If Franklin is to show it’s the most effective staff in Massachusetts, it must get by way of a gauntlet in Div. 1.
While No. 1 Franklin enters as the favourite, it’s joined by a number of contenders together with Hockomock Kelley-Rex league rival Taunton, Shrewsbury, and Catholic Conference counterparts Catholic Memorial and BC High. A possible troublesome second-round matchup looms for the Panthers between the winner of Bishop Feehan and Chelmsford. Elsewhere within the bracket, No. 6 St. John’s and No. 7 Westford can’t be counted out as they boast loads of high-level pitching. Tenth-seeded Braintree performed sturdy down the stretch whereas No. 13 St. John’s Prep and defending Div. 1 champion No. 19 Xaverian lurk.
In Div. 2, top-seeded Milton is the favourite however there are certain to be troublesome roadblocks alongside the best way. Two-time defending state champion St. Mary’s is battle examined after taking part in within the Catholic Central League and has high-level arm Aiven Cabral to steer its postseason rotation. No. 2 King Philip and No. 3 Mansfield each are well-suited for deep match runs after a gauntlet of a Hockomock Kelley-Rex league schedule. Steve Simoes’ membership at Hopkinton can by no means be ignored, however it might need to beat the aforementioned Warriors and Hornets to achieve the state closing.
Plymouth South behind ace Tommy Sullivan is a sleeper.
Div. 3 is loaded for naked and is headlined by a robust trio in Austin Prep, Medfield and Taconic. The Cougars are the one staff in Massachusetts this 12 months to go an ideal 20-0 within the common season together with a notable non-conference win over Milton. Medfield has star energy in Pepperdine-commit Jack Goodman and ace Teddy Shurtleff. Taconic has only one loss and has Kansas State-bound Matt Lee steering its rotation. There are groups that might throw a wrench within the proverbial three-team race together with Foxboro, Bishop Stang and Oakmont.
In Div. 4, Amesbury was atop the facility rankings wire-to-wire and is definitely the staff to beat with CAL Baker MVP Jake Harring main the best way. Shawsheen Tech lurks as a harmful No. 6 seed whereas Hamilton-Wenham freshman Gian Gamelli could also be the most effective underclassmen within the match. Div. 5 is extensive open with Hopedale, Oxford, Tahanto and Mount Greylock all potentialities to say the crown. An attention-grabbing second-round matchup looms between No. 2 Georgetown and Fifteenth-seeded Saint Paul II.
Players to Watch: Jacob Jette, LHP, Franklin; Dan MacDougall, INF/RHP, Taunton; Ronan Donohue, INF/RHP, BC High; Nick DiRito, RHP, Catholic Memorial; Jordan Gorham, INF/RHP, Braintree; Charlie Walker, RHP, Milton; Aiven Cabral, RHP, St. Mary’s; Evan Blanco, LHP, Austin Prep; Jack Goodman, INF, Medfield; Jake Harring, INF, Amesbury;
DIVISION 1
DIVISIONAL STATE CHAMPION: Franklin
DIVISIONAL STATE RUNNER-UP: Taunton
DIVISION SLEEPER: Natick
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCH: Bishop Feehan at Chelmsford
POSSIBLE UPSET: Xaverian over Andover
DIVISION 2
DIVISIONAL STATE CHAMPION: Milton
DIVISIONAL STATE RUNNER-UP: Plymouth South
DIVISION SLEEPER: Plymouth South
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCH: Tewksbury at West Springfield
POSSIBLE UPSET: Plymouth North over Westborough
DIVISION 3
DIVISIONAL STATE CHAMPION: Medifeld
DIVISIONAL STATE RUNNER-UP: Austin Prep
DIVISION SLEEPER: Oakmont
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCHUP: Apponoquet at Hanover
POSSIBLE UPSET: Dedham over Arlington Catholic
DIVISION 4
DIVISIONAL STATE CHAMPION: Amesbury
DIVISIONAL STATE RUNNER-UP: Uxbridge
DIVISION SLEEPER: Tyngsboro
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCH: Whittier Tech at Tyngsboro
POSSIBLE UPSET: Cohasset over Leicester
DIVISION 5
DIVISIONAL STATE CHAMPION: Oxford
DIVISIONAL STATE RUNNER-UP: Georgetown
DIVISION SLEEPER: Bourne
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCH: Rockport at Hopkins
POSSIBLE UPSET: Mystic Valley over Greenfield
Source: www.bostonherald.com