Plenty of big names grace the Independent School League, from Michael Swirbalus to Hayden Cheek to Alex Gainey and more. But, there’s so much talent in the top prep league in New England that it’s hard to mention everyone.
Now a couple of weeks into the season, some players have gotten less notoriety overall that have gotten off to tremendous starts. We take a look at some of the more impressive starts to the season from unranked ISL players who bode watching for the rest of the season.
Will Zink
Nobles & Greenough
With the third most goals in the league, Zink has emerged as one of the top offensive players in the ISL this season. Zink has tallied 17 goals and 11 assists for the second highest point total in the league. The junior attacker is also at the top of the chart with 4.67 points per contest.
Peter Burnes
Rivers School
The senior attacker is tied for third in the ISL with 27 points, just a point behind Zink and fellow Nobles’ scorer Hayden Cheek. Burnes has tallied 10 times and his 17 assists are the second most in the league, just behind the astounding 25 from Zink. The Natick native recently tallied four assists in a win for Rivers.
Brian Piatelli
St. Sebastian’s
The Arrows are a powerhouse, as a squad that gets national recognition, and Piatelli has been their leader on attack. The junior leads the ISL in points with 33, a five-point margin with Zink between first and second, Piatelli has tallied just eight goals, but it’s the 25 assists number that stands out and has him at the top of the scoring table.
Nathan Laliberte
Governor’s Academy
Laliberte came to Governor’s by way of Pinkerton in New Hampshire, and through three games, he’s been unstoppable from the faceoff dot. He won all 15 draws in the first game of the year before going 19-20 in the second, and he won 22 of the 26 draws he took in the third game of the season. He was a tremendous addition to the Govs, who are one of the favorites in the ISL.
Peter Pickard
St Sebastian’s
Pickard’s 18 goals are the second most in the league. He’s worked tremendously with Piatelli to lead the most dynamic offense of any ISL squad. Pickard has also notched seven assists, and he often takes passes from Piatelli before finishing them as tallies for the Arrows. The Connecticut College recruit doesn’t always get the credit for their offense, but he’s on the verge of a huge season.
Patrick Daly
Tabor Academy
The senior has notched an even 10 goals and 10 assists to lead Tabor as their top scorer. His 20 points overall are are tied for sixth in the ISL. A Villanova commit, Daly has been a big part of Tabor’s integration into the ISL this season. The Boxford native has been good for a long time, but now in the ISL spotlight, he’s looking to do something special.
Tommy Miller
Rivers School
The top scoring sophomore in the ISL this season has burst onto the scene this season with 12 points, all of them goals. The nature scorer has started in the midfield, making an impact on Rivers from the get go. The sophomore from Weston scored three times in Rivers’ win on Saturday.
Pat Mahoney
Rivers School
The Rivers goalie has saved 61 percent of shots that have come this way this season. With over 111 minutes in the cage, Mahoney has made 70 stops, the most of any goalie in the ISL. The junior has allowed just 44 goals.
