Wait 'til next year: South Shore high school boys hockey rankings

The South Shore didn't claim any state championships in boys hockey this winter, but it wasn't from a lacking of trying.

Hanover won a thriller in double-overtime in the semifinals to advance to the Division 4 title game at TD Garden, although the Hawks fell short against Dover-Sherborn/Weston, losing 5-1.

Duxbury made it to the Division 2 semifinals for a third straight season, but the Dragons again were denied in a 2-0 loss to underdog-turned-eventual champ Boston Latin.

Meanwhile, Hingham (Division 1), Marshfield (Division 1), Scituate (Division 3), Pembroke (Division 3) and Norwell (Division 4) made it to their respective quarterfinals.

More: WHERE WE LEFT OFF: Title contenders gear up for home stretch: Boys hockey Top 10 ranking

More: WHERE WE STARTED: Title chases kick off again: First boys hockey top 10 ranking of the season

Here's our final top 10 ranking for the season. Final record and previous ranking in parenthesis.

On the bubble: Weymouth (10-12-1), Braintree (9-12-1), Plymouth North (11-8-3), Whitman-Hanson (11-9-2), Oliver Ames (11-9-1), Middleboro (14-8-0)

10. Norwell (17-6-1, 7)

The Clippers could not go back-to-back in Division 4, although they gave it a good shot, losing 2-1 to Hanover in the quarterfinals. Personnel losses loom large as Norwell will graduate leading scorer/four-year starter Nolan Petrucelli (22 goals, 27 assists, 49 points) and star defenseman Aedan Coyle. Petrucelli centered the No. 1 line, and Coyle was a mainstay on special teams. Still, the Clippers have a history of reloading and getting after it again the next winter. Expect more of the same in 2024-25.

9. Pembroke (13-6-4, 9)

Good news for the Titans: Standout goalie Kyle Ready was just a junior this season. He earned the decision in every game, posting a 1.78 goals-against average with 7 shutouts and was a huge reason Pembroke made it to the Elite 8 in Division 3, losing 4-1 to eventual finalist and top seed Nauset. Coach Chris Googins said Ready "single-handedly makes everyone around him better." Pembroke was on an 8-2-1 hot streak before the Nauset loss with the only defeats coming against Hanover (1-0) and Div. 1 power Marshfield (2-1 in OT).

8. BC High (10-11-1, bubble)

The Eagles made it to the Division 1 Round of 16 as a No. 14 seed, clobbering No. 19 Andover, 5-0, in the first round before losing 2-1 to archrival No. 3 Catholic Memorial. According to the MIAA power ranking formula, BC High played the second-toughest schedule in the state, behind only CM. Senior forward Tommy Halloran (Milton) will be a big loss, but junior captain Brendan McCarthy (Hanover) is a nice building block; a Catholic Conference All-Star, he led the team in assists and usually matched up against the opponents' top line.

7. Scituate (17-6-2, 5)

The road to a Division 3 state crown goes through the Sailors – literally. Scituate has lost to the eventual champ three straight seasons: Hanover (2022 semifinals), Nashoba (2023 final) and Marblehead (2024 quarterfinals). The Sailors will bid farewell to all-time leading scorer James Sullivan, who had 22 goals and 28 assists this season. Defenseman Dylan Richman (3 goals, 16 assists) and forward Johnny Donahue (7 goals, 17 assists) also will graduate, but forwards Luke Ryan (14 goals, 19 assists) and Nate Sannella (12 goals, 17 assists) will be back.

More: Comeback comes up short: Two early goals leave Scituate boys hockey at a loss in Elite 8

6. Hanover (15-10-0, bubble)

The Hawks soared up our rankings based on a great finishing kick. Sitting at 9-8 after a 5-0 loss to Scituate on Feb. 7, Hanover hit its stride, winning two of its last three regular-season games and then, as a No. 6 seed in Division 4, ripping off four playoff victories – over No. 27 Saint Bernard's, No. 11 Old Rochester, No. 3 Norwell and No. 10 Stoneham – to make it to the Garden again for the state final. The Hawks are brimming with young talent, including sophomore Cam Melone (12 goals, 14 assists) and junior goalie Thomas Perkins (2.36 GAA, .912 save percentage).

5. Canton (16-5-2, 4)

A 4-2 upset loss to No. 15 Masconomet in the Round of 16 prevented the second-seeded Bulldogs from defending their Division 2 state crown. Still, there was a lot to like about their season overall, which included an 8-0-1 start and OT wins over Division 1 power Hingham (officially a tie) and Division 2 No. 5 seed Newburyport. Senior forward Brendan Tourgee (15 goals, 15 assists) will be a big loss, along with senior defenseman Matt Anderson (4 goals, 12 assists). Junior Travis Thomas (8 goals, 16 assists) will be a focal point next season.

4. Duxbury (13-9-4, bubble)

The Dragons have been agonizingly close to the Garden for three straight seasons, falling in the semifinals in 2022 (Tewksbury in 2 OTs), 2023 (Canton) and 2024 (Boston Latin). Like Scituate, those last three playoff losses all came against the eventual state champ, which is some consolation. Duxbury closed the regular season with one-goal losses to Archies and Hingham at the Buddy Ferreira Classic and then beat No. 23 Oliver Ames, No. 26 Malden Catholic and No. 15 Masconomet in the playoffs. Graduation will hit hard, claiming, among others, defenseman Michael Hussey (4 goals, 20 assists), playoff hero Brady Walsh (15 goals) and Chris Gillis (16 goals).

3. Archbishop Williams (16-5-1, 1)

The Bishops were our No. 1 team heading into the playoffs, but they were upset (and outplayed) by No. 28 Weymouth in a 2-0 first-round loss in Division 1 . Still, Archies' regular-season resume was strong, highlighted by wins over Canton, Duxbury and Reading; that last one came in the final of the prestigious Buddy Ferreira Classic in Falmouth. Junior center Finn Kelly (27 goals, 17 assists) was the Catholic Central League MVP and the Buddy Ferreira MVP. He'll play an even bigger role next season with the losses of Ben Sylvester (14 goals), Casey Kelley (10 goals) and CCL Defensive Player of the Year Justin Watson.

More: Grunt work: Pembroke's Deminico has been the 'glue' for Archbishop Williams boys hockey

2. Marshfield (18-4-3, 3)

Don't get Rams coach Dan Connolly started on shootouts; he's not a fan of the format , especially after watching the Rams' season end in a skills competition against Arlington Catholic in the Division 1 quarterfinals. Marshfield, a No. 10 seed, deserved a better fate at the end of a campaign that included high-profile wins over Pembroke, Duxbury, Hanover, Arlington (No. 6 seed in Division 1) and Tewksbury (Division 2 runner-up). The Rams won the Patriot League Keenan crown and the prestigious Ed Burns Coffee Pot Tournament. Graduation will subtract Tommy Carroll (10 goals, 16 assists), Teddy Devoe (21 goals, 19 assists) and goalie Kevin Murphy (14-3-3, 1.17 GAA, .933 save percentage).

1. Hingham (15-8-2, 2)

More: 'They gave everything': Hingham hockey bows to juggernaut St. John's Prep in Elite Eight

The No. 8 Harbormen fell to top seed/eventual Division 1 state champ St. John's Prep, 3-0, in the quarterfinals after starting their playoff run with wins over No. 25 Burlington and No. 24 Braintree. Their regular season featured wins over Prep (3-2 back in December), Marshfield and Duxbury, plus one-goal losses to fellow Division 1 powerhouses Catholic Memorial, Xaverian, Arlington and Reading. Hingham also tied Canton, 4-4. Job No. 1 next season will be replacing the combined production of departing seniors Paul Dzavik (18 goals, 10 assists) and Travis Rugg (10 goals, 19 assists in just 18 games). Sophomore Cam McKenna (14 goals, 6 assists) will be key there.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Wait 'til next year: South Shore high school boys hockey rankings