The D1 North is absolutely stacked this year as they enter with some of the best teams in the state. Let’s see how they stack up.
Favorites:
Reading: The Rockets lost a heart breaker to Framingham in the Super 8 play-in game. They tied the game up with 0.4 seconds left, but lost in the second overtime. They are red hot entering the playoffs and should be the most feared team in the D1 North.
Shrewsbury: Shrewsbury is in the D1 tournament for the first time since they moved up. They have a win over Super 8 bound Framingham and finished the season 12-6-2.
Sleepers:
Central Catholic: Central hung around the top 20 all season long and even had a shot at the Super 8 down the stretch. They have wins over Waltham, Hingham, and Super 8 bound Pope Francis.
Bishop Fenwick: Fenwick was a team that surprised a lot of people this year, and their side of the bracket may work out well for them. They finished with an amazing 6-2-2 record in the Catholic Central league.
Best First Round Matchups:
#6 Melrose vs #11 St. John’s (S): This matchup has all the making of an awesome game. I have really liked this Melrose team all season long and they are red hot entering the tournament. St. John’s may not have the most impressive record, but they are 2-4-1 against teams in this year’s Super 8.
#5 St. Mary’s Lynn vs #12 Central Catholic: Both of these teams had an opportunity to sneak into the Super 8 as the season ended. At one point this season, I had St. Mary’s as my top team in the state. They have slipped slightly since then, but they are still a dangerous team. Central enters the tournament battle tested and even own a win over Pope Francis, the 3rd seed in the Super 8.
My Bracket Prediction:
FIRST ROUND:
#8 Austin Prep over #9 Woburn
#4 Belmont over #13 Andover
#12 Central Catholic over #5 St. Mary’s
#7 Bishop Fenwick over #10 Westford Academy
#11 St. John’s (S) over #6 Melrose
QUARTER-FINALS:
#1 Reading over #8 Austin Prep
#12 Central Catholic over #4 Belmont
#7 Bishop Fenwick over #2 Waltham
#11 St. John’s (S) over #3 Shrewsbury
SEMI-FINALS:
#1 Reading over #12 Central Catholic
#11 St. John’s (S) over #7 Bishop Fenwick
FINALS:
#1 Reading over #11 St. John’s (S)