Andover has the pieces to flip the script a year after falling just short of a state title.
Highlighted by the duo of Anna Foley and Amelia Hanscom, the undefeated Golden Warriors enter the Div. 1 tournament as the favorite.
A potential rematch of last year’s final looms in the state semifinals as defending champion No. 12 Springfield Central is capable of a deep run.
Second-seeded Bishop Feehan gave Andover all it could handle in the opening round of the IAABO Board 27 Comcast Tournament a week ago and is a candidate to reach the final four. Woburn saw its quest for an undefeated campaign end the final day of the regular season but still is the tournament field’s No. 3 overall seed.
If chalk holds, a terrific matchup may come in the Round of 16 between annual powers No. 10 Newton North and No. 7 Bridgewater-Raynham. Eighth seeded North Andover and No. 11 Winchester are dark horses.
Div. 2 has two clear threats in No. 1 Walpole and second-seeded Medfield. The Warriors’ Kate Olenik may be the best player in Eastern Mass.
Elsewhere in Div. 2, Lisa Downs’ Foxboro group is poised for another deep run while No. 6 Dracut has superstar Ashlee Talbot. Whitman-Hanson won the Patriot League Keenan title and could make noise as the No. 14 seed.
Jeff Newhall’s St. Mary’s team in Div. 3 looks to be the favorite again, but faces a challenge from second-seeded Norwell (18-2, including a win late in the season over No. 5 Dover-Sherborn). The Spartans’ Catholic Central League rival, Bishop Fenwick, is hoping for a third go as the top seed.
Seventh-seeded Hudson finished white-hot including taking home the Central Mass. Class B Championship.
Cathedral looks like the team to beat in Div. 4 as evidenced by its late season win over Div. 3 contender Dracut. If the two sides win their opening games, No. 11 Bourne and No. 6 Malden Catholic would make for a fun quarterfinal matchup. Fifth-seeded Cohasset is a team to watch. The Skippers enter the tournament winners of their final five including over the Lancers.
Mills may be 12-8 but they enter the Div. 5 field as the top overall seed due to their strong schedule. Georgetown and Hoosac Valley would make for an entertaining state quarterfinal if they can each hold serve in the early rounds.
CHAMPION: Andover
RUNNER-UP: Bishop Feehan
SLEEPER: Springfield Central
FINAL FOUR: Andover, Woburn, Bishop Feehan, Springfield Central
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCH: Mansfield at Newton North
POTENTIAL UPSET: Newton South over Franklin
CHAMPION: Walpole
RUNNER-UP: Medfield
SLEEPER: Whitman-Hanson
FINAL FOUR: Walpole, Medfield, Foxborough, Dracut
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCH: Oliver Ames at Billerica
POTENTIAL UPSET: Tewksbury over Amherst-Pelham
CHAMPION: St. Mary’s
RUNNER-UP: Norwell
SLEEPER: Hudson
FINAL FOUR: St. Mary’s, Norwell, Norton, Rockland
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCH: Arlington Catholic at North Reading
POTENTIAL UPSET: Dennis-Yarmouth over Bishop Stang
CHAMPION: Cathedral
RUNNER-UP: Wahconah
SLEEPER: Bourne
FINAL FOUR: Cathedral, Tyngsborough, Cohasset, Malden Catholic
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCH: Monomoy at Winthrop
POTENTIAL UPSET: None
CHAMPION: Millis
RUNNER-UP: Sutton
SLEEPER: Carver
FINAL FOUR: Millis, Springfield Int’l Charter, Sutton, Hoosac Valley
BEST FIRST ROUND MATCH: Franklin County Tech at St. Bernard’s
POTENTIAL UPSET: None