In his first 12 months on the helm Matt Henriksen coached Whitman-Hanson to a Patriot League Keenan title. Now he hopes that magic interprets to the state match.
Courtesy of a robust pitching employees highlighted by Evan Yakavonis and Ryan Baker, the No. 5 Panthers are a authentic menace in Div. 2 however face loads of landmines in the event that they hope to achieve a state last. Defending champion Milton enters because the match’s prime general seed and has the expertise depth in Owen McHugh, Scott Longo, and Jimmy Fallon to make one other deep run. The finalist from a 12 months in the past, No. 3 King Philip, has Brendan Senjac main a robust lineup. A second-round matchup with No. 14 Duxbury could be attention-grabbing.
Second-seeded Leominster could also be enjoying higher than anybody in Massachusetts and is a contender whereas No. 4 Hopkinton closed the 12 months with a powerful win over Franklin. Dwayne Follette’s Plymouth North workforce enters the match because the No. 9 seed and might by no means be taken evenly whereas perennial contender St. Mary sits lurking at No. 10. With flame-throwing ace Jack Cropper, No. 17 Norwood is a workforce to look at.
“Over the last 10 days of the season we could not afford a loss if we wanted to win a league championship,” Henriksen stated. “We knew we had to run the table to win the league so every game really since the middle of May has been a postseason one for us.”
Div. 1 has a bevy of contenders able to bringing house the title. Top-seeded Franklin gained its first 17 video games and has been there earlier than whereas No. 2 Taunton has loads of essential items again from final 12 months’s state championship workforce. It’s unattainable to miss No. 3 Westford Academy who went a spotless 18-0 behind the dynamic 1-2 punch of Jake Cullen and Matt Morash. Fourth-seeded Central Catholic has as a lot expertise as anybody however faces a possible robust second spherical matchup in No. 13 Chelmsford.
A primary spherical matchup between No. 21 Methuen and No. 12 Andover pits two of the premier arms in Eastern Mass. towards one another in Matt Pappalardo and Chris Jaillet. Milford (No. 11), Walpole (No. 17), and Waltham (No. 27) are all harmful.
Taconic will look to say itself as Div. 3 favorites after an early exit a season in the past and has Kansas State-bound Matt Lee to lean on. Danny Worth’s workforce was a participant a season in the past and is ready to be one once more as No. 2 Medfield enters the match as a critical menace behind two-way star Jack Collins. A possible rematch from final 12 months’s quarterfinal could materialize if No. 3 Bishop Stang and sixth-seeded Foxborough each maintain serve.
Tenth-seeded Hanover is a harmful larger seed, as is No. 15 Sandwich.
Boston English often is the No. 2 seed in Div. 4 however seems to be the workforce to beat because it enters the postseason with a spotless 20-0 file. Justin Peguero is likely one of the premier gamers in Massachusetts. Top-seeded Bellingham has 4 hitters batting over .300 to go along with a deep pitching employees. Seekonk performed for the state championship a 12 months in the past and the No. 3 Warriors have the items to make a return journey. Seventh-seeded Monument Mountain is using into the match excessive after knocking off Taconic to assert the Western Mass. Class B Championship.
A second-round matchup between the Spartans and No. 10 Hamilton-Wenham would supply intrigue.
Div. 5 could also be destined for chalk amongst the highest three seeds as No. 1 Georgetown, No. 2 Bourne, and No. 3 Oxford all seem like a minimize above the remainder. It’s price not overlooking fifth-seeded Pioneer Valley Christian, who went 18-0 through the common season. While No. 12 Millis enters the match at 5-15 they’ve the makings of a sleeper based mostly on their expertise inside the Tri-Valley League.
DIV. 1
CHAMPION: No. 4 Central Catholic
RUNNER-UP: No. 2 Taunton
FINAL FOUR: No. 1 Franklin, No. 2 Taunton, No. 3 Westford Academy, No. 4 Central Catholic
SLEEPER: No. 27 Waltham
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCHUP: No. 21 Methuen at No. 12 Andover
UPSET SPECIAL: No. 19 Saint Paul over No. 14 Lincoln-Sudbury
DIV. 2
CHAMPION: No. 2 Leominster
RUNNER-UP: No.1 Milton
FINAL FOUR: No.1 Milton, No. 2 Leominster, No. 3 King Philip, No. 5 Whitman-Hanson
SLEEPER: No. 14 Duxbury
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCHUP: No. 18 Westborough at No. 15 Mansfield
UPSET SPECIAL: No.17 Norwood over No. 16 West Springfield
DIV. 3
CHAMPION: No. 1 Taconic
RUNNER-UP: No. 6 Foxborough
FINAL FOUR: No. 1 Taconic, No. 2 Medfield, No. 4 Oakmont, No. 6 Foxborough
SLEEPER: No. 15 Sandwich
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCHUP: No. 20 East Bridgewater at No. 13 Hudson
UPSET SPECIAL: No. 19 North Reading over No. 14 Greater New Bedford
DIV. 4
CHAMPION: No. 2 Boston English
RUNNER-UP: No. 1 Bellingham
FINAL FOUR: No. 1 Bellingham, No. 2 Boston English, No. 5 Shawsheen Tech, No. 6 Uxbridge
SLEEPER: No. 10 Hamilton-Wenham
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCHUP: No. 23 Ipswich at No. 10 Hamilton-Wenham
UPSET SPECIAL: None
DIV. 5
CHAMPION: No. 1 Georgetown
RUNNER-UP: No. 3 Oxford
FINAL FOUR: No. 1 Georgetown, No. 2 Bourne, No. 3 Oxford, No. 5 Pioneer Valley Regional
SLEEPER: No. 12 Millis
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCHUP: No. 17 Quaboag at No. 16 Saint John Paul II
UPSET SPECIAL: None
Source: www.bostonherald.com