March 9, 2010
Tradition to go around
Prep season offers new look at prestigious programs
by Ian B. Murphy/
While public schools — and some private schools — vie for state titles, New England’s prep schools have their own tradition, a rich history of some of the best school battles in the country, playing for some of the oldest and most prestigious league titles in the country.
Here are how some key races shape up, and the schools that will likely finish the year among the region’s best, starting with the boys teams:
Independent School League
The ISL finished in a three-way tie last year, with the Rivers School, Middlesex Academy and Governor’s Academy all finishing 14-1. The three teams lost once to each other, like a rock-paper-scissors tournament. All three teams said goodbye to senior All-American midfielders; Middlesex graduated ISL Player of the Year David Lawson, Rivers lost Steven Manning, and Governor’s lost Blake Riley.
But Governor’s also graduated 11 other players last season, and will need younger players to step up. Middlesex will miss Lawson, but young gun Wit Vivian can pick up some scoring slack.
The Rivers School looks to have the most left in the tank, with the scoring tandem of John Fitzgerald and Jordan Greenfield — committed to Syracuse and Fairfield respectively — back for their senior years.
One team to watch is St. Sebastian; the Arrows lost to the top three teams by a combined four goals last season, and Shaun Stanton’s team returns standout midfielder Peter Burke.
Western New England Division I
Deerfield Academy will look to stay on top of the league after finishing 15-1 in 2009; the team graduated 15 seniors from last season, but has 17 seniors slated to fill the gaps this season. Deerfield’s only loss came at the hands of Salisbury, which will again challenge for the league title.
Salisbury will miss All-American Cameron Flint at midfield, but has a solid foundation with returning All-American James Faus in the cage for another year.
Avon Old Farms’ offense will feature four of the top seven scorers in the league this year, according to opposing coaches, with standouts like Connor Mooney and Josh Dionne anchoring the Winged Beavers attack.
Expect a bounce-back year for perennial contender Loomis Chaffee, which had a surprisingly hard 4-12 season in 2009 after legendary coach Jim Wilson retired.
Western New England Division II and III
Berkshire School is unbeaten in Division II play over the last two years, while matching up against the region’s top schools in non-division competition. The Bears return defensive stalwart and All-American Kevin Sullivan, and look to remain on top of D-II.
Chase Collegiate has not lost a Division III game in two years, but will be forced to defend its title without All-American attackman George Miller.
New England North
Brewster Academy has been the team to beat in New England North for the last two years, but lost All-American midfielder Alejandro Brown and four-year goalie Nate Billings. The team will rely on a stout defense — led by three seniors in brothers Breck and Riley Merritt, and Mitchell Chapman — in an effort to retain its crown.
Kimball Union Academy defeated Brewster last season and won the Lakes Region League, but graduated All-American attackman Cody Danforth. Like Brewster, Kimball Union will rely on its defense, and active long-poles like Franklin Boswell-Taylor, to keep pace.
Gould Academy, meanwhile, may be the league’s up-and-coming program; Gould lost All-American attackman Max Littlefield to graduation, but has senior leadership on defense and at goalie for its 2010 campaign.
Eastern Independent League
The Pingree School will try to repeat its success — a 17-4 record and EIL crown in ’09 — without All-American attackman Matt MacDonald and nine other graduated seniors. Berwick Academy, meanwhile, has had three straight seasons with 12 wins.
Independent
Phillips Exeter Academy is always a team to watch; they’ve lost All-Amercian defenseman Matt Callahan, but bring back All-American midfielder Eric Slingerland to a team that finished 11-4 last season.
Girls
Prep school action for girls should be every bit as hotly contested as the boys. Here’s a look at the league title contenders:
Independent School League
Noble and Greenough School has lost just one game in the last three years, an overtime affair against Buckingham Browne and Nichols (BB&N) last season. This season the Bulldogs must contend without defensive stalwart and All-American Lauren Martin, and seven other graduating seniors. Nobles looks for the scoring attack of Kerrin Smith, Holly Foster and Denna Laing to boost the team towards another ISL title.
Nipping at Nobles’ heels is Thayer Academy, which lost only two games against New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) schools last year and finished with 13 wins. The Tigers lost Dartmouth recruits Kelsey Johnson and Ellie Clayton, but return All-American Mallory Collins to lead the attack.
St. George’s made major strides last season finishing 15-3, and while they said goodbye to midfield All-American Maddie Carrellas, their other midfield standout Sydney Mas is back to anchor the Dragons’ transition game. The Brooks School, 9-5 last year, also returns major talent.
Eastern Independent League
The EIL does not appear to be as deep for girls this year as some of the other prep leagues. The one team likely to make noise and build on a growing reputation is Pingree Academy, which finished 13-4 last season to win the league title. Pingree must replace All-American midfielder Michaela Colbert and team captain Haley Thompson, but the squad lost just five seniors total, and has a deep group of rising seniors and juniors to step up and fill the gaps.
Founders League
Loomis Chaffee finished 14-1 last season, undefeated in the Founders League for the second straight year, and was ranked by Laxpower as the top prep team in New England.
Hotchkiss School, 11-4 in 2009, miss graduated senior midfielder Heather Marrison, but has an embarrassment of riches at goalie, with both All-American Michelle Burt and steady senior Caitlin Cataldo ready to go in net.
Choate Rosemary Hall, coming off a 9-6 season, also will be in the mix, led by senior midfielder Ashley Rinere.
Other prep standouts
Suffield Academy finished 15-2 last season, and returns Alyssa Palomba in goal and Mary Mitchell at midfield. Greenwich Academy could have a tough time repeating its 18-2 season from 2009, having lost three All-Americans.
Deerfield Academy played one of the toughest schedules in New England last season, finishing 9-5, but it looks ready to break out behind returning All-Americans Madeline Keeshan and Samantha Weinstein.
Williston Northampton (see box) has not lost a game in two seasons and finished 11-0 last year, but lost two of the team’s all-time scorers in senior captains Katie Palasz and Katie Pettengill to graduation.
Meanwhile, New Hampton graduated just three seniors and will try to use its returning depth to improve on a 9-5 record; Kayla Wagner, a dynamic attack/midfielder, will provide scoring and leadership. λ
