During the div, players watch 1-2 boys ’hockey season – the Boston Herald

While the structure of all high school sports has been revolutionized this year by a reorganization and a new MIAA state-wide tournament format, there is nowhere more drastic change than in boys ’hockey, especially at the top where the elimination of Super 8 and extensive reorganization are starting. dramatically different landscape Div. 1 and 2.

Will Div. 1 return to the call of the Catholic Conference? There is certainly no shortage of CC teams that could lift the trophy, starting with defending league champion Xaverian. The Hawks will return five stars of the series to elderly Nolan Dion (Babson), Braden O’Hara, Jack Silva, Max Lockwood and Aiden Rodriguez from the team that ended the 53-year championship drought.

They have a lot of competition with traditional forces. BC High brings back strong first-line senior Aidan McDonnell, junior Ryan Flaherty and sophomore James Marshall. The Catholic Memorial is the league’s most successful goalkeeper in Dom Walecca, while St. John’s Prep should also be behind the duo of senior Pierce Blaeser and junior Aidan Holland.

Catholic Central Large should also be mature with competitors. Archbishop Williams almost led the table last winter, but is young this year under new coach Chris Cunningham and is building a senior around Jackson Sylvester. This opens the door for St. Mary’s, with junior Brady Bullock and senior goalkeeper Owen Giangrande, and Austin Prep, junior Drew Thibodeau and freshman phenomenon Jacob Duval.

Independent Hingham leads a public group led by parents Bobby Falvey and junior Aidan Brazel. The previously independent Marshfield should be strong when joining the Patriot League.

Middlesex Liberty is again a dog fight. Arlington graduated with just three players from a team that placed strongly last winter and can rely on seniors Reid Malateta, Matt Allesse, Mike Dunning and Brendan Flynn, all of whom participated in the 2019 Super 8 championship. Belmont should be with them for the first year under new bench boss Tim Foley, senior goalkeeper Ryan Griffin and junior Cam Fici, and Reading, Winchester and Woburn could also get into the mix.

Braintree, star junior striker Nolan Leonard, appears to be in the Bay State Conference class, while Franklin has senior sniper Dylan Marchand as Hockomock Kelley-Rex’s favorite.

Waltham was unbeaten at DCL last year, Central Catholic did almost the same trick at MVC, and they will return to compete against each other this winter as the leagues return to join forces. Lincoln-Sudbury, Div. 2 juggernuts in MVC-DCL, jump Div. 1 and he has horses to compete right away with senior Brendan Quinn and junior Frank DeTraglia.

After all the movement and petitions, Div. There are only 40 teams in 2, by far the smallest of the four divisions. But it has added some heavy attackers from above, like Newburyport, Walpole and Melrose, all of whom can make a lot of noise on the rack.

Canton is in a ridiculous 48-1-5 series in the last three seasons, winning the last two divisions. 2 state crowns (with one LS in 2020) and the figures are again a threat to seniors Sean Connolly and Eamon Kelly.

One of the main Div. The two rulers who could overthrow them are Tewksbury, fed by seniors Caden Connors and Jason Cooke, and Norwood, who has already made a statement this winter by winning the Gormley Cup behind the great performances of parents Myles Kidd and junior Kevin Broderick.

Gloucester boasts one of the division’s best talents, senior Jack Costanzo, who has already crossed the 100-point mark but is facing a fierce battle in the NEC with Masconomet and Marblehead.

The division also gets an extra kick from below, as it’s interesting to see how programs like Lowell, Newton South, Hopkinton, Dartmouth, Somerset Berkley and Somerville have either achieved excellent campaigns or have had historical success at Div. 3, the price will rise to the level.

DIV. 1-2 PLAYERS TO WATCH

DIV. 1

Brady Bullock, Junior Forward, St. Mary’s (L)
Nolan Dion, senior defender, Xaverian
Jacob Duval, Freshman Forward, Austin Prep
Bobby Falvey, senior defender, Hingham
Ryan Flaherty, junior striker, BC High
Ryan Griffin, senior goalkeeper, Belmont
Aidan Holland, junior defender, St. John’s Prep
Nolan Leonard, senior striker, Braintree
Reid Malatesta, senior striker, Arlington
Dylan Marchand, senior striker, Franklin
Evan Parente, Senior Forward, St. John’s (S)
Jack Perry, senior goalkeeper, Waltham
Brendan Quinn, senior striker, Lincoln-Sudbury
Nick Sourestis, senior striker, Marshfield
Dom Walecka, senior goalkeeper, Catholic monument

DIV. 2

Max Aguiar, senior striker, Somerset Berkley
Nathan Cohen, senior striker, Newton South
Sean Connolly, senior striker, Guangzhou
Caden Connors, senior defender, Tewksbury
Jack Costanzo, senior striker, Gloucester
JC Frates, senior striker, Dartmouth
Jon Groth, senior striker, Newburyport
Declan Hunter, senior striker, Walpole
Aidan Jalbert, senior defender, Marblehead
Myles Kidd, senior striker, Norwood
Nik Kojoian, senior striker, North Attleboro
Kevin Norwood, senior striker, Plymouth North
Colin Pickett, junior striker, Lowell
AJ Sacco, sophomore Forward, Masconomet
Matt Solari, senior striker, Whitman-Hanson