Breaking down the brackets: MIAA releases high school softball state tournament matchups
On Wednesday, the MIAA released the high school softball tournament pairings (plus baseball, boys and girls lacrosse).
On the softball field, the South Shore will send 22 teams to the state tournament. Archbishop Williams (No. 5 in Division 4) and Middleboro (No. 6 in Div. 3) earned the highest seeds among locals. Both have unfinished business from last spring. The Bishops lost in the state quarterfinals while the Sachems reached the state finals.
Bridgewater-Raynham (No. 8 in Div. 1) and Silver Lake (No. 8 in Div. 2) also earned top-10 seeds.
More: State crowns up for grabs: South Shore high school softball top 10 rankings
Divisions 2 and 3 have the most local flavor, with six teams qualifying in each bracket. Div. 1 and 4 are represented by four schools apiece. Carver and Holbrook are the lone Div. 5 locals.
Division 1
The Field
1. Central Catholic
2. King Philip Regional
3. Taunton
4. Wachusett Regional
5. Peabody Veterans
6. Lincoln-Sudbury
7. Bishop Feehan
8. Bridgewater-Raynham (17-3)
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9. Methuen
10. Attleboro
11. Woburn Memorial
12. Saint Paul Diocesan
13. North Andover
14. Westford Academy
15. Chelmsford
16. Arlington
17. Reading Memorial
18. Hingham (18-2)
19. Franklin
20. Newton South
21. Marshfield (14-6)
22. Doherty Memorial
23. Andover
24. New Bedford
25. Natick
26. Braintree (11-9)
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27. Lexington
28. Milford
29. Concord-Carlisle
30. Shrewsbury
31. Needham
32. Beverly
33. Framingham
34. Everett
35. Wellesley
36. Boston Latin
37. Medford
38. Lynn Classical
39. Lynn English
Bracket Breakdown
State champ prediction: Taunton
Best first-round game: No. 18 Hingham at No. 15 Chelmsford
Upset pick: No. 21 Marshfield over No. 12 Saint Paul
Who do the South Shore locals play?
Prelim: No. 39 Lynn English at No. 26 Braintree
No. 25 Natick at No. 8 Bridgewater-Raynham
No. 21 Marshfield at No. 12 Saint Paul
No. 18 Hingham at No. 15 Chelmsford
Favorite, contender or underdog?
No. 8 Bridgewater-Raynham - CONTENDER - The Trojans always seem to go on a deep tournament run and this team has a ton of talent. B-R ended the season with a walk-off win over No. 2 King Philip, so this group is riding high entering the tournament.
No. 18 Hingham - CONTENDER - No. 34 Everett and the Harborwmen boast glistening records of 18-2, but the power rankings didn't show them much love. Hingham is one of the top offenses around, so don't be surprised when if this team wins a game or two. No. 2 King Philip is likely looming in the Sweet 16.
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No. 21 Marshfield - UNDERDOG - The Rams have a young team, so any tournament experience is good in the long run. Marshfield at Saint Paul is one of the more intriguing first-round matchups.
No. 26 Braintree - UNDERDOG - The Wamps ended the season on a 1-4 stretch, but if Braintree can play like it did during an 8-1 stretch earlier in the spring they'll be a tough out.
Division 2
The Field
1. Westfield
2. Billerica Memorial
3. Tewksbury Memorial
4. Burlington
5. North Attleborough
6. Walpole
7. Somerset Berkley Reg.
8. Silver Lake Regional (18-2)
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9. Grafton
10. Leominster
11. Bedford
12. Nashoba Regional
13. Agawam
14. Dartmouth
15. East Longmeadow
16. Wakefield Memorial
17. Wilmington
18. Ludlow
19. Danvers
20. Shepherd Hill Regional
21. Minnechaug
22. Westborough
23. Masconomet Regional
24. Milton (7-9)
25. Oliver Ames (9-11)
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26. Westwood
27. Holliston
28. Norwood
29. Pembroke (12-8)
30. Stoughton (9-11)
31. Dracut
32. Plymouth North (11-9)
33. Longmeadow
34. Notre Dame Academy in Hingham (11-7)
35. Marlborough
36. Plymouth South (10-8)
37. Amherst-Pelham Reg.
38. Holyoke
39. Nauset Regional
40. HS of Commerce
Bracket Breakdown
State champ prediction: Silver Lake
Best first-round game: Prelim: No. 36 Plymouth South at No. 29 Pembroke
Upset pick: No. 20 Shepherd over No. 13 Agawam
Who do the South Shore locals play?
Prelim: No. 33 Longmeadow at No. 32 Plymouth North
Prelim: No. 40 High School of Commerce at No. 25 Oliver Ames
Prelim: No. 36 Plymouth South at No. 29 Pembroke
Prelim: No. 35 Marlborough at No. 30 Stoughton
Prelim: No. 34 Notre Dame Academy at No. 31 Dracut
No. 40 Commerce/No. 25 Oliver Ames winner at No. 8 Silver Lake
Favorite, contender or underdog?
No. 8 Silver Lake - CONTENDER - The Lakers were the best team on the South Shore this season and have a mix of everything. Even with the most wins in the bracket (tied with No. 2 Billerica), the Lakers are better than their seed.
No. 25 Oliver Ames - UNDERDOG - The Tigers have had a great season, but they received a tough draw in the tournament.
No. 29 Pembroke - UNDERDOG - The preliminary round game against Plymouth South should be a great. Those two teams split two close games during the regular season.
No. 30 Stoughton - UNDERDOG - It came down to a few decimal points, but the Black Knights got in at 9-11. The Hockomock League is home to some of the best softball teams in the state, so don't overlook this bunch.
No. 32 Plymouth North- UNDERDOG - If the Blue Eagles can get past Longmeadow, No. 1 Westfield awaits.
No. 34 Notre Dame Academy - UNDERDOG - Despite having a significantly better record than No. 31 Dracut (3-17), the Cougars (11-7) are on the road in their opener.
No. 36 Plymouth South - UNDERDOG - The prelim against Pembroke should be a fun one.
Division 3 (updated)
The Field
1. St. Mary's
2. Dighton-Rehoboth
3. Hudson
4. Norton
5. Pittsfield
6. Middleboro (16-4)
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7. Triton Regional
8. North Reading
9. Bishop Fenwick
10. Greater New Bedford
11. Pentucket Regional
12. Apponequet Regional
13. Gloucester
14. Medway
15. Newburyport
16. Bishop Stang
17. Dedham
18. East Bridgewater (14-6)
19. Foxborough
20. Medfield
21. Montachusett RVT
22. Arlington Catholic
23. Tantasqua Regional
24. Lowell Catholic
25. Oakmont Regional
26. Essex North Shore
27. Hanover (14-6)
28. Cardinal Spellman (13-10)
29. Fitchburg
30. Southeastern (10-1)
31. Saugus
32. Norwell (10-8)
33. Sturgis East
34. Bristol-Plymouth
35. Greater Lawrence Tech
36. Dennis-Yarmouth
37. O'Bryant
38. Cristo Rey
Bracket Breakdown
State champ prediction: Middleboro
Best first-round game: No. 18 East Bridgewater at No. 15 Newburyport
Upset pick: No. 18 East Bridgewater over No. 15 Newburyport
Who do the South Shore locals play?
Prelim: No. 33 Sturgis East at No. 32 Norwell
Prelim: No. 35 Greater Lawrence Tech at No. 30 Southeastern
Prelim: No. 37 O'Bryant at No. 28 Cardinal Spellman
Prelim: No. 38 Cristo Rey at No. 27 Hanover
No. 18 East Bridgewater at No. 15 Newburyport
No. 38 Cristo Rey/No. 27 Hanover winner at No. 6 Middleboro
Favorite, contender or underdog?
No. 6 Middleboro - FAVORITE - The Sachems have unfinished business after losing in the state finals last season. Looking at the power ratings, this might be the division with the most state-title contenders.
No. 18 East Bridgewater - CONTENDER - Maggie Schlossberg will give the Vikings a fighting chance against anybody.
No. 27 Hanover - UNDERDOG - The Hawks are a young bunch that can score runs, but No. 6 Middleboro is a tough draw if they can advance past the prelim. Still, this is an intriguing opening-round game between two teams that have a lost of history.
No. 30 Southeastern - UNDERDOG - Julie Chisholm gives the Hawks a chance to win most nights, but No. 3 Hudson is a tough matchup if they can advance past the prelim.
No. 32 Norwell - UNDERDOG - If the Clippers can get past Sturgis East, No. 1 St. Mary's looms large.
Division 4
The Field
1. Joseph Case
2. Hampshire Regional
3. Clinton
4. Tyngsborough
5. Archbishop Williams (17-5)
6. Easthampton
7. Amesbury
8. Uxbridge
9. Notre Dame (Worcester
10. Millbury
11. Nipmuc Regional
12. Wahconah Regional,
13. Abington (13-7)
14. Blackstone Valley RVT
15. Tri-County RVT
16. Advanced Math & Science
17. Northbridge
18. Bay Path RVT
19. Seekonk
20. Whittier RVT
21. Littleton
22. South Hadley
23. Malden Catholic
24. Lynnfield
25. Lunenburg
26. Monument Mountain
27. Monomoy
28. Blackstone-Millville
29. Quabbin Regional
30. Manchester Essex
31. Wareham
32. Pope Francis
33. Cohasset (8-8)
34. Brighton
35. Rising Tide (8-6)
Bracket Breakdown
State champ prediction: Archbishop Williams
Best first-round game: No. 20 Whittier at No. 13 Abington
Upset pick: Prelim: No. 33 Cohasset over No. 32 Pope Francis
Who do the South Shore locals play?
Prelim: No. 33 Cohasset at No. 32 Pope Francis
Prelim: No. 35 Rising Tide at No. 30 Manchester-Essex
No. 20 Whittier at No. 13 Abington
No. 28 Blackstone-Millville at No. 5 Archbishop Williams
Favorite, contender or underdog?
No. 5 Archbishop Williams - FAVORITE - Shelby Parr and Jill Ondrick form a tough 1-2 punch in the circle. The Bishops are looking to go a little deeper after reaching the Elite Eight last spring.
No. 13 Abington - CONTENDER - At their best, the Green Wave can knock anybody off. Whittier (17-3) is a tough first-round matchup.
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No. 33 Cohasset - UNDERDOG - The Skippers have reset the standard for a once struggling program. A tournament win would be another massive step forward.
No. 35 Rising Tide - UNDERDOG - The road is never easy for the lowest-seeded team in the field.
Division 5
The Field
1. Greenfield
2. Mount Greylock Reg.
3. Turners Falls
4. Tahanto Regional
5. West Boylston
6. Taconic
7. Hopkins Academy
8. Drury
9. Westfield Technical Acad.
10. Maynard
11. Franklin County Tech
12. Millis
13. Hopedale
14. Mount Everett Regional
15. Frontier Regional
16. Lee
17. Georgetown
18. Monson
19. Lenox Memorial
20. McCann Tech
21. Narragansett Regional
22. Bourne
23. St. Mary Parish (Westfield)
24. Oxford
25. Mohawk Trail Regional
26. Academy of Notre Dame
27. Hoosac Valley
28. Ayer Shirley
29. Minuteman Regional
30. Bristol County Agricultural
31. Carver (9-11)
32. Saint Bernard’s
33. Holbrook (12-4)
34. Saint Joseph Prep
35. Norfolk County Agricultural
36. Pathfinder RVT
37. Springfield Int'l Charter
38. Nashoba Valley Tech
39. Mystic Valley Reg. Charter
40. Tech Boston Academy
41. Salem Academy Charter
42. Fenway
43. New Mission
44. Atlantis Charter
45. Boston Collegiate Charter
46. Pioneer Char. Of Science I
47. Comm. Charter of Cambridge
Bracket Breakdown
State champ prediction: Turners Falls
Best first-round game: Prelim: No. 34 Saint Joseph Prep at No. 31 Carver
Upset pick: Prelim: No. 33 Holbrook over No. 32 Saint Bernard's
Who do the South Shore locals play?
Prelim: No. 34 Saint Joseph Prep at No. 31 Carver
Prelim: No. 33 Holbrook at No. 32 Saint Bernard's
Favorite, contender or underdog?
No. 31 Carver - UNDERDOG - The Crusaders play some tough competition in the South Shore League, so they won't be overmatched.
No. 33 Holbrook - UNDERDOG - The Bulldogs had a stellar season going 12-4. If they can advance past the prelims, No. 1 Greenfield awaits.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: MIAA high school softball state tournament pairings
