READFIELD — There’s nothing “junior” about this group — not on this stage, anyway.

Kents Hill is off to a hot start in its first season of Class A boys hockey under the Maine Principals’ Association banner. That continued Tuesday as the Huskies notched a 7-3 victory over Cony at Bonnefond Ice Arena.

“It’s been a good experience for us,” said Mathis Moreau, a junior forward from Quebec. “It’s fast hockey, and it’s intense. It’s been fun to play against them and have a good start to the season.”

Prior to this season, Kents Hill had a junior varsity team in addition to its varsity team that plays against the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council competition. Now, the JV team is essentially a second varsity team playing against Maine high school.

Moreau was one of six scorers for Kents Hill on Tuesday as the Huskies. Alex Gadbois had two goals, while Oliver Majesky, Hazen Mitchell, Antoine Morin and Nathan Roy also had a goal each. Cooper Clark scored twice and Connor Callahan once for Cony. 

After struggling to schedule games at the prep level in the past — particularly last winter — Kents Hill’s JV team joined the MPA ranks this winter. The Huskies (4-1) are participating in Class A, where they have already taken on powerhouses such as Thornton Academy and Falmouth.

So far, it’s been a success. Kents Hill entered Tuesday with wins over Class A Thornton and Class B contender Camden Hills, as well as Marshwood. The latest win came against a Cony team that returned significant talent from last year’s 14-6 squad.

“The boys are working, and we’re coming along,” Huskies coach Bill Desmarais said. “The kids move the puck really well, and you can see there’s a lot of skill. Are we there yet? No, of course not, but we’re better than we were on Day 1, and we keep getting better every day.”

It’s understandable why Kents Hill might be more of a work in progress than their new MPA foes. While some of their opponents have played together since their youth, all but two of the Huskies are newcomers this year. Those players hail from all over, from Maine to Canada to Czechia to South Korea.

Yet the team chemistry, Moreau said, has been excellent for a group of players that had to come together fast. The team is also motivated by a chance to compete for a state championship, a reward that wasn’t there for past JV teams.

“It gives the kids something to play for,” Desmarais said. “It gives them that chance to go for a state title versus a JV schedule, where you’re just playing games to play games. Now, when you play a game, there’s a reason you’re playing the game, so the sense to win and the will to win is there now.”

While Kents Hill’s collection of international and out-of-state players may not have ties to Maine, they’re just as hungry to win a state title. Moreau and Majesky mentioned the chance to play for a state championship multiple times following Tuesday’s win.

Cony/Gardiner/Hall-Dale/Winthrop/Maranacook/Richmond/Erskine coach Jared Mills talks to players before a game against Kents Hill on Tuesday in Readfield. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

“We’re hoping to win states, and we’re going for that title,” Majesky said. “(Playing MPA hockey) has been a lot of fun; it’s been a great chance for us to get better. I think we’re going to have a lot of fun this season.”

Tuesday’s game was Kents Hill’s last before it goes on a three-week break until Jan. 8. Its players will leave campus and head home. The Huskies will be tested in the new year with rematches against Thornton and Falmouth as well as Lewiston (twice), Messalonskee and St. Dominic Academy.

For Cony, Tuesday’s game was the first under coach Dan Foster, who took over the program after Doug Dieuveuil resigned as head coach Friday. Dieuveuil coached the Rams last season as well as in their first game this year, an 11-0 win over Winslow/Gardiner/Waterville on Dec. 5.

“We kept three of the same assistant coaches, so we’ve kept some consistency, and I think (the kids) are responding fine,” Foster said of the coaching change. “Tonight, we had moments and controlled the puck for quite a bit, but we’ve got to stay out of the box. Penalties hurt us tonight.”