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.
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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
