N. BILLERICA--Two spots remain available for the official 2017 Super Eight tournament, and we'll have our answer after the play-in games tonight.
The intriguing pair of games features two newcomers in the Walpole Rebels and Marshfield Rams, a team making its fifth consecutive appearance in the Austin Prep Cougars...and the team with more Super Eight banners than anyone, the Catholic Memorial Knights.
It's somewhat of a return to form for the Knights, whose 13 Super Eight titles dating back to the tournament's inception in 1991 dwarf the next-closest number (Malden Catholic, 5.)
However, CM (14-4-2) has not won a Super Eight since 2009, and this will be its first trip to the postseason at all since 2014 following back-to-back sub-.500 seasons.
Walpole has strung together a storybook season in receiving an invite to the tournament for the first time, compiling a 21-0-1 record while allowing a mere 11 goals all season long. The Rebels were the only unbeaten team in Division 1 this season; Framingham was the lone team to hold Walpole out of the winners circle with a 2-2 tie on Jan. 25.
Perennially solid Marshfield, which has a pair of Division 1 state titles in the not-too-distant past (2006, 2011), has taken its game to the next level this season with a veteran defensive corps, top-notch goaltending and a balanced offensive attack. The Rams (18-2-2) only lost to two teams which find themselves in the top-six of the Super Eight bracket (Hingham and Arlington).
Quietly, Austin Prep's name has emerged as a formality when it comes to selecting the field for the Super Eight each season. The Cougars (16-2-3) were the second-to-last team to fall from the ranks of unbeatens this winter; like the Rams, AP's only losses were to top-six teams (Pope Francis, Hingham).
The match-ups for the games, which will take place at the Chelmsford Forum in North Billerica, are as follows:
No. 8 Marshfield vs. No. 9 Austin Prep, 6 p.m.
No. 7 Walpole vs. No. 10 Catholic Memorial, 8 p.m.
Here are some quick thumbnails on the four teams:
Walpole Rebels, 21-0-1, 15-0-1 Bay State Conference
Won Bay State Herget Division, 31 points
Goal differential: plus-96 (107-11); nonleague differential: plus-33 (33-0)
MHL RPI: 9
Streak: Won 8
Last game: Won @ Brockton, 8-0, Feb. 22
Biggest win: 12-1 vs. Dedham, Jan. 9
Worst loss: N/A
Best win (RPI): @ No. 15 Braintree, 1-0, Feb. 8
Roster breakdown: Seniors-13 Juniors-9 Sophomores-3
Leading scorer: N/A
Record vs. 2017 playoff teams: 11-0-1
Marshfield Rams, 18-2-2, 8-0-0 Atlantic Coast League
Won Atlantic Coast League, 16 points
Goal differential: plus-67 (102-35); nonleague differential: plus-22 (48-26)
MHL RPI: 7
Streak: Won 2
Last game: Won vs. Needham, 4-1 (Coach Melchiono Showdown Final)
Biggest win: 8-0 @ Dennis-Yarmouth, Jan. 18
Worst loss: 3-1 vs. Hingham, Dec. 31
Best win (RPI): vs. No. 19 Xaverian, 3-0, Dec. 14
Roster breakdown: Seniors-10 Juniors-7 Sophomores-6 Freshmen-4
Leading scorer: Aidan Connolly, So. F (17-38--55)
Record vs. 2017 playoff teams: 10-2-2
Austin Prep Cougars, 16-2-3, 10-0-0 Catholic Central 1
Won Catholic Central 1, 20 points
Goal differential: plus-60 (94-34); nonleague differential: plus-18 (45-27)
MHL RPI: 3
Streak: Won 2
Last game: Won vs. Reading, 4-0 (Buddy Ferreira Classic 5th Place Game)
Biggest win: 11-1 vs. Matignon, Feb. 11
Worst loss: 6-3 vs. Pope Francis, Feb. 15
Best win (RPI): vs. No. 12 St. Mary's Lynn (twice)
Roster breakdown: Seniors-3 Juniors-8 Sophomores-10
Leading scorer: J.J. Harding, Jr. F (18-21--39)
Record vs. 2017 playoff teams: 7-2-2
Catholic Memorial Knights, 14-4-2, 5-2-1 Catholic Conference
Second place in Catholic Conference, 11 points
Goal differential: plus-27 (56-29); nonleague differential: plus-24 (42-18)
MHL RPI: 8
Streak: Won 1
Last game: Won @ Fairfield Prep (Conn.), 4-0
Biggest win: (tie) 8-2 @ Falmouth and 7-1 vs. Woburn
Worst loss: 6-1 vs. Xaverian, Feb. 21
Best win (RPI): vs. No. 1 BC High, 2-1, Jan. 9 (Frozen Fenway)
Roster breakdown: Seniors-12 Juniors-8 Sophomores-4 Freshmen-1 8th graders-1
Leading scorer: N/A
Record vs. 2017 playoff teams: 8-3-2