By Mike Gurnis
Well, we’re inching closer to another high school ice hockey season.
Practices open on Monday, and the first games for the MCSSIHL are set for Thursday, December 3.
Some league news- Mendham and West Morris will be a co-op this season after being approved over the summer by the state, and with West Morris set to join the Mennen Division (which Mendham already was in), that co-op will play in the top division. There will only be six teams in the Mennen Division this season (the other two divisions will have seven). Here’s a sentence I never expected to write: Morris Knolls-Hills is moving from the Mennen Division to the Halvorsen.
Here is the divisional alignment for the 2026-27 season.
MENNEN DIVISION
Chatham
KJS United (Kinnelon-Jefferson-Sparta)
Morristown
Morristown-Beard
Randolph
West Morris-Mendham
HALVORSEN DIVISION
Bernards-Somerville-Middlesex
Madison
Montville
Morris Knolls-Hills (moved from Mennen)
Mount Olive-Hopatcong-Hackettstown
Park Regional (Whippany Park-Hanover Park)
Parsippany Regional (moved from Haas-Charette)
HAAS-CHARETTE DIVISION
Gill St. Bernard’s
High Point-Wallkill Valley-Kittatinny
Morris Catholic-St. Elizabeth-Newark Academy
Mountain Lakes-Boonton
Newton-Lenape Valley
Roxbury (moved from Halvorsen)
Vernon
I’ll have more on the season and my plans for coverage in the coming days.
E-mail Mike Gurnis at michaelgurnis@gmail.com
