Mike Vaughan’s program is not any stranger to the MIAA State Tournament.
Once once more, Mansfield is likely one of the premier contenders to convey residence a state championship because the Hornets enter the Div. 2 match because the No. 5 seed. Courtesy of stars Devaun Sanders and Trevor Foley, Mansfield begins its match run having gained seven straight video games.
“The road doesn’t matter,” Vaughan mentioned. “When you start worrying about that you’re like a fish swimming up water. We really chip away at this one game at a time. It’s fun to look at future matchups and potential rematches, but our focus is right what’s in front of us.”
The Hornets fell in final yr’s ultimate to two-time defending state champion Malden Catholic. The Lancers are the No. 1 seed within the Div. 2 match buoyed by a powerful schedule and famous person Matt Gaffney. A matchup within the state quarterfinals with No. 8 Holyoke could be one to look at. Somerset Berkley and its excessive octane offense enter the match scoring almost 75 factors per recreation. Leominster and No. 3 Pope Francis are threats. The Patriot League tandem of No. 15 Scituate and No. 22 Whitman-Hanson are each able to reaching the state semifinals.
Worcester North took residence the Div. 1 crown a yr in the past and are the odds-on favorites to win it this yr.
Elsewhere, No. 2 Catholic Memorial has freshman star Josiah Adamson however will face both a harmful Needham or Taunton group if it advances previous the primary spherical. Third-seeded Franklin ran by the Hockomock League. No. 4 North Andover has the good thing about expertise having reached the state semifinal a yr together with Boston Herald Dream-Teamer Zach Wolinski. BC High defeated the Rockets and No. 7 Central Catholic down the stretch and was rewarded with two residence video games if it will probably deal with enterprise.
Cambridge, Newton North, and Attleboro are all groups value keeping track of. The Tigers have probably the greatest pure scorers within the match in Teagan Swint.
Charlestown gained the IAABO Board 27 Comcast and Boston City League Tournaments to enter the Div. 3 state match because the group to beat.
Jaylen Hunter-Coleman and Jaylin Williams-Crawford will make Charlestown a troublesome out, however Old Rochester has proven it will probably take down robust competitors by beating the likes of Bourne and Somerset Berkley through the season. No. 3 Pittsfield has sturdy guard play in Nunu Brown and Malachi Perry however may have a troublesome quarterfinal matchup with No. 14 Watertown.
If chalk holds, Norwell and Taconic could be an intriguing state quarterfinal recreation, although the Rangers could also be in for a troublesome matchup with No. 13 Pembroke within the Round of 16.
Wareham must navigate a loaded Div. 4 discipline if it hopes to repeat as state champions.
Along with the Vikings, the opposite prime six seeds are all able to being the final group standing. Second seed Bourne holds a win over Wareham and has guard Leo Andrade together with star forwards Nate Reynolds and Mike Dankert. Monument Mountain enters the postseason undefeated. Millbury holds wins over Div. 2 favourite Malden Catholic and fellow Div. 4 contender Burke. Speaking of the Bulldogs, Jaeden Roberts and Jaeshawn Rogers give them loads of star energy to win a title.
Burke is the one group to defeat No. 5 Manchester-Essex. The Hornets have a powerful inside-out scoring mixture in guard Cade Furse and middle Eddie Chareas. Seventh-seeded Clinton and No. 13 New Heights Charter are each sleepers.
Top seed Hoosac Valley and No. 2 New Mission are the first contenders in Div. 5.
Elsewhere, No. 4 Maynard is not any stranger to the large stage. One group to look at is No. 7 Holbrook. If the Bulldogs maintain serve, a state quarterfinal with the aforementioned Titans would draw curiosity.
DIV. 1
CHAMPION: Worcester North
RUNNER-UP: BC High
SLEEPER: Taunton
FINAL FOUR: Worcester North, Catholic Memorial, BC High, North Andover
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCH: Natick at Waltham
POTENTIAL UPSET: Taunton over Needham
DIV. 2
CHAMPION: Malden Catholic
RUNNER-UP: Leominster
SLEEPER: Whitman-Hanson
FINAL FOUR: Malden Catholic, Leominster, Pope Francis, Somerset Berkley
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCH: Stoughton at Canton
POTENTIAL UPSET: Whitman-Hanson over Burlington
DIV. 3
CHAMPION: Charlestown
RUNNER-UP: Old Rochester
SLEEPER: East Boston
FINAL FOUR: Charlestown, Old Rochester, Pittsfield, Norwell
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCH: Dedham at Apponequet
POTENTIAL UPSET: None
DIV. 4
CHAMPION: Bourne
RUNNER-UP: Wareham
SLEEPER: New Heights Charter
FINAL FOUR: Bourne, Wareham, Manchester-Essex, Burke
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCH: Cathedral/Mystic Valley winner at Monomoy
POTENTIAL UPSET: Carver over Nantucket
DIV. 5
CHAMPION: Hoosac Valley
RUNNER-UP: Holbrook
SLEEPER: Hopedale
FINAL FOUR: Hoosac Valley, Holbrook, Pioneer Valley, Maynard
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCH: Ware at Tahanto
POTENTIAL UPSET: Boston Prep over Monson
Source: www.bostonherald.com