Each week of the 2021-22 season, The Morris-Sussex Hockey Report will honor its Three Stars of the Week. We will also have our rankings of the Top 5 teams in the area. You can find out who made the cut this week below.
NOTE: This edition of 3 stars of the week only accounts for games which took place from Dec. 13-19.
THREE STARS OF THE WEEK
Charlie Guida, Morristown-Beard, F/D, Sr.
Guida had a big week for Morristown-Beard, which picked up a critical four points in a pair of third period rallies to knock off Randolph and Chatham. He amassed five points (1 goal, 4 assists), which included the game-tying goal in the third period to help his team rally for a 6-3 win over Randolph on Wednesday, in which his team scored five third-period goals. He followed that up by burying the game-winner with 1:19 remaining to lift his team to a 3-1 win over Chatham on Friday. He had a goal and two assists in that game, and between those two wins, he was involved in all but one of his team’s goals.
Aidan Marvin, Morris Knolls-Hills, G, Jr.
Marvin may get overlooked for playing behind a team which has averaged over five goals per game in the early part of the season, but when called upon, the junior has risen to the challenge so far this winter. He has an impressive .963 save percentage for undefeated Morris Knolls-Hills, and stopped 22 of 23 against Chatham before stopping 17 of 18 in a win over KJS United during last week’s games.
Alex Steinberg, Gill St. Bernard’s, G, Sr.
The senior absolutely stood on his head in his team’s first two games of the year. He had an impressive 48-save effort in a 3-1 loss to West Morris last Thursday, before turning around the next night with a 29-save shutout in a 0-0 tie with Bernards-Somerville-Middlesex. While this edition of three stars only accounts for last week’s games, it is worth noting that he continued his strong play on Tuesday with a 19-save shutout win against Morris Catholic-St. Elizabeth.
Players cannot make this list two weeks in a row.
To nominate players for the Three Stars of the Week, coaches are asked to e-mail Mike Gurnis at michaelgurnis@gmail.com by 12 p.m. each Saturday.
TOP 5 RANKINGS
1-Delbarton (6-1-1)
Last week: 1
The Green Wave remain in the top spot after shutout wins over Seton Hall Prep and St. Augustine, with a hard-fought 2-1 loss to Don Bosco Prep sandwiched in between the two. It has a big contest with Morristown-Beard slated for next Tuesday at Mennen Arena.
2-Morris Knolls-Hills (7-0)
Last week: 2
Morris Knolls-Hills continued its hot start to the season with wins over Chatham, Kinnelon-Jefferson-Sparta, and Mountain Lakes-Boonton to open the year at 7-0 overall. It sits all alone in first place in the Mennen Division with a perfect 4-0 record, having played half of its divisional games already. It has a busy week ahead, with games against rival Randolph on Thursday, followed by two games in the Ice Vault Holiday Classic against Middletown South and Livingston next week.
3-Pope John (2-2-3)
Last week: 3
Pope John suffered a 6-1 loss to the No. 1-ranked team in New Jersey in Christian Brothers, before earning a 2-2 tie against St. Augustine. Up next, it will face Pingry on Dec. 27.
4-Morristown (5-1-2)
Last week: 4
Morristown topped Mountain Lakes-Boonton, 5-0, before suffering its first loss of the season to Gov. Livingston-New Providence, a 2-0 defeat on Friday. It bounced back with a 6-2 win over Madison and a 2-2 tie against Chatham. It faces KJS United on Thursday, before taking on Middletown North next week.
5-Morristown-Beard (5-3)
Last week: 5
After a difficult 5-2 loss to a strong Westfield squad, the Crimson rebounded with a pair of hard-fought wins over Mennen rivals Randolph and Chatham to improve to 5-3. After a pair of cancellations took out potential games against public powers in Ridge and Rumson-Fair Haven, Morristown-Beard is set to take on Delbarton in a big game at Mennen Arena on Dec. 28.
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