Fri. 2/3/23
The Book of Deerfield, and More
A week ago, we wrote of Deerfield Hockey's 100th Anniversary celebration, which took place last weekend on the school's campus.
We also wrote of the driving force behind the event, Dr. Anthony Abene, an orthopedist and team physician for the San Jose Sharks and Barracuda, and father to Max Abene, Deerfield '22, and now a freshman forward at Colby College.
Unfortunately, Dr. Abene was unable to attend the event he had set in motion, due to a severely detached retina. Surgeons forbade him from flying back east.
During the Covid year, Abene says, he waded through digitized Deerfield yearbooks. He manually entered the scores of every game in the school's history. He also created a spreadsheet and database of every player, approximately 900, several hundred of whom went on to play the game in college. Seventeen became NHL draft picks.
Abene's research also led him to a project: a 100-year history of Deerfield Hockey. It's a work in progress. So far, he's covered the years from 1922-1944. It's terrific fun. The pictures alone are priceless, and much of the material drawn from season round-ups that appeared in The Pocumtuck, the school yearbook, is equally entertaining.
For starters, let's just say that, over the last 100 years, the way we write about hockey has changed as much as the game itself.
We found little tidbits like this, from a February 14, 1925 account of a 7-1 win over Springfield College:
“The game was witnessed by several girls who had the honor to go to the dance which followed
with certain stars of the game"
Nice!
The grandson of James Franklin Cowan '30, recalled hearing his father talk of the team shoveling snow off the outdoor rink "and the players helping erect and tear down the rink each season,"
"A nearby barn," he added, "doubled as the team's locker room and provided the 'luxury' of cold buckets of spring water for showering."
Nice! All the amenities!
Lack of good ice was a constant issue. In practically all the early years, games commenced in mid-January, with the season wrapped up 4-5 weeks later. The 1938 team played just seven games. In 1936, the school played 14 games, a record at the time. Must have been a cold winter.
Also in 1936, The Pocumtuck (named for a regional Native American tribe, as well as a mountain in the town), reported on the season opener:
"The game with the Mass. State Freshmen at Amherst was no test of either team, due to the weather conditions, although the Green and White seemed superior. The game ended, after an overtime, 0-0, on a rink covered with inches of water."
Sorry to miss that one!
In 1931, Deerfield beat Suffield Academy, 2-0. The Pocumtuck reported that "in the second period a degenerate form of hockey held sway." What made it degenerate was not made clear. We can imagine, but perhaps you had to have been there.
Virtually every yearly wrap-up ends with a bow to the head coach.
From 1944:
"Without a doubt Mr. Switzer deserves the utmost appreciation for his tireless diligence in molding the Varsity into a smooth, tremendously powerful outfit, averaging over five goals a game."
Here's a link to the 78-page (and growing) PDF document. Due to all the photographs, it's a fairly large document. Just something to keep in mind if you're using an older computer.
***Jumping forward about 25 years...
Asked if he could name the best-ever Deerfield squad, Dr. Abene pointed to the 1959-60 squad, which was undefeated. Five members of that team will be on hand.
Asked to name the single greatest season or performance by a Deerfield player, Abene didn't hesitate, pointing to forward Gene Kinasewich, who posted a 48-43-91 line in 16 games for the '59-60 team. That's nearly six points per game. Not surprisingly, the team had an undefeated season.
Kinasewich died in 2010, aged 63.
His widow, Jan, wrote the following remembrance:
Jan Kinasewich on Her Husband's Life and Work
Also, in case you missed them, here are a couple of links from last week's story.
From Sports Illustrated of March 19, 1962: Gene Kinasewich
Obituary from Boston Globe Feb. 26, 2005: Kinasewich Obituary
Sat. 2/25/23 -- updated
NEPSAC Girls' Hockey Tournament
* Quarterfinals Scoreboard *
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Chuck Vernon Tournament (Elite)
#8 Loomis @ #1 Williston Northampton, 4:00 pm -- Williston, 3-2
#7 Milton @ #2 Andover, 4:00 pm -- Andover, 3-1
#6 Southfield @ #3 Kent, 3:00 pm -- Kent, 4-3 (OT)
#5 Nobles @ #4 Tabor, 4:30 pm -- Nobles, 2-1
Semifinals Schedule, Saturday 3/4/23:
#5 Nobles @ #1 Williston, 2:00 pm
#3 Kent @ #2 Andover, 2:00 pm
Patsy Odden Tournament (Large School)
#1 St. Paul's -- bye
#2 Westminster -- bye
#6 Choate @ #3 Taft, 2:30 pm -- Taft, 4-1
#5 BB&N @ #4 Austin Prep, 6:00 pm -- BB&N, 2-1
Semifinals Schedule, Friday 3/3/23:
#5 BB&N @ #1 St. Paul's, 6:00 pm
#6 Taft @ #2 Westminster, 6:00 pm
Dorothy Howard Tournament (Small School)
#1 Groton -- bye
#2 Cushing -- bye
#6 Portsmouth Abbey @ #3 New Hampton, 4:00 pm -- New Hampton, 3-2
#5 Lawrence Academy @ #4 Millbrook -- Millbrook, 4-1
Semifinals Schedule, Saturday 3/4/23:
#4 Millbrook @ #1 Groton, 2:00 pm
#3 New Hampton @ #2 Cushing, 2:00 pm
Championship Sunday, 3/5/23 -- Hosted by Taft
Small School, 11:00 am
Large School, 1:15 pm
Elite 8, 4:00 pm
Sun. 2/19/23 -- Last Update Thurs. 2/23
Girls' Prep Composite Schedule:
Week of February 20, 2023
Monday, February 20, 2023
Holderness @ Brewster Academy, 4:00 pm
Berkshire @ Frederick Gunn School, 5:00 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Cushing, 5:00 pm
Hotchkiss @ Canterbury, 5:30 pm
Lawrence Academy @ Exeter, 5:30 pm
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Beaver Country Day @ Pingree, 4:00 pm
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Hoosac @ Cushing, 2:00 pm
Taft @ Berkshire, 2:30 pm
Kent @ Frederick Gunn School, 2:30 pm
Kimball Union @ New Hampton, 2:30 pm
Williston Northampton @ Deerfield, 2:30 pm
Proctor @ St. Paul's, 3:00 pm
Tabor @ St. George's, 3:00 pm
Brewster Academy @ Vermont Academy, 3:30 pm
Canterbury @ Greenwich Academy, 3:30 pm
Exeter @ Winchendon, 3:30 pm
Princeton Day School @ Portledge, 3:45 pm
Groton @ Thayer, 4:00 pm
Kents Hill @ Holderness, 4:00 pm
Pomfret @ Milton, 4:00 pm
Loomis Chaffee @ Andover, 4:00 pm
Winsor @ Newton Country Day, 4:15 pm
Middlesex @ BB&N, 4:30 pm
St. Mark's @ Brooks, 4:45 pm
Governor's @ Noble & Greenough, 4:45 pm
Lawrenceville @ Westminster, 5:00 pm
Hotchkiss @ Choate, 5:00 pm
Austin Prep @ Tilton, 5:00 pm
Lawrence Academy @ Rivers, 5:30 pm
Winchendon Green @ Beaver CD, 7:00 pm
Thursday, February 23, 2023
No Games Scheduled
Friday, February 24, 2023
Lakes Region Tournament (Semifinals)
#1 SPS will host #4 Tilton School at 6:30 p.m.
#2 New Hampton will host #3 KUA at 4:00 p.m.
#5 Vermont Academy will host #8 Brewster at 4:30 p.m.
#6 Holderness will host #7 Proctor at 3:30 p.m.
---------------------------------------------------------
Beaver Country Day @ Dana Hall, 3:30 pm
Hoosac @ Northfield Mt. Hermon, 4:30 pm
Rivers @ Southfield, 5:00 pm
BB&N @ Thayer, 5:00 pm
Austin Prep @ Kents Hill, 5:00 pm
Winchendon @ Williston Northampton, 6:00 pm
Millbrook @ Worcester Academy, 6:00 pm
Greenwich Country Day @ Winchendon Green, 6:30 pm
Saturday, February 25, 2023
Greenwich Country Day @ Winchendon Green, 11:30 am
Williston Northampton @ BB&N, 1:00 pm
Lawrence Academy @ Southfield, 1:00 pm
St. Mark's @ Groton, 2:00 pm
Milton @ Noble & Greenough, 2:00 pm
Governor's @ Brooks, 2:00 pm
St. George's @ Middlesex, 2:00 pm
Andover @ Exeter, 2:00 pm
Kent @ Westminster, 2:30 pm
Canterbury @ Worcester Academy, 3:00 pm
Berkshire @ Tabor, 4:00 pm
Deerfield @ Loomis Chaffee, 4:00 pm
Choate @ Cushing, 4:30 pm
Winchendon @ Pomfret, 4:30 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Frederick Gunn School, 4:30 pm
The Hill School vs. North Yarmouth Academy, 5:00 pm -- @ Lawrence Academy
Hoosac @ Millbrook, 5:00 pm
Hotchkiss @ Taft, 5:00 pm
END OF REGULAR SEASON
Sunday, February 26, 2023
The Hill School vs. Worcester Academy, 10:00 am (S) -- @ Lawrence Academy
Sun. 2/13/23
Girls' Prep Composite Schedule:
Week of February 13, 2023
Monday, February 13, 2023
Groton @ Northfield Mt. Hermon, 4:00 pm
Frederick Gunn School @ Westminster, 4:45 pm
Austin Prep @ Portsmouth Abbey, 4:45 pm
Rivers @ Thayer, 5:00 pm
Holderness @ Vermont Academy, 5:00 pm
Berwick @ Exeter, 5:00 pm
Greenwich Academy @ Greenwich Country Day, 6:15 pm
Tuesday, February 14, 2023
Portledge vs. Hoosac, 3:15 pm -- at Brewster (NY) Ice Arena
Wednesday, February 15, 2023
Proctor @ Holderness, 2:00 pm
Tilton @ Kimball Union, 2:30 pm
St. Paul's @ Exeter, 2:30 pm
Westminster @ Taft, 2:30 pm
Portsmouth Abbey @ Greenwich Country Day, 2:30 pm
Millbrook @ Canterbury, 2:30 pm
Worcester Academy @ Winchendon, 2:30 pm
Hoosac @ Austin Prep, 3:00 pm
Deerfield @ Cushing, 3:00 pm
Lawrence Academy @ Middlesex, 3:00 pm
Pomfret @ Loomis Chaffee, 3:15 pm
St. Mark's @ Thayer, 3:30 pm
Milton @ St. George's, 4:00 pm
Berkshire @ Choate, 4:15 pm
Williston Northampton @ Northfield Mt. Hermon, 4:15 pm
Brooks @ Groton, 4:30 pm
Hotchkiss @ Kent, 4:30 pm
Kents Hill @ Brewster Academy, 4:30 pm
Frederick Gunn School @ Vermont Academy, 4:45 pm
Noble & Greenough @ Andover, 4:45 pm
Pingree @ North Yarmouth Academy, 4:45 pm
Southfield @ New Hampton, 4:45 pm
Rivers @ Governor's, 5:00 pm
BB&N @ Tabor, 5:00 pm
Thursday, February 16, 2023
Greenwich Country Day @ Newton Country Day, 4:15 pm
Friday, February 17, 2023
Beaver Country Day @ Winsor, 4:15 pm
Pomfret @ Deerfield, 4:30 pm
Newton Country Day @ Portsmouth Abbey, 5:00 pm
Tilton @ St. Paul's, 5:00 pm
Brewster Academy @ Pingree, 5:00 pm
Cushing @ Southfield, 5:15 pm
Thayer @ Noble & Greenough, 5:30 pm
Lawrence Academy @ BB&N, 5:30 pm
Middlesex @ Brooks, 5:30 pm
Kimball Union @ Vermont Academy, 6:00 pm
North Yarmouth Academy @ Kents Hill, 6:00 pm
Choate @ Frederick Gunn School, 6:00 pm
New Hampton @ Proctor, 6:30 pm
The Hill School @ Taft, 6:45 pm
Saturday, February 18, 2023
BB&N @ St. Mark's, 11:00 am
Governor's @ Lawrence Academy, 12:30 pm
Pomfret @ Cushing, 1:00 pm
Vermont Academy @ Portsmouth Abbey, 1:15 pm
Austin Prep @ Kimball Union, 2:00 pm
Canterbury @ Frederick Gunn School, 2:00 pm
New Hampton @ Brewster Academy, 2:30 pm
Worcester Academy @ Andover, 2:30 pm
Exeter @ Northfield Mt. Hermon, 2:30 pm
Middlesex @ Holderness, 2:45 pm
Proctor @ Rivers, 3:00 pm
St. Paul's @ Winchendon, 3:00 pm
Brooks @ Milton, 3:00 pm
St. George's @ Groton, 3:30 pm
Loomis Chaffee @ Williston Northampton, 3:30 pm
Noble & Greenough @ Tabor, 3:30 pm
Choate @ Taft, 4:00 pm
Tilton @ Berwick, 4:00 pm
Deerfield @ Hotchkiss, 4:15 pm
Westminster @ Berkshire, 4:30 pm
Millbrook @ Lawrenceville, 5:00 pm
Kents Hill @ North Yarmouth Academy, 5:30 pm
Sunday, February 19, 2023
Millbrook @ The Hill School, 12:00 pm
Monday, February 20, 2023
Holderness @ Brewster Academy, 4:00 pm
Berkshire @ Frederick Gunn School, 5:00 pm
Hotchkiss @ Canterbury, 5:30 pm
Sun. 2/5/23
Girls' Prep Composite Schedule:
Week of February 6, 2023
Monday, February 6, 2023
Beaver Country Day @ Newton Country Day, 4:15 pm
Andover @ Milton, 5:00 pm
Morristown Beard @ Portledge, 5:30 pm
Tuesday, February 7, 2023
No Games
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ St. Paul's, 12:30 pm
Greenwich Academy @ Taft, 2:30 pm
Vermont Academy @ Tilton, 2:30 pm
Frederick Gunn School @ Millbrook, 2:30 pm
Hotchkiss @ Greenwich Country Day, 2:45 pm
Portsmouth Abbey @ North Yarmouth Academy, 3:00 pm
Cushing @ Lawrence Academy, 3:00 pm
Groton @ Noble & Greenough, 3:15 pm
Middlesex @ Tabor, 3:15 pm
Nobles JV @ Dana Hall, 3:15 pm
Pomfret @ Berkshire, 3:30 pm
Milton @ St. Mark's, 3:30 pm
Brooks @ Holderness, 3:30 pm
Exeter @ Kimball Union, 4:00 pm
Rivers @ Worcester Academy, 4:00 pm
Choate @ Williston Northampton, 4:00 pm
Brewster Academy @ Proctor, 4:00 pm
Pingree @ Beaver Country Day , 4:00 pm
BB&N @ St. George's, 4:15 pm
Canterbury @ Kent, 4:30 pm
Westminster @ Deerfield, 4:30 pm
Southfield @ Winchendon, 4:30 pm
Thayer @ Governor's, 4:30 pm
Portledge @ Lawrenceville, 5:00 pm
Austin Prep @ Andover, 6:00 pm
Thursday, February 9, 2023
Westminster @ Williston Northampton, 5:00 pm
Friday, February 10, 2023
Northwood Tournament
Dana Hall @ Pingree JV, 3:30 pm
Brewster Academy @ New Hampton, 4:00 pm
Pingree @ Worcester Academy, 4:00 pm
Berwick @ Thayer, 4:15 pm
Frederick Gunn School @ Taft, 4:45 pm
Greenwich Country Day @ Rye Country Day, 4:45 pm
Greenwich Academy @ Millbrook, 5:00 pm
Winsor @ Portsmouth Abbey, 6:00 pm
Noble & Greenough @ BB&N, 6:00 pm
Milton J.V. @ Beaver Country Day , 6:00 pm
Tabor @ St. Paul's, 6:30 pm
The Hill School @ Choate, 7:00 pm
St. Mark's @ Pomfret, 7:00 pm
Loomis Chaffee @ Cushing, 7:00 pm
Saturday, February 11, 2023
Austin Prep @ Southfield, 1:00 pm
Tabor @ Governor's, 1:00 pm
Frederick Gunn School @ Greenwich Academy, 1:00 pm
Exeter @ New Hampton, 1:30 pm
The Hill School @ Noble & Greenough, 2:00 pm
Kents Hill @ Portsmouth Abbey, 2:00 pm
Rivers @ St. Mark's, 2:00 pm
Middlesex @ Milton, 2:00 pm
Williston Northampton @ Andover, 2:15 pm
Taft @ Hotchkiss, 2:30 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Cushing, 2:30 pm
Proctor @ Brewster Academy, 2:30 pm
Kimball Union @ North Yarmouth Academy, 3:15 pm
Thayer @ Lawrence Academy, 3:30 pm
Holderness @ Worcester Academy, 3:30 pm
Vermont Academy @ Hoosac, 4:00 pm
Pomfret @ Pingree, 4:00 pm
Berkshire @ Deerfield, 4:30 pm
St. George's @ Brooks, 4:30 pm
Kent @ Millbrook, 4:45 pm
Loomis Chaffee @ Choate, 5:00 pm
Canterbury @ Westminster, 6:30 pm
Sunday, February 12, 2023
The Hill School @ Pomfret, 11:00 am
Lawrenceville @ Hotchkiss, 1:00 pm
Monday, February 13, 2023
Darien HS @ Rye Country Day, 3:30 pm
Frederick Gunn School @ Westminster, 4:45 pm
Austin Prep @ Portsmouth Abbey, 4:45 pm
Rivers @ Thayer, 5:00 pm
Holderness @ Vermont Academy, 5:00 pm
Berwick @ Exeter, 5:00 pm
Greenwich Academy @ Greenwich Country Day, 6:15 pm
New England Prep Hockey News
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