Beyond the Scoresheet

Dropping the puck on 2010-11

November 28, 2010 on 2:05 pm | In analysis | Comments Off on Dropping the puck on 2010-11

I’ve posted the standard information for 2010-11, linked above. The breakdown of team schedules by division is available by clicking here. I turned in my HNIB Preview in mid-November, and it should be available in local rinks some time during the first two weeks of the season. As always, pre-season rankings are really inexact, but here’s what I went with:

1. Delbarton (27-1)
2. St. Augustine Prep (14-7-2)
3. CBA (22-3)
4. Don Bosco Prep (10-12-3)
5. Seton Hall Prep (12-9)
6. Gloucester Catholic (15-4-2)
7. Morristown-Beard (17-7-2)
8. Randolph (14-8-4)
9. Toms River South (25-2-2)
10. Middletown South (16-6-2)

When I have a choice, I don’t rank any teams until two weeks into the season, but HNIB requires a preseason ranking, so there you go. Let the debating begin.

I’ve also gone over enrollment figures from the NJSIAA and determined what I expect to be the Public A/B splits for the 2011 state tournaments. I came up with 106 public schools playing varsity hockey this year, so there should be 53 eligible on each side. Here are changes from last year’s alignment, most notably South Jersey powers Middletown South and Brick Township dropping down to Public B, where they should immediately be among the favorites:

UP from Public B to Public A
Lawrence (new co-op with Ewing)
Ocean Township (new co-op with Shore Regional)
Wayne Valley 1,080
Freehold Boro 1,078
Wall 1,056

Mount Olive 1,050
(UPDATED with Law co-op, Mount Olive stays Public B)

DOWN from Public A to Public B
Millburn 1,044
Middletown South 1,031
Brick Township 1,029
Wayne Hills 999

If you note any inconsistencies or mistakes in any documents or the enrollment breakdowns, please send an email to jty [at] njhockey.org.