Eastern Massachusetts Division 3 Boys Poll
| Rank | Team | W | L | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hanover | 6 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2 | Cohasset | 8 | 2 | 0 | |
| 3 | Wayland | 4 | 2 | 0 | |
| 4 | Bedford | 5 | 1 | 0 | |
| 5 | Northeast | 5 | 1 | 0 | |
| 6 | Lynn | 4 | 1 | 1 | |
| 7 | Ashland | 4 | 1 | 2 | |
| 8 | Watertown | 4 | 1 | 2 | |
| 9 | Rockland | 5 | 2 | 1 | |
| 10 | Cape Tech/Cape Cod Acad. | 6 | 0 | 1 |
* Updated 1/6/14
So here’s the thing: Each team in our Dec. 29 poll has lost since then.
Sure, it wasn’t a heavy sampling of games due to the holidays and the major snowstorm that crushed Eastern Mass. But the fact is, all of our top-10 teams – except one – either lost or tied a game in between.
That’s why we’ve bumped Cohasset (2-1 during the week) out of the top spot this week and are giving it to the team that didn’t drop a game during the week and looked pretty good in the process.
Hanover went 2-0 and improved to 6-1 with wins over Division 2 Quincy (2-0) and Abington (10-3). Since losing to Cohasset, 6-3, Dec. 15, Hanover is a perfect 5-0 and has averaged nearly six goals in those wins. The team is getting a bulk of its scoring from Matt McDougall (6-3-9), Drew Caldwell (6-4-10), Pat Nevins (4-7-11) and Mitch Beard (4-7-11).
We’re not booting Cohasset too far down the poll and are giving the Skippers the No. 2 slot this week. They do have the most wins in Eastern Mass. heading into the week with eight and, despite falling to Abington, 5-3, on New Year’s Day, did come back for a pair of wins over Hull/Middleboro (4-2) and Mashpee/Upper Cape Tech (11-1). Terence Doonan has 11 goals and nine assists, and Cole Joslin (7-8-15) and Chris Cohen (2-12-14) are also hot. Doonan also recently cracked the 100-career point plateau.
Wayland bumps up six slots to No. 3 by virtue of its 3-1 win over Bedford. It was a huge Merrimack Valley/Dual County Division 3 win for Wayland, which sits on top of that league at 3-0-0.
Bedford went 1-1 over the week, exacting revenge over the team that beat it in the North finals one year ago, Swampscott, in a 4-2 victory at the Edge Center in Bedford. But Bedford lost to Wayland, 3-1, the following night. Brendan Flynn and Ethan Miller each have five goals for Bedford.
Northeast Regional out of Wakefield looks good so far and stays at No. 5. A loss to Shawsheen hurts them in the Commonwealth Athletic Conference, but they bounced right back with a 5-2 win over league rival Rockport/Manchester Essex.
Lynn hasn’t slipped too much. Despite a 7-4 loss to Northeast in the final of the Lynn Christmas Tournament Dec. 28, the Jets came right back to beat Swampscott, 4-2, on the road Jan. 4. Tony Uva and Mark Brazell have been the 1-2 punch with eight goals apiece.
Ashland is 3-0-1 since losing to Medfield, 5-1, Dec. 18. They blanked East Boston, 5-0, and started the New Year with a morale booster – a 1-1 tie with Division 2 powerhouse Medway Jan. 4.
You gotta love the efforts over in Watertown, where the Red Raiders still look strong with a 4-1-2 mark. Most impressive was the team’s 1-1 tie with defending Division 1 State Champion Burlington Jan. 4 at home.
Rockland and Cape Tech/Cape Cod Academy close out this week’s poll at No. 9 and No. 10, respectively.
Rockland lost to Hanover, 5-2, Dec. 28 but came roaring back with a 5-2 win over Dartmouth and a 7-1 triumph over Mashpee/Upper Cape Tech. Colin Sheehan and Shawn Kane each have seven goals for Rockland.
The No. 10 team, CT/CCA, is actually the only remaining undefeated team in Eastern Mass., but we’ve considered their light schedule thus far in putting them last in our top-10 poll. It should be noted they’ve outscored their foes, 51-18, and have three seven-goal scorers: Cole Therrien, Caleb Dalterio and Dan Crossen.
