New England Hockey Journal - December 2015 - 39

Kimball Union

Coach: Tim Whitehead
2014-15 record: 26-7-1, lost to Salisbury in
Stuart/Corkery semifinals
Players to watch: Patrick Shea, sr., F; Ben Finkelstein, sr., D; Elijah Harris, sr., G; Jack Griffin, sr., F; Sean
Thomson, jr., D; Roope Hirvonen, soph., F
Outlook: The Wildcats won the Lakes Region
League last year and kept right on going, upsetting
top-seeded Phillips Exeter on the road in the Stuart/
Corkery quarterfinals. They graduated several of their
top offensive players but do have good production back
with Maine commit Shea (19-20-39), St. Lawrence
commit Finkelstein (7-19-26) and Jack Doherty (11-1829). Harris (Brown) is an asset in net.

New Hampton

Coach: Casey Kesselring
2014-15 record: 14-20-4
Players to watch: Jakov Novak, F; Josh PopeFerguson, F; Luke Albert, D; Jacob Burhans, G
Outlook: The Huskies return three defenseman
and two goalies from last year's team, which finished
third in the league and lost to KUA in the league final.
The defense should be improved with the addition
of junior Max Osborne and postgrads Kaleb Godbout,
Chris Hopkins and John Elworthy. Burhans finished
strong last year and will be pushed by junior Thomas
McLarnon.
Replacing five of top six forwards will be a challenge for New Hampton.

Proctor

Coach: Mike Walsh
2014-15 record: 13-14-1, lost to St. Mark's in
Piatelli/Simmons semifinals
Players to watch: Jake Pappalardo, sr., F; Reilly
Walsh, jr., D; Jack Scannell, PG, F; Owen Kuhns, PG, D;
Matt Slick, jr., D; Nate Reilly, jr., D; Jack Hall, sr., F; Tate
Singleton, jr., F; Ryan King, soph., F
Outlook: Proctor returns a good core from a New
England playoff team that was ousted in the final
seconds by eventual champion St. Mark's, 5-4, in the
Piatelli/Simmons semifinals, and boasts two of the
league's brightest stars in Pappalardo (Maine commit)
and Walsh (Harvard).
The defense looks solid and some new faces will be
blended in up front. In goal, incumbent senior Connor
Simpson will be challenged by new Finnish prospect
Ville Laasonen.

Tilton

Coach: Brooks McQuade
2014-15 record: 15-15-3, lost to Rivers in
Piatelli/Simmons quarterfinals
Players to watch: Zach Frament, sr., D; Justin
Robertson, sr., F
Outlook: After reaching the Piatelli/Simmons
semifinals in 2013 and the quarterfinals last year,
Tilton could face a challenge after graduating its top
four scorers.
It has a new coach in McQuade, who spent the
previous six years on the staff as an assistant and was

promoted when coach Pat Norton took the head job at
Tufts University.

Vermont Academy

Coach: Chris Davidson
2014-15 record: 19-13-3 lost to Westminster in
Piatelli/Simmons quarterfinals
Players to watch: Houston Wilson, sr., F; Will
Riedell, sr., D
Outlook: Vermont reached the postseason a year
ago, getting outclassed by Westminster, 8-0, with a
lineup that included 10 seniors and postgrads, so it
will feature several new faces in new places as it looks
to repeat that success. One of the known quantities is
Wilson, who put up a monster 24-28-52 scoring line
during his junior season.

FOUNdERS
LEAgUE
Avon Old Farms

Coach: John Gardner
2014-15: 14-12
Players to watch: Patrick Harper, F; Jamie
Armstrong, F; Adam Karashik, D; Matt Allen, F; Jake
Witkowski, F; Tyler Madden, F; Ben Mirageas, D;
Brandon Schellin, G
Outlook: Avon looks to overcome the loss of
Providence commit Chase Zieky, the team's leading

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scorer a year ago and now a member of the BCHL's
Salmon Arm SilverBacks. Gardner considers Boston
University-bound Harper one of New England's
top players and returns other commits Armstrong
(Northeastern), Madden (Colorado College) and
Mirages (Providence). Witkowski was a strong forward
at Massachusetts power Malden Catholic and is joining
Avon as a postgraduate.

Choate

Coach: Pat Dennehy
2014-15 record: 18-7-3
Players to watch: Henry Marshall, F; Brendan
Less, D; Alex Kolowrat, F; Jack Hoey, F; Brendan
Murphy, F; Eric Linell, F; Bobby Goggin, F; Billy Overby,
D; Craig Uyeno, D; Faisal Al-Saif, D; Alex Mostovoi, D;
Albie Austin, D
Outlook: Choate lost the Large School semifinal
to Brooks last year, but Dennehy believes his team has
the talent to be competitive again. Seniors Marshall
and Less, the team's offensive leaders, are respectively
committed to Colgate and Dartmouth. Dennehy
expects sophomore Al-Saif and seniors Mostovoi and
Austin to be a factor on the blue line.

deerfield Academy

Coach: Brendan Creagh
2014-15 record: 4-19-3
Players to watch: Andrew Hadley, Thomas
Dale, Brendan O'Connell, Tommy Craft, Justin Marler,
Courtney Morgan and Francois Laflamme
Outlook: Last season the Deerfield Academy

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December 2015

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New England Hockey Journal - December 2015

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