MIAA Massachusetts High School Hockey

Bracketology: D1 North

With the season at the halfway point, it is time to take a look at who might be a favorite in the division 1 north heading into the playoffs. For this article, I have taken a look at the teams with records fitting for tournament play and have not taken into account league titles as some leagues have not had a lot of games played and it would be hard to predict a winner. Enjoy:

Burlington: 10-1-0 It looks like Burlington will be headed to the Super 8 this year with their impressive streak of 10 wins in a row. The rest of the D1 North probably hopes Burlington get a Super 8 bid.

St. Mary’s Lynn: 8-1-1 St. Mary’s only loss so far is to Austin Prep and they look like a near lock for the Super 8. They have one of the tougher schedules in the D1 north.

Central Catholic: 7-4-1 It looks like last year could have just been a fluke. Central got off to a very hot start this year and will be battle tested entering the playoffs. They should be considered a favorite in the D1 North.

Waltham: 6-3-0 Waltham has a pretty good record so far and has a couple good wins including their recent wins over Needham and Billerica. They still have a few hard games left on the schedule, but they should be good enough to be a good tournament team come March.

Shrewsbury: 6-2-2 Shrewsbury has been a very fun team to watch so far. They had a tough year last moving up to division 1, but are right back at their winning ways so far this year. Their resume is solid including wins over Framingham and a tie against undefeated Canton. Shrewsbury will be feared come playoff time if they can get into their first D1 North tournament.

Arlington: 7-1-1 Arlington should have their eyes set on a Super 8 bid with their impressive record so far. Their only loss is to Pope Francis, who is also their next opponent. As long as they do not suffer a couple bad losses, I think Arlington can be penciled in for the Super 8.

Austin Prep: 6-3-2 Austin Prep is a bubble Super 8 team so far with three losses. Their list of wins this year is extremely impressive, as they handed St. Mary’s their only loss on the season so far. They will be interesting to watch down the stretch.

Medford: 5-4-1 Medford sits just over 0.500 at the halfway point of their season. They started out strong, but have slowed down as of recent. They will be a good playoff team if they can get back to their winning ways.

Billerica: 5-5-1 Billerica has played some tough opponents so far this year, including losses to Braintree, Burlington, and Waltham. This has them right at the 0.500 mark and has them fighting for a playoff spot the rest of the way. They will be a tough out in the playoffs if they can get in.

Woburn: 4-3-3 Woburn handed Burlington their only loss of the season the first game of the year. Woburn has competed with many good teams this year, but will need to keep winning to get into the playoffs. They will be capable of an early-round upset if they can get in.

Reading: 7-3-0 Reading is still in the mix for the Super 8, but they will need to get hot to have a shot. Their strength of schedule always has them in the mix with the best in the state. Their losses are to Burlington, Arlington, and Winchester. If not a Super 8 team, Reading will be a favorite in the D1 North.

Belmont: 5-3-2 Belmont has had an up and down season so far, but at the halfway point they find themselves with a playoff-caliber record. They will need to continue their winning ways to sneak into the playoffs.

Westford Academy: Westford Academy is beneath the playoff threshold for win percentage at the moment, but they definitely have a shot at the playoffs entering their second half. Their schedule so far was highlighted by a tie and win over Central Catholic and a 9-2 win over Andover. Westford Academy will be a tough out if they can get into the playoffs.

St. John’s Prep: 5-3-2 The Eagles are another team with a healthy chance at the Super 8. They have handed Xaverian their only two losses of the season, which really boosts the Eagles resume. They must limit their losses in order to get into the Super 8, but if they don’t, they just might be the best team in the D1 north tournament.

Bishop Fenwick: 5-4-1 Fenwick has been in and out of rankings all year so far. They started hot, winning their first three games. Their resume includes wins over Arlington Catholic, Archbishop Williams, and a tie with Austin Prep.

Arlington Catholic: 4-5-1 AC has been hanging around the playoff mark all year long as they hit the halfway point. They play a tough schedule, including their Catholic Central games. They have won three of their past four games and look to stay hot heading into the second half and to steal a playoff spot.

St. John’s (S): 4-4-3 St. Johns Shrewsbury has a very hard schedule as they sit with a 0.500 record, barely good enough for a playoff spot. They have competed with some of the best in the state. If they get in, they could be a danger team for top teams in the tournament.

Andover 4-7-0 Andover has a tough schedule, trying to get into the Super 8 with a good year. Unfortunately, this year is not a Super 8 year for them as they are three wins under the playoff threshold. They can definitely still get in, but they will need to get hot in the second half.

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