With the regular season having wrapped up on February 22, the MIAA Selection Committee swiftly made its picks for the Super 8 on Saturday morning (live video in link), the 29th time it has done so. In keeping with recent tradition, 10 total teams were cast and seeded, with the 7-10 seeds kicking off the playoff action with 1-game playoffs in Chelmsford Forum on Monday. Listed below are the seeds determined by the votes of the committee members in Franklin.
Many of our most ardent readers are already aware of the teams who made it and may have even seen them once or twice, but we want to go a step deeper. What follows below are preview capsules for each of the teams in the Super 8, which we have scouted numerous times over the course of the season. Here is a report from our scouting division from earlier in the season ranking the top 150 MIAA players at that point. We will be blanketing the tournament with our scouts in the coming weeks, but before the puck drops, take a look at our refresher capsules for a look at how we got here.
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- BC High
- Pope Francis
- Hingham
- Arlington
- Framingham
- Austin Prep
- Duxbury
- St. Mary’s Lynn
- Marshfield
- Xaverian
1. BC High
Record: 16-2-2 (.850 winning percentage, 94 GF, 26 GA)
Quality Wins: Pope Francis, Hingham, Arlington, Austin Prep
Notable Losses: Framingham
Season At-A-Glance: Wire to wire, the Eagles were one of the favorites to repeat as Super 8 Champions. They lost two games all season, one of those to out-of-state Don Bosco Prep (NJ) and beat nearly all of the top contenders in the state. The won the Frates Winter Classic in December in addition to the Buddy Ferreira Classic to wrap up the season. They are battle tested.
Key Players: The conversation about their offense begins and ends with the three Kramer siblings: senior forward Thomas, and twin sophomores Joseph and Peter. They form a highly potent line together, but also elevate the play of any linemates when they are split up. They have depth to their scoring as well with senior Matt Lakus, junior Matt Keohane and sophomore Brian Bulger all chipping in. Hard to miss stud freshman Declan Loughnane as the team’s top defender but the team has plenty of puck movers on the back end lead by sophomore John Logan. The team minimizes chances against because they are on the attack so much, but senior Chase Congdon is athletic and can shut the door by himself in big games.
Playing Style: Fast, deep, skilled.
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2. Pope Francis
Record: 15-1-1 (.868 winning percentage, 78 GF, 24 GA)
Quality Wins: Framingham, Austin Prep (2), Hingham
Notable Losses: BC High
Season At-A-Glance: Won numerous games against quality opponents (including prep hockey’s Albany Academy) and won a couple of tournaments along the way including the Pope Francis Invitational and the Cardinal Classic. They have also taken down most of the top teams in the Super 8 field during the regular season. Their schedule could not have been more difficult by MIAA standards, taking on numerous prep teams in addition to other competitive out-of state schools. The moment will not be too big.
Key Players: There have been other Cardinal teams with more depth but this team has a triumvirate of top scorers: senior forward Makem Demers, senior forward Max Cocchi and senior forward Jon Tavella. All three of them see the zone well and can create offense quickly. They also have a stellar mobile defender in Zach Reiser, who’s aggressive play makes him a fourth forward on each shift. The roster has good size and physicality throughout but the playmakers are the undersized scorers. All three goalies have great GAA, including sophomore Ben Zaranek who sits at a 1.48 in 12 games. Their best defense is their offense because they spent so much time in the other team’s zone.
Playing Style: Quick, slick, crafty.
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3. Hingham
Record: 17-4-1 (.796 winning percentage, 73 GF, 37 GA)
Quality Wins: Marshfield, Duxbury (2), St. Mary’s Lynn, Framingham
Notable Losses: Austin Prep, Pope Francis, BC High
Season At-A-Glance: Finished off a strong season with a Championship Game loss against BC High at the Buddy Ferreira Classic, which adds to their narrative of coming one step from glory previously having lost to Austin Prep at the Christie Serino Xmas Classic in December. This team racked up a number of quality wins against top teams as you can see above. They didn’t register many blowouts, but they also held potent opponents in check with their athleticism and strength. They will go as far as their physicality and strength advantage will carry them.
Key Players: This team probably has the most balanced firepower since the town’s D1 championship team in 2015. This squad is lead by senior co-captains, a defenseman and a forward. Hulking forward Will Kenney leads the team in scoring from the front and Jake Higgins is a defender with great balance and poise who is one of the very best in the state. This team is easily the biggest and baddest team in the valley and many of them are multi-sport stars (namely in lacrosse). Back to their depth: don’t forget about nifty forward Jacob Clark who has plenty of Super 8 experience he can lean on and budding sophomore forward Trevor O’Brien who checks in 3rd on the team in scoring. Senior goalie Aaron Richardson has been solid all season long, but the story here will be on how well the Harbormen handle the smaller waterbug type forwards. The more they can get to the net and use their size, the more dangerous they will be.
Playing Style: Big, strong, heavy.
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4. Arlington
Record: 14-3-3 (.775 winning percentage, 72 GF, 35 GA)
Quality Wins: Austin Prep, Marshfield
Notable Losses: BC High
Season At-A-Glance: Doesn’t have quite the same fanfare as their Championship team of a couple years ago, but they were consistent all season long. They played a tough schedule, won the Middlesex League and beat nearly all of the Super 8 teams they faced. They may not have the statistical category leaders in any one category, but as a team: they will be a tough out in the tournament because they are rarely out of position and know how to capitalize on little mistakes.
Key Players: This team is led by its seniors, namely wrecking ball forward Dara Conneely and smooth defender Jack Simon. The team is also buoyed by newcomer Will Jennings who has solidified the team’s top offensive unit with junior attacker Drew Malatesta. Rarely is this team ever outplayed because they know their systems and they are tightly knit as a group. They might be the best skating team in this tournament and they can comfortably roll four lines that each play a different role in the game. They will not go quietly, and they will not beat themselves on this big stage.
Playing Style: Depth, awareness, pace.
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5. Framingham
Record: 17-3-2 (.775 winning percentage, 75 GF, 33 GA)
Quality Wins: BC High, Xaverian
Notable Losses: Pope Francis, Hingham
Season At-A-Glance: This has been a storybook season for the Flyers. Their seniors stuck around for one last ride and as a result, the team is reaching new heights in the Super 8 era, including the trophy from the Cahoon Cup. They are the only Super 8 team who can boast that they defeated the top-seeded Eagles and they are one of the top offenses in the field as well.
Key Players: The offense for the Flyers is paced by Michael Tersoni and Will Trischitta who lead the team in scoring. The first line for the Flyers has been dynamic all season long, one of the best in the state: they play with pace and look to transition the puck at a moment’s notice. The team doesn’t just succeed with one line as there is balanced scoring from additional upperclassmen including Robbie Lopez, PJ Conzo and Brian Tosi. Any game that plays like a track meet with suit the Flyers just fine, but this will be the toughest test they have faced to date.
Playing Style: Transition, speed, attack.
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6. Austin Prep
Record: 14-4-3 (.738 winning percentage, 70 GF, 21 GA)
Quality Wins: St. Mary’s Lynn (2), Hingham, Duxbury
Notable Losses: Pope Francis (2), Arlington, BC High
Season At-A-Glance: For a long stretch of this season, the Cougars were the top team in the state. They were undefeated for a long stretch in the early going, and won the Christie Serino Xmas Classic in the process. As the season wore on, the schedule got a little tougher and their overall record slipped, going a combined 3-3-1 in their last seven. But don’t let those results fool you as this team is a top contender, even with four losses.
Key Players: This team’s anchor is its goaltender, stellar senior Robbie Farrell who sports an otherworldly save percentage of .943 and a GAA of 1.23. He has been a difference maker this season for the Cougars, but of course he doesn’t do it alone. The team defense is solid as well, lead by senior captain Evan Rago and well-rounded junior 2002 Will Cohen, another top MAHS defender. They are able to quickly push the puck up to the speedsters to create transition. Speaking of which, it’s hard to ignore the season captain Max Pineo is having by attacking the net, leading the team in scoring by a healthy margin. Don’t sleep on rising sophomore Joe Solimine who possesses some silky hands and can put the puck in the net. Good goaltending can carry you far in this tournament…
Playing Style: Crafty, anticipation, goaltending.
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7. Duxbury
Record: 18-4-0 (.818 winning percentage, 70 GF, 28 GA)
Quality Wins: Marshfield, Xaverian
Notable Losses: Hingham (2), Austin Prep
Season At-A-Glance: This team has the most wins of any team in the field, interestingly enough, including a Championship in the Island Creek Oyster Cup. Simply put, they won nearly all of the games on their schedule, and quite likely the main reason they were seeded in this position was because their schedule included a number of Division 2 teams. They win against two of the teams vying for the final two spots in the Super 8 which bodes well for their success early in the tournament.
Key Players: This team doesn’t come down to one player: they play as a unit. They are well-disciplined and have quality players at every position. The biggest buzzworthy player on the team is goaltender Nate Romanelli, who doubles as the team captain and collectively Duxbury has held opponents to 1.27 goals per game. The team’s scoring balance is well established: from senior co-captains Ben Cheney and Jake Brennan on the front lines to offensive defenseman Jack Venturelli. This team has the goaltending to make the Super 8 past the play-in games and the ability to stay even-keeled with the highs and the lows.
Playing Style: Disciplined, accountable, toughness.
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Record: 16-5-1 (.750 winning percentage, 77 GF, 33 GA)
Quality Wins: Tied Pope Francis at Cardinal Classic
Notable Losses: Austin Prep (2), Hingham, BC High
Season At-A-Glance: The Spartans were one of the top contenders all season long but struggled a bit down the stretch going 3-3-1 in their final seven. They did not fare quite as well against the Super 8 field as the teams above them on the list but they were very good in their conference and will not be easy to play against on Monday.
Key Players: The squad is led by senior captain Colin Reddy who is a point-per-game scorer and sets the tone for the team with his aggressive play. He doesn’t contribute along as fellow seniors Nick Napolitano and Damon Maribito have also chipped in nicely to balance out the scoring. Defensively this is a mobile team from the blue line, led by stud freshman Davis Kinne in addition to senior captain and nimble big man Kyle Ouellette. The goaltending has also been strong as junior Joe Purtell sports an excellent .936 save percentage on a whopping 500 SOG in 32 games! If they continue to stay aggressive, they will be hard to contain.
Playing Style: Athletic, slippery, aggressive.
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9. Marshfield
Record: 13-5-2 (.700 winning percentage, 72 GF, 23 GA)
Quality Wins: Xaverian, defeated Framingham in a SO
Notable Losses: Xaverian, Hingham, Duxbury, Arlington
Season At-A-Glance: Put together a quality season playing out of Atlantic Coast League, and swept the season going 8-0 in league play. As you can see from the results above, they have quality wins against top teams, but also their fair share of defeats as well. Most importantly, they are able to hold opponents off the scoreboard thanks to their goaltending and that keeps them in every game.
Key Players: This discussion has to begin with star senior Jack Gatie, one of the top goaltenders in this field. He has been a stonewall for the Rams with a .929 save percentage and an excellent 1.34 GAA. Offensively, the team is led by senior scorer Paul Rorke who dropped in more than a point-per-game. His points were supplemented by senior forward Sean Kennedy and junior forward Tim Doyle. On defense, senior Kevin Buckley and junior Charlie Kolar both added 10+ points apiece to balance the scoring. This team is great at making winning plays: they will block shots, make good stick plays, and they are good on special teams. Nobody will want to run into Gatie in any matchup and this team is about as disciplined as you will find in the state.
Playing Style: Selfless, dependable, goaltending.
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10. Xaverian
Record: 12-6-2 (.650 winning percentage, 68 GF, 48 GA)
Quality Wins: Marshfield
Notable Losses: BC High (2), Duxbury, Marshfield, Framingham
Season At-A-Glance: Has continued to make a positive progression over the past couple of seasons. Last year they had improved but not quite far enough to earn Super 8 consideration, and now it’s all coming together. Clearly they have the fewest wins and the most losses in the field, but they are a dangerous team, don’t sell them short. They have power and speed plus plenty of scoring ability. Regardless of their past losses to top contenders, they will not be easy to knock off.
Key Players: It’s hard to ignore senior power forward Josh Barton who led the team in scoring on the year with 17 goals in 20 games. The next two scorers on the list are threats in their own right: speedster Matty Ryan and wingman Ryan Pomposelli who each dropped in 25+ points. Don’t sleep on junior Eric Wainwright or sophomore Robbie Barletta, both of whom add depth on the scoresheet. Defensively senior Matt Joyce is great in transition and leads the group as the PP quarterback. In goal there was a split between two seniors: James Herring and AJ Scott, both of whom posted at least one shutout on the season. This will be an intriguing Super 8 for the Hawks because many of these players will be new to these bright lights.
Playing Style: Athletic, quickness, anticipation.
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Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images
