As the Prep calendar heads into February games have more and more playoff implicatoins. This past week we saw several teams move up and down and a few teams added to the poll in Dexter and Exeter. Week #7 is setting up to be the best week yet with all ranked teams and honorable mentions (aside from Avon) playing a playoff contender for some matchups with major implications.
NZ Prep Poll Top 10
1. Kimball Union
2. Avon Old Farms
3. Belmont Hill
4. Brunswick
5. Salisbury
6. Cushing
7. Holderness
8. St. Sebastian’s
9. Dexter
10. Exeter
Honorable Mentions: Pomfret, NMH and St. George’s
- Kimball Union: Another impressive week for the Wildcats defeating #10 Exeter and Lakes Region rival Tilton by a 9-3 margin. KUA has now won 8 straight and averaged an impressive 6 goals per game during that stretch. They have their toughest week of the season coming up against #7 Holderness School, honorable mention NMH and Lakes Region foe New Hampton.
- Avon Old Farms: The Winged Beavers are nipping at KUA’s heels having lost just one game this season and coming off a week where they beat two talented teams in Loomis and Westminster on the road. They are on a 7-game win streak where they have allowed just 8 goals during that stretch. They have just one game scheduled for this upcoming week which will be a rematch against a deep Westminster squad.
- Belmont Hill: Belmont Hill is the only undefeated team left in prep hockey with just one win this week after a game was cancelled. They continue to show their impressive defensive game allowing just 1 goal or less in 10 of their 13 games this season. They are currently riding a 6-game win streak and will face Lawrence, Andover and Rivers this upcoming week.
- Brunswick: They had just one game scheduled this week vs. NEPSIHA opponents but it was postponed but they’ll have a big test upcoming this week where they’ll face #5 Salisbury, Lawrenceville and Albany Academy. The Salisbury matchup has been selected as the “Game of the Week.”
- Salisbury: The Knights continue to climb the rankings and may very well be the team to beat down the stretch as they have won their last 6 games and beating good teams handedly. This upcoming week is their toughest yet as they’ll face #4 Brunswick, Trinity Pawling and #6 Cushing Academy; all games that are
- Cushing: The Penguins fell quite a bit after a loss to Exeter and a tie to NMH this week. Both of those teams are quality opponents but with a less challenging schedule than many teams ranked above them, loses are magnified. They play Hoosac and Vermont Academy this week and cap it off against #6 Salisbury which will be a big time game to prove where Cushing stands in the playoff hunt.
- Holderness: The Bulls looked liked their ranking was going to slip after being down 3-1 entering the third period against New Hampton (who is Holderness’ only loss on the season) but they came back to score three unanswered goals and win the game 4-3. They are on a 6-game win streak scoring 5.67 goals per game in that period. They have the toughest week of their season where they’ll face #10 Exeter on Wednesday and #1 KUA on Saturday; the results of those two contests will have major playoff implications for this one-loss team.
- St. Sebastians: The Arrows had a tough loss this week to Nobles & Greenough but rebounded well with a 6-4 win over Thayer. They are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and their wins earlier in the season against Portsmouth Abbey and Exeter are looking better and better as the season goes on. They have two tough matchups this week against Milton and St. Marks which will both have playoff implications.
- Dexter: Dexter was a team earlier in the season that we had as a potential Elite 8 contender but they had a one month stretch from mid December to mid January where they want 4-3-1 over 8 games. Since then they are on a 5-game winning streak. They have two worthy opponents this week in surging Pomfret and Andover Academy; both teams making their debuts on the honorable mention list.
- Exeter: Exeter is making their debut in the NZ Prep Poll after a rocky start going 1-3-1 heading into Christmas break. Since then they are 6-1-0 in the last 7 games with their only loss coming against #1 KUA and wins over quality teams Andover, Tabor and #6 Cushing. They have three games this week starting off against #7 Holderness then Brooks and Tilton.
Honorable Mentions
Pomfret is a team on the rise who are 7-1-1 over the last 9 games scoring an average of 4.67 goals per game. They have Dexter upcoming this week which will be a big game against a ranked opponent. NMH has spent much of the season on the honorable mention list and have gone 3-1-2 in the last 6 games with their sole loss coming against #2 ranked Avon and a tie against #6 Cushing. They face #1 KUA this week as well as Wyoming Seminary and Vermont Academy. Since losing their opening game of the season to Thayer, St. Georges has gone 9-2-2 in the last 13 games including wins over St. Marks and Rivers and a tie to Pomfret. They lost this last week to Portsmouth Abbey but Portsmouth Abbey is also a 10-win team and will be a playoff contender down the stretch.
Upcoming Game of the Week:
Monday, January 31st #4 Brunswick vs. #5 Salisbury
Other Key Matchups:
1/31 Portsmouth Abbey vs. St. Georges
2/2 #7 Holderness vs. #10 Exeter
2/2 NMH vs. #1 KUA
2/2 Pomfret vs. #9 Dexter
2/4 #1 KUA vs. #7 Holderness
2/4 Andover vs. #3 Belmont Hill
2/5 #5 Salisbury vs. #6 Cushing
2/5 St Marks vs. #8 St. Sebastian’s