ESPNBoston.com's boys hockey Top 25

Updated: March 28, 2012, 6:31 PM ET
ESPNBoston.com Staff

Below is our 2011 top 25 MIAA hockey poll, as selected by our panel of staff writers and correspondents. (Updated 3/28)

Team Name Last year's record Last year's
ranking 		Notes
1. Malden Catholic (20-1-4) 1 How fitting was it that Mike Iovanna, wearing No. 5, scored the game-winner for the Lancers in their quest to deliver a second straight title for Chris Serino?
2. BC High (13-7-5) 4 The Eagles played the way they needed to in order to have a chance at beating MC in the title game. Just couldn't finish it off. Another tremendous season for netminder Peter Cronin (2.00 GAA).
3. St. John's Prep (16-6-2) 3 The player that the Eagles might miss even more than all-everything power forward Sam Kurker is netminder David Letarte, who's been an absolute rock during the last three years.
4. Central Catholic (15-5-5) 7 If Raiders forward Mike Kelleher performs next year as he did during the Super 8 tournament, he would be among the handful of best forwards in the state and Central should be right back in the thick of things.
5. St. Mary's (Lynn) (19-3-3) 7 Great run for senior captains Nikko Markham and Brendan Mageary. Theoretically, all that separated the Spartans and Central was a shootout, for whatever that's worth. Got a great nucleus coming back with Bailey MacBurnie in net and Jarrod Fitzpatrick, Bobby Mullins and Cam O'Neill up front.
6. Hingham (17-6-2) 3 The Harbormen lose a lot to graduation between James Gordon, Matt Hughes, Ryan Linehan and Patrick Mannion, plus Nolan Driscoll, Pat Cahill and Noah Ellis on D. If there's anybody who can find a way to get the team back to this stage, however, it's Tony Messina. Last year was a prime example.
7. Burlington (18-2-6) 10 The Division 1 state champions were perhaps our favorite team to watch this season, bringing plenty of speed to the rink every night. Credit the Red Devils, too, for bouncing back from the Super 8 play-in loss and refocusing in the North tournament.
8. Springfield Cathedral (10-9-6) 6 We're still sick to our stomachs thinking about how the Panthers went out in the most unnatural of circumstances on the final Sunday of Super 8 pool play. Fortunately we're going best-of-three next year.
9. St. John's (Shrewsbury) (16-7-3) 12 The Pioneers represented well, silencing those doubters who believed they didn't belong at the Super 8 table. If for nothing else, it was fun watching Kevin Emmerling and Vin D'Amato operate night after night.
10. Wakefield (12-7-6) 24 Following their loss in the D1 North final, Warriors head coach Derek Edgerly couldn't say enough about senior captains Joe Cerulo and Kevin Doherty -- rightfully so. Of course, the Red Sea also finished No. 1 in our postseason fan-section poll.
11. Acton-Boxborough (12-9-2) NR The Colonials' "surprise" D1 North run only underscored in our minds how deep the DCL/MVC Div. 1 competition was this year. Said it before but it deems repeating, Peter Sikalis might have been the most underrated talent in the state this year.
12. Milton (19-4-3) NR The Wildcats simply ran into a buzzsaw at the Garden in Burlington, but great season nonetheless by Paul Noonan and Co. running through the Bay State League gamut in D1 South.
13. Catholic Memorial (7-9-3) 9 This is the point in the poll when we duck underneath the desk. Again, name us a team past this spot you truly believe would beat this one.
14. Wilmington (16-4-5) NR The show Cam Owens put on during the Div. 2 state final at the Garden might have been the best performance we saw all postseason. Amazing.
15. Westford Academy (13-5-4) 17 The Grey Ghosts lose a lot from this year's squad, but junior Ian Speliotis and sophomore Jay Drapeau will keep them in the hunt in the next couple seasons.
16. Chelmsford (15-7-2) 22 The Lions will also keep their bite heading into next season with Tommy Bishop (17-38-55) and netminder Derek Noble (1.90 GAA) back.
17. Natick (11-9-4) NR Anybody who said they had the Red & Blue pegged for the D1 South final would be a liar. That being said, the way this team galvanized around fallen teammate Justin Bailey was the story of the year. Great coaching job by Karl Infanger.
18. Norwood (15-4-4) 15 As long as Jordan Davis (1.56 GAA) is between the pipes for the Mustangs, they'll be just fine.
19. Woburn (13-6-4) 14 The Tanners will be set offensively with juniors Jared Baker and Joe Connors (9-14-23) and a couple of talented freshmen in the Baldino twins, Christian and Nick.
20. Austin Prep (11-7-4) 19 Junior forward Nolan Vesey (16-22-38) had a very solid season that flew under the radar a bit.
21. Braintree (14-7-3) NR The Wamps' run to the D1 South semifinals just goes to show again that you'd be hard pressed to find a better defensively coached team than a David Fasano squad in any given year.
22. Reading (12-5-6) 11 The Rockets were shown the door in the first round of the D1 North tournament, but they lose just seven seniors from this year's squad, meaning they're built for the years ahead.
23. Winthrop (15-7-2) NR Said it once, and we'll say it again: Some college out there is going to get a mighty fine player in Chris Leblanc (24-22-46).
24. Franklin (19-3-3) NR Can't say enough about the job done by Coach of the Year Chris Spillane. Sophomore goaltender Mike Donadio (1.64 GAA) will keep the Panthers in plenty of games in the coming years.
25. North Andover (16-5-4) NR Joel Daccord (1.53 GAA) had a very impressive run of two-plus games without surrendering a goal in the D2 North tournament before running into Wilmington in the semis. He's a big reason why the Scarlet Knights will be among our favorites in D2 next year.
Last 10 Out: Arlington Catholic (10-8-4), Boston Latin (15-3-4), Falmouth (12-6-5), Groton-Dunstable (22-0-1), Hudson (23-1-1), Lynnfield (18-4-1), Marshfield (18-3-2), Needham (16-6-1), Saugus (13-8-3), Winchester (11-8-4).

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