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Breaking down the brackets: MIAA releases boys lacrosse state tournament field

The South Shore will be represented by 25 teams in the MIAA high school boys lacrosse state tournament.

Cohasset (Division 4) and Norwell (Div. 3) were the area's teams to earn a No. 1 seed. The Clippers are the area's lone team trying to defend a 2022 state title.

BC High (No. 2), Hingham (No. 5) and Marshfield (No. 10) are all in the top 10 in Div. 1.

Div. 2 has the most local flare, with a whopping nine teams in the field. Duxbury (No. 3) and Scituate (No. 6) are the highest-ranked teams in that bracket. Div. 4 has eight teams, with Abington (No. 5) joining in Cohasset in the top 10.

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Division 1

The Field

1. St. John's Prep

2. Boston College High (16-2)

3. Acton-Boxborough

4. Franklin

5. Hingham (17-2)

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6. Lincoln-Sudbury

7. Xaverian Brothers

8. North Andover

9. Catholic Memorial

10. Marshfield (14-4)

11. Andover

12. Algonquin

13. Needham

14. Chelmsford

15. Concord-Carlisle

16. Winchester

17. Wellesley

18. Saint John's

19. Westford Academy

20. Natick

21. Bridgewater-Raynham (12-6)

22. Framingham

23. Bishop Feehan

24. Lexington

25. Central Catholic

26. Belmont

27. Brookline

28. Beverly

29. Methuen

30. Newton South

31. Wachusett Regional

32. Barnstable

33. Peabody

34. Lynn Classical

Bracket Breakdown

State champ prediction: No. 2 BC High

Best first-round game: No. 17 Wellesley vs. No. 16 Winchester

Upset pick: No. 21 Bridgewater-Raynham over No. 12 Algonquin

Who do the South Shore locals play?

No. 21 Bridgewater-Raynham at No. 12 Algonquin

No. 28 Beverly at No. 5 Hingham

No. 34 Lynn Classical/No. 31 Wachusett winner at N. 2 BC High

No. 23 Bishop Feehan at No. 10 Marshfield

Favorite, contender or underdog?

BC High - FAVORITE - It seems like St. John's Prep and BC High are on a collision course to meet in the state finals once again, but the road there won't be easy. Potential quarterfinal matchups against either Xaverian or Marshfield are intriguing games.

More: 'Nothing else matters except that last game': BC High lacrosse has eyes set on state title

Hingham - CONTENDER - The Harbormen are right in that mix of state-title contenders. A potential quarterfinal game against No. 4 Franklin might be the best potential game of the state tournament.

Marshfield - CONTENDER - The Rams are one of the youngest teams in the tournament, but as a No. 10 seed they're also one of the most talented.

Bridgewater-Raynham - UNDERDOG - The Trojans are always a tough out in the tournament.

Division 2

The Field

1. Reading Memorial

2. Nauset Regional

3. Duxbury (16-3)

4. Longmeadow

5. Billerica Memorial

6. Scituate (12-8)

7. Marblehead

8. Walpole

9. Mansfield

10. King Philip Regional

11. Minnechaug

12. Burlington

13. Plymouth South (10-8)

14. Westwood

15. Nashoba Regional

16. Sharon

17. Tantasqua Regional

18. Silver Lake Regional (7-9)

19. North Attleborough

20. Canton (11-7)

21. Westfield

22. North Middlesex Reg.

23. Milton (9-9)

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24. Whitman-Hanson (6-11)

25. Masconomet Regional

26. Boston Latin

27. Oliver Ames (10-8)

28. Westborough

29. Hopkinton

30. West Springfield

31. Wakefield Memorial

32. Plymouth North (9-10)

33. Agawam

34. Medford

Bracket Breakdown

State champ prediction: Duxbury

Best first-round game: No. 20 Canton at No. 13 Plymouth South

Upset pick: No. 18 Silver Lake over No. 15 Nashoba (bonus pick: Silver Lake over No. 2 Nauset in the Sweet 16)

Who do the South Shore locals play?

Prelim: No. 33 Agawam at No. 32 Plymouth North

No. 20 Canton at No. 13 Plymouth South

No. 24 Whitman-Hanson at No. 9 Mansfield

No. 27 Oliver Ames at No. 6 Scituate

No. 30 West Springfield at No. 3 Duxbury

No. 23 Milton at No. 10 King Philip

No. 18 Silver Lake at No. 15 Nashoba

Favorite, contender or underdog?

No. 3 Duxbury - FAVORITE - If the Dragons are to avenge last season's heartbreaking state-semifinal loss, it will be hard-earned. Duxbury will have to get through the deepest quadrant in the bracket to reach the state semifinals.

No. 6 Scituate - CONTENDER - The Sailors had a disappointing tournament exit last season, but there's a little less pressure on this year's team. Scituate, which is 4-1 in its last five, is peaking at the right time.

No. 13 Plymouth South - CONTENDER - A first-round game against Canton should be a thriller.

No. 18 Silver Lake - CONTENDER - A one-goal loss to Duxbury shows that the Lakers can play with anybody in this field. Silver Lake is one of the area's most improved teams from the start of the season.

No. 20 Canton - UNDERDOG - When the Bulldogs are on, they're tough to beat. They've had winning streaks of four and five games this season.

No. 23 Milton - UNDERDOG - The Wildcats have been up and down all year. No. 10 King Philip is a tough opponent to open with.

No. 24 Whitman-Hanson - UNDERDOG - The Patriot League has prepared the Panthers for this time of year, but No. 9 Mansfield is no slouch.

No. 27 Oliver Ames - UNDERDOG - The Tigers will try to pull off a stunner against No. 6 Scituate.

No. 32 Plymouth North - UNDERDOG - The Blue Eagles snuck into the tournament and now they're hosting No. 33 Agawam in a prelim. Winner will try to shock No. 1 Reading in the first round.

Division 3

The Field

1. Norwell (14-3)

2. Pentucket Regional

3. Newburyport

4. Grafton

5. Medfield

6. Dracut

7. Falmouth

8. Pope Francis

9. Groton-Dunstable

10. Old Rochester Regional

11. Hanover (6-11)

12. Apponequet Regional

13. Bedford

14. Foxborough

15. Triton Regional

16. Nipmuc Regional

17. Shawsheen Valley Tech

18. Wayland

19. Holliston

20. Essex North Shore

21. Fairhaven

22. Bishop Fenwick

23. East Longmeadow

24. Dighton-Rehoboth

25. Wilmington

26. Pembroke (4-14)

27. Swampscott

28. Arlington Catholic

29. North Reading

30. Ashland

31. Lenox Memorial

32. Bishop Stang

33. Lowell Catholic

34. Auburn

35. Southeastern (12-6)

36. Hoosac Valley

Bracket Breakdown

State champ prediction: No. 1 Norwell

Best first-round game: No. 22 Bishop Fenwick at No. 11 Hanover

Upset pick: No. 23 East Longmeadow over No. 10 Old Rochester Regional

Who do the South Shore locals play?

Prelim: No. 35 Southeastern at No. 30 Ashland

No. 33 Lowell Catholic/No. 32 Bishop Stang winner at No. 1 Norwell

No. 22 Bishop Fenwick at No. 11 Hanover

No. 26 Pembroke at No. 7 Falmouth

Favorite, contender or underdog?

No. 1 Norwell - FAVORITE - The defending state champions have quietly together another great season.

No. 11 Hanover - CONTENDER - The Hawks played one of the toughest schedules in the division and they fared pretty well, so I would ignore the 6-11 record. This is a team I don't think anybody wants to face, despite the record and seed.

No. 26 Pembroke - UNDERDOG - The Titans took their lumps in the Patriot League, so they won't be overwhelmed by anybody in this bracket. Still, it'll be an uphill battle to stun No. 7 Falmouth.

No. 35 Southeastern - UNDERDOG - The preliminary-round game at No. 30 Ashland should be a good one.

Division 4

The Field

1. Cohasset (15-2)

2. Sandwich

3. Dover-Sherborn

4. Weston

5. Abington (14-4)

6. Nantucket

7. Lynnfield

8. Wahconah Regional

9. Ipswich

10. Manchester Essex

11. Rockland (14-4)

12. Littleton

13. Winthrop

14. Assabet Valley RVT

15. Advanced Math & Science 11

16. Old Colony RVT

17. South Hadley

18. Blackstone Valley RVT

19. Archbishop Williams (11-7)

20. Tyngsborough

21. Saint Bernard's

22. Martha's Vineyard Reg.

23. Bourne

24. Whittier RVT

25. Hull (10-6)

26. Hamilton-Wenham

27. Seekonk

28. South Shore Tech (14-4)

29. Monomoy

30. East Bridgewater (8-10)

31. Stoneham

32. Cape Cod Academy

33. Blue Hills (11-7)

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34. Tri-County

35. Pittsfield

36. Minuteman

37. Granby

38. McCann Tech

Bracket Breakdown

State champ prediction: Cohasset

Best first-round game: No. 22 Martha's Vineyard at No. 11 Rockland

Upset pick: No. 19 Archbishop Williams over No. 14 Assabet Valley

Who do the South Shore locals play?

Prelim: No. 33 Blue Hills at No. 32 Cape Cod Academy

Prelim: No. 37 Granby at No. 28 South Shore Tech

Prelim: No. 35 Pittsfield at No. 30 East Bridgewater

No. 33 Blue Hills/No. 32 Cape Cod Academy winner at No. 1 Cohasset

No. 25 Hull at No. 8 Wahconah Regional

No. 37 Granby/No. 28 South Shore Tech winner at No. 5 Abington

No. 19 Archbishop Williams over No. 14 Assabet Valley

No. 22 Martha's Vineyard at No. 11 Rockland

Favorite, contender or underdog?

No. 1 Cohasset - FAVORITE - The Skippers were the only team on the South Shore to earn the top seed in boys lacrosse. It's well deserved and Cohasset has the look of a wagon this spring. I'm sure the Skippers would love a chance to avenge last year's state semifinal heartbreaker to Wahconah. That matchup could happen in the quarterfinals.

No. 5 Abington - CONTENDER - The Green Wave have reached new heights this spring. This is a little bit of unchartered waters for Abington as a contender.

No. 11 Rockland - CONTENDER - Lucas Leander is one of the best players in the state. Teams will have to shut him down to stop the Bulldogs.

No. 19 Archbishop Williams - UNDERDOG - The Bishops are my upset pick in the first round, but No. 3 Dover-Sherborn in a perennial powerhouse.

No. 25 Hull - UNDERDOG - Goalie Sean Walsh gives Hull a fighting chance against anybody.

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No. 28 South Shore Tech - UNDERDOG - At 14-4, the Vikings aren't going to go down without a fight. If they can beat Granby in the prelim, Abington awaits in the first round. Last season, the Green Wave won two competitive games over South Shore Tech.

No. 30 East Bridgewater - UNDERDOG - The Vikings snuck into the tournament at 8-10 and will host No. 35 Pittsfield in the prelim.

No. 33 Blue Hills - UNDERDOG - This is the Warriors first taste of the tournament since 2014. The preliminary-round game at Cape Cod Academy should be a good one.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: MIAA high school boys lacrosse state tournament pairings