NEPSAC boys next 10: As parity reigns supreme, who just missed our poll?

Max Daigle and Avon Old Farms haven't lost in six games. (Courtesy photo)

This past week, I asked two different NEPSAC coaches if they’d ever seen a season like this.

I was referring, of course, to the remarkable parity that has defined this campaign — top teams drawing over and over again, the gap between the traditional powerhouses and the rest of New England appearing razor-thin.

Both gave me a version of the same answer: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it.”

As more and more teams build impressive resumés, our weekly top 10 poll feels less and less sufficient. There are certainly more than 10 teams worth talking about across New England right now, and I’d argue a good number of squads that didn’t make our top 10 still have a very realistic shot at qualifying for the inaugural Open tournament.

NEPSAC BOYS TOP 10: A wild season gets wilder

Accordingly, let’s return to a story we last ran during the preseason: our NEPSAC boys next 10. For all intents and purposes, this is the second half of a larger top 20 we’ve identified after the first month (or so) of play. Nearly every team in our next 10 that has played an opponent(s) from our top 10 has been competitive. Many have even gotten results.

The story of the campaign thus far has been the strength of New England’s second tier. So let’s rank it: