to be taken seriously. After losing at home on Wednesday, 2-0, to Loomis, the Knights bounced back with two impressive wins over Andover and Cushing.

BB&N junior Molly Griffin notched her 100th career point.

-- Tabor, after a long week off, struggled against a much-improved Westminster team. The Seawolves better figure it out quickly as they have to travel to Andover on Wednesday.

-- Andover came up short on two comeback bids this weekend. They were down to BB&N early Friday night and then had all sorts of chances to tie it up late, but couldn’t buy a goal. On Saturday night, they went down again, 3-0, to Deerfield and then staged an unbelievable third-period comeback but came up short, losing 3-2. If the Big Blue plays like they did in the third period of their last two games they will give Tabor all it can handle on Wednesday.

-- New Deerfield head coach Brooke Fernandez has the Big Green very much in the playoff conversation for the first time in years, only losing once in its last 10 games. Deerfield is not as deep up front as some other teams, but have a dominant group of defensemen as well as two solid goalies -- Liv Mikesell and Jordan Manning -- that keep them in every game.

-- The Berwick Bulldogs have only lost once in their last 10 games (3-0 to Exeter) and look like they will be a team to be reckoned with down the stretch.

-- It was a crazy week of hockey for Kent, which was unexpectedly defeated by Choate on Wednesday, losing 3-1. The Lions then traveled to Taft yesterday and beat a good Rhinos team, 7-0. It’s hard to imagine the Lions not making the playoffs with all that talent. Keep an eye on this team down the stretch. Monday’s game at Hotchkiss can be considered a mini-playoff game.

-- St. Mark’s has gotten our attention lately with some much-improved hockey, including a big 3-2 win over New Hampton yesterday. Sophomore Lila Trussell scored the game-winner in the third period and junior goalie Lydia Racher had a solid game in net. Senior forward Julianna Gong seems to be getting at least a point in a game to lead the Lions.

-- The Groton Zebras are still very much in the playoff conversation as they had a big 2-2 tie to red-hot Holderness yesterday. Groton senior forward Nikki Pollis had a big game for the Zebras. scoring both goals.

The Zebras also trounced Lawrence Academy, 7-3, on Wednesday.

-- Keep an eye on Loomis. The Pelicans are unbeaten so far in the second half and look like they will make another run at that elusive D-I championship.

 

Sun. 1/27/19

 

Girls' Prep Composite, Week of Jan. 28th

Mon. Jan. 28
Kent @ Hotchkiss, 4:45 pm
New Hampton @ Tilton, 5:00 pm
Taft @ Canterbury, 5:00 pm

Wed. Jan. 30
Vermont Academy @ Proctor, 2:00 pm
Hotchkiss @ Berkshire, 2:15 pm
Middlesex @ Groton, 2:45 pm
Deerfield @ Winchendon, 3:00 pm
Brooks @ Thayer, 3:00 pm
Gunnery @ Loomis Chaffee, 3:00 pm
Tilton @ Rivers, 3:00 pm
BB&N @ Governor's, 3:15 pm
Tabor @ Andover, 3:30 pm
St. George's @ Noble & Greenough, 3:30 pm
Greenwich @ Hill School, 3:30 pm
Cushing @ New Hampton, 4:00 pm
Pomfret @ Westminster, 4:00 pm
North Yarmouth Academy @ Berwick, 4:00 pm
Brewster Academy @ Kimball Union, 4:00 pm
Holderness @ Hebron, 4:00 pm
Canterbury @ Lawrenceville, 4:00 pm
St. Paul's @ St. Mark's, 4:15 pm
Newton CD @ Winsor, 4:15 pm
Pingree @ Portsmouth Abbey, 4:30 pm
Southfield @ Exeter, 4:30 pm
Williston Northampton @ Taft, 4:45 pm
Choate @ Northfield Mt. Hermon, 5:15 pm
Milton @ Lawrence Academy, 5:30 pm

Thurs. Jan. 31
Thayer @ Tilton, 5:30 pm

Fri. Feb. 1
New Hampton @ St. Paul's, 2:30 pm
Hill School @ Vermont Academy, 4:00 pm
Pingree @ Winsor, 4:15 pm
North Yarmouth Academy @ Holderness, 4:30 pm
Newton CD @ Greenwich, 5:00 pm
BB&N @ Milton, 5:15 pm
Southfield @ St. Mark's, 5:15 pm
Hebron @ Middlesex, 5:30 pm
Tabor @ Lawrence Academy, 6:45 pm

Sat. Feb. 2
Andover @ New Hampton, 1:30 pm
Southfield @ Middlesex, 1:30 pm
Governor's @ Groton, 2:00 pm
Kents Hill @ Rivers, 2:15 pm
BB&N @ Exeter, 2:30 pm
St. Mark's @ Tabor, 2:30 pm
Tilton @ Pingree, 2:45 pm
Noble & Greenough @ Brooks, 3:30 pm
St. George's @ Berwick, 4:00 pm
Kimball Union @ Proctor, 4:30 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Vermont Academy, 5:00 pm

Sun. Feb. 3
Winchendon @ Worcester Academy, 3:30 pm

Mon. Feb. 4
Dana Hall @ Newton CD, 4:30 pm
Greenwich @ Rye Country Day, 4:45 pm 

Tues. 1/22/19

 

5 Teams to Watch Over the 2nd Half of the Season

Vermont Academy

We watched Vermont Academy's amazing run last season, in which they won 14 games to finish the season at 33-2-1, and then captured the D-II Championship.

This year, however, has been a different story. Our pre-season #1 team has struggled mightily so far, currently standing at 5-5-1 and on the outside looking in on the D-II playoff picture. The good news is that the Wildcats have two of the best players in girls' prep hockey in Kristyna Kaltounkova and Klara Jandusikova -- and both just returned from playing for the Czech Republic at the World Championships.

Is Vermont Academy capable of a repeat? We don’t think so, but there is still a lot of hockey left to play and it's going to be fun to watch this team make its move down the stretch.

 

Phillips Andover

Once again, the Big Blue hits the halfway point of the season in a great position to secure a D-I playoff bid. Unfortunately, once again we aren’t sure if they have enough to handle its grueling schedule -- the toughest we have seen -- down the stretch. The good news is that we have been very impressed with junior goalie Sophia Merageas, who seems to give Big Blue a chance to win every game. Merageas is going to have to be great because 7 out of the next 8 games that Andover plays are against serious playoff contenders, including Tabor, Williston and Nobles. If Andover can somehow find a way to grab a playoff berth this year, no one will be able to say they didn't earn it. 

 

St. George's

The Dragons, currently riding a 5-game win streak and standing at 8-2-2, look like a contender this year. They certainly got our attention a few weeks ago when they went up to Rivers and dismantled them, 3-0, only two days after Rivers had tied Nobles, 2-2. St. George's has a talented young goalie in Katie Desa. St. George's has a brutal schedule over the next few weeks so stay tuned.

New Hampton

Is there a more talented team -- on paper, that is -- in all of girls' prep hockey than New Hampton? With the exception of Nobles, we don’t think so. New Hampton is loaded with D-I prospects. So why the lackluster start? We have no idea. We watched them get beat up by Nobles, 6-1, in the first game of the season. They also looked disinterested at the Watkins Tournament, losing 4-0 to D-II Worcester. New Hampton is usually a lock to make the playoffs but missed last year and find themselves back on the bubble this year. The Huskies have now won two straight games and have a pretty favorable schedule down the stretch. Our money is on them securing one of the last two playoff spots. They are just too good and coach Craig Churchill knows what he’s doing -- he won it all just two years ago.

Hotchkiss

Who would have imagined a 7-1-2 record after win totals the last three seasons of 4, 5 and 4? And after graduating all-everything goaltender Lindsey Reed to boot! Now, the resurgent Bearcats are a serious contender for a D-I playoff spot. Hotchkiss is the talk of girls' prep hockey and new head coach Corey Cooper has them unbeaten over their last five games, including a shocking 1-1 tie vs. Loomis last week. Can the Bearcats hang on for the last 10 games? It's a tough schedule they face. They will travel to # 2 Williston on Saturday to take on the red-hot Wildcats, who are unbeaten in their last 10. Then it's on to Kent the following Monday. Stay tuned!

Sun. 1/20/19

 

USHR Div. I Girls' Prep Poll, Week of Jan. 21st

1. Tabor (12-0-1) The Seawolves' game on Saturday vs. Loomis was postponed to a date and time TBD. Tabor has a quiet week ahead with just one game -- Saturday at Westminster.

2. Williston (13-1-1) The Wildcats game vs. Kent was cancelled on Saturday. We really hope they are able to reschedule. Big home game Saturday vs. #7 Hotchkiss

3. Nobles (12-0-4) The Bulldogs had a nice bounce back 4-0 win over Exeter after a shocking 1-1 tie to Winchendon. Nobles will travel to St. Paul’s on Saturday for a huge Harrington final rematch.

4. St. Paul’s (12-2-1) The Pelicans took the weekend off after a nice 2-0 win over KUA. They will host Nobles on Saturday in a must-see game.

5. Loomis (8-2-4) The Pelicans look like they are clicking on all cylinders with wins over both Westminster and Taft. They have a tough one Wednesday at BB&N.

6. Kent (9-3-0) The Lions are back with a full roster, but have a tough week ahead with games vs. Choate and Taft.

7. Hotchkiss (7-1-2) The Bearcats turnaround is the talk of girls' prep hockey right now. They play Williston on Saturday and then Kent on Monday. That will tell us a lot about this team

8. Andover (6-1-3) We talk about the Andover second half schedule all the time. Well, here we are. Big Blue has Cushing, BB&N and Deerfield this week.

9. New Hampton (8-3-1) The Huskies almost blew a four-goal third period lead for the second week in a row but found a way to get it done vs. Deerfield in a game that they may be able to look back upon as turning around their whole season. The Huskies travel to Winchendon on Wednesday.

10. Deerfield (9-5-2) The Big Green beat Choate and Taft last week but their great comeback at New Hampton Friday came up a little short. Deerfield hosts Andover on Saturday in a must-win game to keep its playoff dreams alive.

Under Consideration:

-- BB&N (5-4-2) The Knights are suddenly struggling a bit, going winless in their last four games. BB&N faces a tough week ahead with Loomis, Andover and Cushing.

-- Winchendon (8-5-3) The Wapitis showed that they can play with anybody with a pair of 1-1 ties vs. Nobles and BB&N. They travel to New Hampton on Wednesday.

 

Sun. 1/20/19

 

USHR Div. II Girls' Prep Poll, Week of Jan. 21st

1. Brooks (10-1-2) Brooks has won three in a row, but face a test when they travel to Worcester on Wednesday.

2. Rivers (8-3-1). The Red Wings have won three in a row after getting upset at home by St. George's. Big week ahead with Thayer and then Exeter.

3. St. George's (8-2-2) The Dragons might be the hottest team in D-II right now, winning five in a row. That five-game winning streak will be on the line Wednesday when they host St. Mark's.

4. Worcester (8-3-2) The Hilltoppers really haven’t been tested while winning three in a row, but that will change when they host Brooks on Wednesday.

5. KUA (7-4-1) The Wildcats are much improved and showed that on Wednesday, playing D-I powerhouse St. Paul’s in a tight 2-0 loss. They travel to Holderness on Wednesday.

6. Berwick (11-6-1) The Bulldogs had a disappointing 3-0 loss to Exeter on Wednesday, but then rebounded with a 4-0 win over Kent’s Hill.

7. Holderness (8-6-0) The Bulls have really caught our attention lately with some great play. They traveled to Exeter on Wednesday and beat them, 3-1. Big week ahead with both KUA and Groton.

8. Thayer (7-6-0) Bounced back nicely after getting thumped by Tabor with two big wins including a 2-0 win over D-I Southfield.

Team to Watch

-- Vermont Academy (5-5-1) The defending D-II champ finally has a full roster so we are looking forward to see how they do this week vs. two D-I teams in New Hampton and Winchendon.

Sun. 1/20/19

 

Girls' Prep Composite, Week of Jan. 21st

Mon. Jan. 21
Hebron @ Brewster Academy, 7:15 pm

Tues. Jan. 22
Gunnery @ Taft, 4:45 pm

Wed. Jan. 23
Berkshire @ Gunnery, 2:30 pm
Westminster @ Williston Northampton, 2:30 pm
Kimball Union @ Holderness, 2:30 pm
Exeter @ Tilton, 2:30 pm
Canterbury @ Taft, 2:30 pm
Millbrook @ Hotchkiss, 3:00 pm
Rivers @ Thayer, 3:00 pm
Governor's @ Southfield, 3:15 pm
Cushing @ Andover, 3:15 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ St. Paul's, 3:30 pm
Brewster Academy @ Berwick, 3:30 pm
Kent @ Choate, 3:30 pm
Brooks @ Worcester Academy, 3:45 pm
Pingree @ Newton CD, 3:45 pm
St. Mark's @ St. George's, 4:00 pm
Portsmouth Abbey @ Middlesex, 4:00 pm
Vermont Academy @ Hoosac School, 4:00 pm
Portledge @ Lawrenceville, 4:00 pm
Loomis Chaffee @ BB&N, 4:15 pm
Kents Hill @ Proctor, 4:15 pm
Winsor @ Dana Hall, 4:15 pm
Princeton Day School @ Rye Country Day, 4:45 pm
Noble & Greenough @ Lawrence Academy, 5:00 pm
Pomfret @ Deerfield, 5:15 pm
New Hampton @ Winchendon, 5:30 pm

Thurs. Jan. 24
Beaver Country Day @ Cambridge Rindge & Latin, 4:00 pm

Fri. Jan. 25
Rye Country Day @ Chartham-Madison, 4:00 pm
Woodstock Academy @ Winsor, 4:15 pm
Groton @ Lawrence Academy, 4:30 pm
Portsmouth Abbey @ Winchendon, 4:30 pm
Brewster Academy @ North Yarmouth Academy, 4:45 pm
New Hampton @ Vermont Academy, 5:00 pm
Kimball Union @ Governor's, 5:00 pm
Dana Hall @ Portsmouth Abbey JV, 5:00 pm
BB&N @ Andover, 5:30 pm
Berwick @ Hebron, 5:30 pm
Pingree @ Kents Hill, 6:00 pm
Exeter @ Rivers, 6:00 pm
Greenwich @ Loomis Chaffee, 6:00 pm
Choate @ Millbrook, 6:00 pm
Noble & Greenough @ Cushing, 6:45 pm

Sat. Jan. 26
Beaver Country Day @ Portsmouth Abbey, 1:30 pm
Noble & Greenough @ St. Paul's, 2:00 pm
Brewster Academy @ Exeter, 2:00 pm
Middlesex @ Thayer, 2:15 pm
Governor's @ Tilton, 2:30 pm
North Yarmouth Academy @ Pingree, 2:45 pm
Canterbury @ Berkshire, 3:00 pm
Gunnery @ Hill School, 3:00 pm
Brooks @ Southfield, 3:00 pm
Winchendon @ Vermont Academy, 3:00 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Pomfret, 3:15 pm
Cushing @ BB&N, 3:30 pm
St. Mark's @ New Hampton, 4:00 pm
Tabor @ Westminster, 4:00 pm
Millbrook @ Worcester Academy, 4:00 pm
Hotchkiss @ Williston Northampton, 4:15 pm
Hebron @ Kimball Union, 5:00 pm
Lawrenceville @ Washington Pride, 5:15 pm (S)
Holderness @ Groton, 6:00 pm
Andover @ Deerfield, 6:30 pm
Taft @ Kent, 6:30 pm

Mon. Jan. 28
Kent @ Hotchkiss, 4:45 pm
Kent Place @ Rye Country Day, 4:45 pm
New Hampton @ Tilton, 5:00 pm
Taft @ Canterbury, 5:00 pm 

 

Mon. 1/14/19

 

USHR Div. I Girls' Prep Poll

1. Tabor (10-0-1) The Seawolves are in a class by themselves right now. Unfortunately, the playoffs are still a long way off. Host Loomis on Saturday.

2. Williston (12-1-1) The Wildcats are unbeaten in their last 8. Their only loss was a 2-1 decision to Nobles. They have to travel to Kent on Saturday in a monster matchup -- assuming Kent has its full roster, that is.

3. Nobles (11-0-3) Nobles had a shocking tie to Rivers on Monday and then two relatively easy wins over Middlesex and Berkshire. The Bulldogs won’t be really tested again until Jan. 26th at St. Paul’s.

4. St. Paul’s (11-2-1) The red-hot Pelicans had a great win at BB&N and then were stunned at home by Andover, 4-3 in OT, after surrendering a 3-1 late third-period lead.

5. Loomis (6-2-4) The Pelicans had a big week, beating Kent on the road and then traveling to Hotchkiss for a hard-fought tie. Loomis is unbeaten in the New Year and looks to be back in the hunt. Have a three-game week ahead, capped by a Saturday tilt at Tabor.

6. Kent (8-3-0). Snapped an almost unheard of three-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over Lawrenceville. Kent will have a full roster on Wednesday and we expect them to be a force the rest of the season.

7. Andover (5-1-3) Big Blue had a good week with a tie to Brooks followed by a tremendous come-from-behind OT win at St. Paul’s. Once again, Andover’s season will come down to its schedule: Big Blue has the hardest second-half schedule in the league.

8. Hotchkiss (6-1-2) New coach Corey Cooper has the Bearcats back in contention. Will be tested a bit this week with 3 games, including good tests against Cushing and Westminster.

9. BB&N (5-3-1) The Knights were beaten at home by St. Paul’s on Wednesday, but salvaged the week with an incredible third period comeback at New Hampton.

10. Deerfield (7-4-2) New coach Brooke Fernandez has the Big Green rolling. They are unbeaten in the new year. This week will tell us all we need to know about the Big Green as they play Choate, New Hampton, and Taft. 

Under Consideration:

-- Exeter (5-2-3) The Big Red might be the most improved team in girls' prep hockey. They trounced Worcester, 4-0, and then earned a tough tie at red-hot Deerfield. Exeter travels to Nobles on Saturday.

-- New Hampton (8-3-1) The Huskies had a brutal week, barely beating Holderness, blowing a four-goal third period lead to BB&N and then getting trounced at home by Tabor. We need to see the Huskies start beating some quality teams.

 

Mon. 1/14/19

 

USHR Div. II Girls' Prep Poll

1. Brooks (6-0-1) Got beat up by Tabor last week but Tabor beats up on everyone. Brooks is still the best team in D-II.

2. Rivers (5-1-0) Crazy week for the Red Wings. After a 2-2 tie at Nobles, they get beat up at home by St. George's, 3-0, and then beat D-I contender Winchendon, 2-1. Big game vs. BB&N this week.

3. St. George's (6-2-2) The Dragons had a big week, beating both Rivers and D-I Southfield.

4. Worcester (8-3-2) Worcester is in a funk right now and we have been unimpressed with their recent play. The Hilltoppers should benefit from a relatively easy week.

5. KUA (4-3-1) In its first game after break, KUA had a big 2-0 win over a good Holderness team.

6. Berwick (10-5-1) Don’t look now but the Bulldogs are unbeaten in their last 6 games.

7. Middlesex (5-6-0) Yes, the Zebras have 6 losses but 2 are to Nobles and they have also lost to Rivers, Williston, and Westminster. They beat Worcester, 5-3, on the road.

8. Thayer (5-5-0) Beat D-I Milton last week before losing to Berwick in OT.

1/13/19

 

Saturday, January 12, 2019 Notes

Even though it’s somewhat early, the D-I playoff picture is beginning to take shape. With New Hampton continuing to struggle, we feel the top six teams are pretty much set: Tabor, Williston, Nobles, St. Paul's, Loomis, and Kent. Competing for the last two spots are, in our opinion: Andover, BB&N, New Hampton, Deerfield, Hotchkiss, Exeter, Winchendon, and Taft

The D-II playoff picture is crazy right now. We feel that Brooks, Rivers and Worcester Academy are pretty much locks for the top three spots, but there are close to 10 teams competing for the last five spots. Taking in the second half of the season shoud be a treat.

-- #1 Tabor, with a 3-0 win on the road at New Hampton, just keeps rolling. While the Huskies kept it close for two periods, the game wasn’t close. Tabor easily outshot New Hampton, by a 2-1 margin.

The Tabor second line of Ashley Clark, Olivia O’Brien and Cyndy Giandomenico had a tremendous game and contributed to two of Tabor's three goals.

The loss at home to Tabor concluded a miserable week for New Hampton. They almost lost at home to Holderness on Monday, squeaking by with the 3-2 win, but then on Wednesday gave up a 5-1 third-period lead to BB&N, eventually settling for a 5-5 tie. And then, on Saturday, the above-mentioned loss to Tabor.

We understand that New Hampton has a lot of D-I talent, but we really need to see them start beating some legitimate teams.

-- BB&N will be a factor down the stretch. The Knights almost beat St. Paul’s on Wednesday, losing 2-1 and then pulled off that amazing comeback at New Hampton. Coach Ed Bourget has once again assembled a team that can compete with anyone.

-- Andover certainly got our attention yesterday with a third period comeback against St. Paul's. Andover, currently the hottest team in girls' prep hockey, edged the Pelicans, winning 4-3 in OT. The Big Blue scored two goals in the final six minutes of regulation to tie it and send it to OT, where senior Kelly McCarthy won it one an absolute snipe.

-- Head coach Corey Cooper has Hotchkiss back on the map with an impressive 1-1 tie vs. Loomis yesterday. Bearcats' junior Jelani Adornos first period goal almost held up for a 1-0, but Loomis tied it up with just 2 minutes left in the game on a goal by senior Abby Kuhns.

Loomis is definitely back in the playoff mix, with an impressive 2-0 win at Kent on Wednesday.

-- After shocking the girls' hockey world with a 2-2 tie at Nobles on Monday, Rivers bounced back from a bad home loss to St. George's on Wednesday by beating D-I Winchendon on Saturday, 2-1. Rylee Glennon and Camille Phelan scored for the Red Wings.

We have said all season that Winchendon is a team to watch. It's now time for the Wapitis to step it up if they want to compete for a playoff spot.

-- Deerfield and Exeter played to a 1-1 tie in a tremendous, well-played game yesterday. Both teams look like they could be a serious contender for those last two playoff spots.

Big Red senior goalie Michaela O’Brien was outstanding, as was Big Green junior goalie Liv Mikesell.

Exeter sophomore Alyssa Xu caught our attention again. Xu had an amazing goal, undressing the Deerfield defenseman and then putting a beautiful breakaway move on Mikesell.

-- Vermont Academy finally won a game yesterday, 5-1 over Millbrook, thus ending a five-game streak without a win (0-4-1). Keep an eye on the Wildcats for the rest of the season. Reportedly, they will have a full lineup starting this week, and when they have their full lineup, we feel they are as good as anyone else in D-II.

-- Big 3-1 win for Taft yesterday at Choate. The Rhinos have won four in a row and are sneaking back into playoff contention. Taft travels to Loomis and Deerfield this week, which should tell us a lot.

-- We have no idea why both NMH and Lawrence Academy have such small rosters, but hopefully this is just a one-season problem. It is a loss for the entire girls prep world to have these two traditionally strong programs down so much this season.

-- Pomfret is now 0-12 this season after going 0-21-1 last season. It is time for Pomfret to address their girls' hockey situation. We know Pomfret is a great school, has a tremendous young coach in Samantha Slotnick, and a beautiful on-campus rink. The key pieces are in place for a turnaround.

 

Sun. 1/13/19

 

Girls' Prep Composite Schedule, Week of Jan. 14th

Mon. Jan. 14
Gunnery @ Hotchkiss, 4:45 pm
Chartham-Madison @ Rye Country Day, 4:45 pm
Millbrook @ Berkshire, 5:00 pm
Berwick @ Exeter, 5:15 pm
Loomis Chaffee @ Westminster, 6:00 pm
Tilton @ Proctor, 6:00 pm
St. George's @ Portsmouth Abbey, 6:00 pm

Wed. Jan. 16
Gunnery @ Canterbury, 2:30 pm
Tilton @ Brooks, 2:45 pm
Holderness @ Exeter, 2:45 pm
Middlesex @ St. Mark's, 3:00 pm
Westminster @ Millbrook, 3:00 pm
Hoosac School @ Pingree, 3:00 pm
Taft @ Loomis Chaffee, 3:00 pm
Lawrence Academy @ Andover, 3:15 pm
Dana Hall @ Southfield JV, 3:30 pm
Portsmouth Abbey @ Newton CD, 3:45 pm
Brewster Academy @ Kents Hill, 4:00 pm
North Yarmouth Academy @ Hebron, 4:00 pm
Proctor @ Groton, 4:00 pm
Portledge @ Rye Country Day, 4:00 pm
Noble & Greenough @ Winchendon, 4:00 pm
Southfield @ Williston Northampton, 4:15 pm
Milton @ Governor's, 4:15 pm
Vermont Academy @ Kimball Union, 4:30 pm
BB&N @ Rivers, 4:45 pm
Berkshire @ Northfield Mt. Hermon, 4:45 pm
Morristown Beard @ Hill School, 4:45 pm
Kent @ Pomfret, 4:45 pm
Cushing vs. Hotchkiss, 5:00 pm -- at Trinity College
Thayer @ Tabor, 5:00 pm
Deerfield @ Choate, 5:30 pm

Fri. Jan. 18
Dana Hall @ Nobles JV, 3:15 pm
Winsor @ Newton CD, 4:00 pm
Jr. Wizards @ BB&N, 5:00 pm (S)
St. Paul's @ Kimball Union, 5:00 pm
Vermont Academy @ Brewster Academy, 5:00 pm
Hebron @ Pingree, 5:00 pm
Thayer @ Southfield, 5:00 pm
Pomfret @ Worcester Academy, 5:00 pm
Middlesex @ Cushing, 5:00 pm
Rivers @ Groton, 5:30 pm
Tabor @ Milton, 5:45 pm
Deerfield @ New Hampton, 6:00 pm
Berwick @ Kents Hill, 6:15 pm

Sat. Jan. 19
40th Annual Northwood Invitational Schedule
(Runs for two days, Saturday and Sunday.)
Middlesex @ Newton CD, 12:30 pm
Governor's @ St. George's, 1:00 pm
Gunnery @ Lawrenceville, 2:00 pm -- cancelled
Hoosac School @ Holderness, 2:00 pm -- ppd. to 2/8/19
Exeter @ Noble & Greenough, 2:00 pm
Andover @ St. Mark's, 2:15 pm
Kents Hill @ Thayer, 2:15 pm
Westminster @ Hotchkiss, 3:00 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Tilton, 3:00 pm
Canterbury @ Choate, 3:00 pm
Proctor @ Brooks, 3:15 pm
Worcester @ NYA, 3:15 pm
Portsmouth Abbey @ Pingree, 3:45 pm
Winchendon @ BB&N, 4:00 pm
New Hampton @ Pomfret, 4:00 pm
Loomis Chaffee @ Tabor, 4:00 pm -- ppd., makeup date TBA
Kimball Union @ Brewster Academy, 4:00 pm
Greenwich @ Millbrook, 4:00 pm -- cancelled
Taft @ Deerfield, 4:30 pm
Williston Northampton @ Kent, 4:30 pm -- cancelled
Lawrence Academy @ Berkshire, 5:00 pm -- ppd., makeup date TBA

Sun. Jan. 20
Cushing @ Berkshire, 12:00 pm -- ppd., makeup date TBA
Vermont Academy @ Canterbury, 1:00 pm -- ppd., makeup date TBA

Mon. Jan. 21
Gunnery @ Taft, 4:30 pm 

Tues. 1/8/19

 

Tabor Tops USHR Div. I Girls' Poll

1. Tabor (8-0-1) The Seawolves have a big week ahead, traveling to Brooks on Wednesday and then to New Hampton on Saturday. It will be interesting to see how the long layoff will affect them.

2. Nobles (9-0-2) Unfortunately, Nobles won’t really be tested for the next few weeks, until they travel to St. Paul’s on Jan. 26th.

3. St. Paul’s (10-1-1) The Pelicans have won nine in a row and look unbeatable right now.

4. Williston (9-1-0) The Wildcats won the Winchendon Tournament in convincing fashion. Only loss was to Nobles, a 2-1 decision. Williston has a very favorable schedule over the next few weeks.

5. Kent (7-2-0). Tough 2-1 loss at Nobles with a depleted lineup. The Lions need to regroup quickly as they host Loomis on Wednesday.

6. Loomis (5-2-3) The Pelicans had a good start to the second half with two wins. They will be tested this week when they travel to Kent.

7. BB&N (5-2-0) The Knights are quietly moving up the standings, but haven’t really been challenged yet. That will change this week with both St. Paul’s and New Hampton on tap.

8. New Hampton (7-2-0) The Huskies are the biggest mystery team in D-I. However, they had a good start to the second half with a 6-3 win at Cushing. Big week ahead with both BB&N and Tabor.

9. Andover (4-1-2) The Big Blue was just OK at the Odden Tournament. Plus, they have been off for a long time. We will learn a lot about them this week, as they face Brooks and St. Paul’s.

10. Deerfield (6-4-1) The Big Green has won five out of six including the Watkins Championship. They have a favorable schedule over the next few weeks.

Under Consideration: Exeter

 

Mon. 1/7/19

 

Brooks #1 in USHR Div. II Girls' Poll

As of now, it looks like Brooks, Rivers and Worcester are locks for the top three spots in D-II, with perhaps another nine or ten teams battling for the final five spots. Stay tuned!

1. Brooks (7-0-1) A big comeback win vs. Rivers keeps Brooks at #1. Will be tested with three D-I games this week.

2. Rivers (5-2-0). The Red Wings had a 2-0 lead at Brooks and let it slip away. Big test at Nobles on Monday.

3. Worcester (7-2-1) The Hilltoppers got whipped at home by Middlesex. Big game coming up on Wednesday at Exeter

4. KUA (4-3-1) The Wildcats are off until Saturday.

5. Canterbury (5-3-1) The Saints started the second half with a tough 0-0 tie vs. Tilton

6. Berwick (9-5-0) Two big wins for the Bulldogs over both Middlesex and Proctor. Thayer is on the docket this week.

7. Greenwich Academy (5-3-1) Impressive 4-3 win over Vermont Academy to start the second half. Hotchkiss and Canterbury are this week's opponents.

8. Thayer (4-4-0) The Tigers start the second half this Wednesday vs. Milton, then Berwick is on tap.

 

Sun. 1/6/19

 

Girls' Prep Composite Schedule, Week of Jan. 7, 2019

Mon. Jan. 7
New Hampton @ Holderness, 4:30 pm
Brooks @ Andover, 5:15 pm
Rivers @ Noble & Greenough, 5:15 pm

Tues. Jan. 8
Cheverus HS @ Kents Hill, 4:30 pm (S)

Wed. Jan. 9
Holderness @ Tilton, 2:00 pm
Berkshire @ Williston Northampton, 2:30 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Deerfield, 2:30 pm
Choate @ Westminster, 3:00 pm
Thayer @ Milton, 3:00 pm
Taft @ Pomfret, 3:00 pm
Canterbury @ Millbrook, 3:00 pm
Hill School @ Portledge, 3:15 pm
Hotchkiss @ Greenwich, 3:30 pm
Lawrence Academy @ St. Mark's, 3:30 pm
Beaver Country Day @ Newton CD, 3:30 pm
Pingree @ Dana Hall, 3:30 pm
Worcester Academy @ Exeter, 3:30 pm
Tabor @ Brooks, 4:00 pm
Portsmouth Abbey @ Winsor, 4:15 pm
Noble & Greenough @ Middlesex, 4:30 pm
North Yarmouth Academy @ Groton, 4:30 pm
Proctor @ Winchendon, 4:30 pm
St. George's @ Rivers, 4:30 pm
Loomis Chaffee @ Kent, 4:30 pm
St. Paul's @ BB&N, 5:00 pm
Berwick @ Governor's, 5:00 pm
Brewster Academy @ Cushing, 5:00 pm
Vermont Academy @ Gunnery, 5:15 pm

Thurs. Jan. 10
Rye Country Day @ Princeton Day School, 5:00 pm

Fri. Jan. 11
North Yarmouth Academy @ Newton CD, 3:30 pm
Dana Hall @ Milton J.V., 3:45 pm
Kents Hill @ Hebron, 4:00 pm
Beaver Country Day @ Winsor, 4:15 pm
Worcester Academy @ Groton, 5:00 pm
Thayer @ Berwick, 5:15 pm
BB&N @ New Hampton, 6:00 pm
Williston Northampton @ St. Mark's, 6:00 pm
Southfield @ St. George's, 6:00 pm
Pomfret @ Lawrence Academy, 6:00 pm
Canterbury @ Greenwich, 6:00 pm
Pingree @ Vermont Academy, 7:00 pm

Sat. Jan. 12
Governor's @ Middlesex, 2:00 pm
Groton @ Milton, 2:15 pm
St. Mark's @ Cushing, 2:30 pm
Tilton @ Brewster Academy, 2:30 pm
Holderness @ Kimball Union, 2:30 pm
Loomis Chaffee @ Hotchkiss, 3:00 pm
Brooks @ Lawrence Academy, 3:00 pm
Rivers @ Winchendon, 3:00 pm
Berkshire @ Noble & Greenough, 3:15 pm
Gunnery @ Williston Northampton, 3:30 pm
Exeter @ Deerfield, 4:00 pm
Hill School @ Canterbury, 4:00 pm
Proctor @ Hebron, 4:00 pm
Taft @ Choate, 4:00 pm
Portsmouth Abbey @ Worcester Academy, 4:15 pm
Tabor @ New Hampton, 5:00 pm
Andover @ St. Paul's, 5:00 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Westminster, 5:00 pm
Millbrook @ Vermont Academy, 5:00 pm
St. George's (neutral site) Kents Hill, 6:00 pm -- cancelled
Lawrenceville @ Kent, 6:30 pm

Sun. Jan. 13
Lawrenceville @ Northfield Mt. Hermon, 1:00 pm

Mon. Jan. 14
Gunnery @ Hotchkiss, 4:45 pm
Chartham-Madison @ Rye Country Day, 4:45 pm
Millbrook @ Berkshire, 5:00 pm
Berwick @ Exeter, 5:15 pm
Loomis Chaffee @ Westminster, 6:00 pm
Tilton @ Proctor, 6:00 pm
St. George's @ Portsmouth Abbey, 6:00 pm -- moved up from Jan. 21

Sun. 1/6/19

 

Weekend Notes

Saturday's Kent-Nobles matchup was as good a game as advertised. Other than a fairly lopsided first period in which Nobles outshot the visitors by a significant margin, it was a very even game, with Nobles winning it, 2-1, with five seconds left in OT as sophomore Katie Pyne scored on a beautiful wraparound off her own rebound.

Nobles freshman Emmy O’Leary scored the tying goal late in the third period off a Madison Michals shot and really stood out for the Bulldogs.

While we were a bit disappointed with what we saw from Kent at the Odden Tournament, the Lions deserve a lot of credit for the way they played while missing a few of their best players who were away at the U18 World Championship, notably the Welcke twins from Germany.

-- Brooks showed why they are the USHR #1-ranked team in D-II as they came storming back from a 2-0 deficit to shock Rivers, 3-2.

Caroline O’Keefe scored with seven seconds left to win it for Brooks. Brooke Rogers had the other two goals for Brooks.

Junior Rylee Glennon scored both Rivers' goals.

Brooks senior goalie Caroline Kukas had another strong performance in net, showing once again why she gives Brooks a chance to win every time out.

-- It was a tough weekend for both Hill and Lawrenceville as they went a combined 0-5. Both teams have become really competitive. Lawrenceville took St. Paul’s to overtime on Saturday. On Sunday, Hill was leading the Pelicans in the third period before running out of gas and losing, 4-3.

Hill has three or four excellent forwards, headed up by BC commit Caroline Goffredo and Penn State commit Jessica Ciarrocchi.

Lawrenceville PG goalie Courtney Denaut gives the Big Red a chance to win every time out.

-- USHR # 3-ranked Worcester Academy also had a tough weekend with a 2-2 tie vs. St. Mark's on Friday, and then a shocking 5-3 loss at home to Middlesex Saturday.

Middlesex lost to Berwick, 5-1, on Thursday. A few weeks ago at the Harrington Tournament, Middlesex topped Milton, 3-1. We'll be keeping an eye on the Zebras.

It was great to see the Milton finally get its first win of the season, blanking Southfield, 2-0. The Mustangs have been playing everyone tough this year. That especially includes a heartbreaking 4-3 OT loss at home to Loomis on Friday.

-- Defending D-II champs Vermont Academy clearly has some work to do if they are going to make a run at repeating. VA started the second half with losses to Holderness and Greenwich Academy.

Watch out for St. Paul’s, which has won nine in a row and are pointing toward a big stretch run. The Pelicans only loss this season was in OT to Williston.

Gunnery lost to St. George's yesterday, 2-1. Gunnery has now lost six of its last seven games.

Deerfield beat both Hill and Lawrenceville this weekend. The Big Green has now won five of its last six and looks like a team that might have a chance at that coveted eighth playoff spot.

BB&N won two games this weekend, beating both Berkshire and Groton. The Knights are quietly moving up in the standings. The next two games will tell us a lot as they face both St. Paul’s and New Hampton.

 Wed. 1/2/19 -- updated 1:45 pm

Wed. Jan. 2nd, 2019 Tournament Scoreboard

2019 Winchendon Invitational Tournament (Final Day)
Ritchie Division: Cushing, NMH, and the Gunnery.
Wapiti Division: Winchendon, Lawrence, and Williston Northampton.

Williston Northampton 7, Lawrence Academy 1
Cushing 8, Northfield Mt. Hermon 2  

Williston Wears the Crown!

Playoff Round:
Ritchie 3 vs. Wapiti 3, 1:30 pm -- Lawrence 2, NMH 1
Ritchie 2 vs. Wapiti 2, 3:30 pm -- Winchendon 6, Gunnery 0
Ritchie 1 vs. Wapiti 1, 5:30 pm --  Williston 6, Cushing 2


Tuesday's Scores:
Williston Northampton 1, Winchendon 0
Gunnery 5, Northfield Mt. Hermon 3
Winchendon 4, Lawrence 1
Cushing 2, Gunnery 0

Tues. 1/1/19

 

Tues. Jan. 1st, 2019 Tournament Scoreboard

 2019 Winchendon Invitational Tournament (Day 1 of 2)
Ritchie Division: Cushing, NMH, and the Gunnery.
Wapiti Division: Winchendon, Lawrence, and Williston Northampton.

Williston Northampton 1, Winchendon 0
Gunnery 5, Northfield Mt. Hermon 3
Winchendon 4, Lawrence 1
Cushing 2, Gunnery 0

Wednesday's Schedule at Winchendon (Final Day)

Lawrence Academy vs. Williston Northampton, 9:00 am
Cushing vs. Northfield Mt. Hermon, 11:00 am

Playoff Round:
Ritchie 3 vs. Wapiti 3, 1:30 pm
Ritchie 2 vs. Wapiti 2, 3:30 pm
Ritchie 1 vs. Wapiti 1, 5:30 pm