On our next HoopWise Podcast episode that’s coming out this week, we forecasted the NEPSAC playoff picture a month out from the start of the postseason. It made me realize something: There’s great parity across the classes.
Some of the region’s top teams – like Newman, Cushing and New Hampton – are established, perennial powers, schools that appear in these rankings every week. But in our second year of covering NEPSAC, it’s been notable to see the new teams emerging as playoff contenders. Cheshire, Winchendon and MacDuffie are programs that did not make last season’s playoffs, but are firmly in this year’s mix and have made frequent appearances in these rankings.
It stretches to Class A, where Deerfield, Nobles, Phillips Andover, Suffield and Hotchkiss are among the teams that didn’t make last season’s playoffs but are at the top of this year’s standings. It makes sense in several respects. Championship contending teams typically have strong senior cores and rebuild with new and younger rosters the next year, allowing other teams to step into the spotlight with their cores. That’s the cycle of life, but it’s cool to watch in real time.
There are no new teams in this week’s Top 10, but Bridgton made a huge leap after a big week that included a signature win. Let’s get to the rankings.
