You can always count on an upset (or several) in the MIAA postseason.
Even though last season saw the top two seeds battle for the titles in Divisions 1 and 2, there was still plenty of drama along the way. Look no further than then-No. 11 Archbishop Williams taking then-No. 2 St. Mary's, the eventual D1 champs, to overtime of the semifinals.
So, which teams can give the favorites some trouble this year? Who could make a Cinderella run?
In this article, we'll look at teams outside of the top three teams in each division who are well-positioned to make some noise in the tournament. They could be higher seeds who may be overlooked or lower seeds who could upend a favorite.
Let's dive in.
GIRLS MIAA BRACKETS: Division 1Â |Â Division 2
Division 1
No. 4 Haverhill/Pentucket/North Andover (14-2-5): Outside of the top grouping of No. 1 Hingham, No. 2 Notre Dame (Hingham) and No. 3 Malden Catholic, HPNA has quietly been biding its time as the fourth seed for a while. It would hardly be surprising to see the Hillies make a deep run. They have talent on both sides of the puck, and if you're looking for someone to take over a game in a key moment, look no further than defender Paige Nottingham (Merrimac, Mass.). Mia Kmiec (North Andover, Mass.) centers a strong top line with Kendall LaRiviere (Haverhill, Mass.) and Quinn Bennett (North Andover, Mass.). Meanwhile, Julianna Taylor has had a strong season in net. HPNA is also unbeaten in seven straight (6-0-1) with wins over quality teams like Billerica/Chelmsford and Andover.
No. 11 Billerica/Chelmsford: (15-5-0): The Lindians did well in the gauntlet that was the Merrimack Valley/Dual County League this season. They've beaten No. 10 Andover (twice), split one-goal results with No. 4 HPNA, split one-goal results with No. 16 Shrewsbury and given No. 6 Methuen/Tewksbury a handful in a pair of one-goal losses. Kara Gambale (Billerica, Mass.), Payton Fitzgerald (Billerica, Mass.) and Giovanna Culinello (Billerica, Mass.) are each capable of providing offense with at least 20 points each this season. All three had four or more points last time out, too. Senior goalie Hailey Graybeal (Chelmsford, Mass.) has been excellent this season as well.
No. 14 St. Mary's (9-11-2): Left for dead midway through the season at 2-6-1, the Spartans are playing their best hockey at the right time. They've gone a 7-5-1 run that includes a big, 2-0 upset of No. 1 Hingham in the regular season finale. They've also taken one-goal losses against quality teams like Duxbury, NDA (Hingham), Bishop Feehan and Bishop Stang. SMH also beat Archies in the second game of the season.
They're 5-3-1 since Jan. 27. St. Mary's boasts a blend of experience and youth up front and on defense. Senior Abby Malcuit (Swampscott, Mass.) offers a stable presence on the blue line, while sophomore Alyssa Norden (Peabody, Mass.) has been on a tear on the top line. Sixth-grade forward Emma Doucette (Wakefield, Mass.) is one to keep an eye on. Junior Megan Donato (Stoneham, Mass.) and freshman Avery Sisco (Nahant, Mass.) have each been solid in net, too.
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No. 17 Arlington (13-8-0): One of my main takeaways from the Spy Ponders' loss to No. 5 Archbishop Williams last week was that they could absolutely raise hell in the tournament. Arlington's best results this season include wins over St. Mary's and Woburn as well as close losses to Archies and Belmont. Eighth-grade goalie Maddie Moscatel is capable of stealing a game, as she's quick and athletic in the crease. Meanwhile, senior forwards Kelsie Partridge (21 goals, 35 points) and Libby Corsetti (12 goals, 30 points) are major play drivers on the top line. Junior Devin O'Day and senior Mia Culhane can impact the play in all three zones on defense. Behind Partridge and Corsetti, the Spy Ponders have five additional skaters in double-digit points this season.
Division 2
No. 6 Milton (16-3-2): The Wildcats enter the postseason on a 14-game unbeaten streak (12-0-2). Their only three losses this season came at the Tenney Cup against strong teams like Bishop Feehan, Archies and Duxbury. Since, Matt Lodi's team has been one of the hottest in the state. The trio of junior Sabrina Stone (23 goals, 38 points), senior Molly Murphy (13 goals, 26 points) and junior Nayeli Thayer (seven goals, 25 points) lead the way, while defender Maggie Mullen has chipped in her fair share as well (three goals, 12 points). Freshman Caera Hart has been fantastic in the crease, too, after winning the job at the start of the season. The Wildcats have the recipe for a potential deep run.
No. 9 Falmouth (11-8-1): The Clippers faced one of the tougher schedules in Division 2, and they boast one of the most dangerous trios in the state. Senior forwards Rylie Devlin (23 goals) and Casey Roth (20 goals) each have 40 points on the season, while sophomore forward Maeve Turner (18 goals) has 38 points. Senior Hailey Ferreira and freshman Violet Cox have been strong, too. Falmouth has beaten teams like Nauset (twice), Sandwich (twice), Marshfield and Plymouth, while falling to PLNR, Martha's Vineyard, Westwood and Duxbury. Brian Ferreira's group also has key experience from a run to TD Garden last winter.
HINGHAM SHOWCASE: 16 standout forwards | 12 standout defenders and goalies
No. 15 King Philip (15-6-0): The Warriors were also among the teams I highlighted in our tournament forecast earlier this month. What catches my eye is the young roster. With 23 underclassmen (and zero seniors) KP has nothing to lose and could come out playing freely in the tournament. Junior goalie Kiki Lynch offers key experience in the crease, and she's had a great season. Meanwhile, freshman Annabelle Curran (16 goals, 29 points) is among the state's top producers. Eighth-grader Stephanie LeBlanc (seven goals, 18 points) and sophomore Ella Morgan (11 goals, 18 points) have helped set the pace. The Warriors have also beaten their first-round opponent, Canton, twice this season.
No. 25 Longmeadow (2-16-2): OK, bear with me for a second. "But Longmeadow only has two wins," you might be shouting at your computer screen. Go take a look at their schedule. Longmeadow played arguably the hardest schedule in Division 2. Their opponent rating (1.1341) was higher than anybody in D2 and notably clear of No. 2 Duxbury (0.9866). They've given good teams fits, be it a 2-2 tie with Winthrop, a 2-0 win over Peabody/Lynnfield/North Reading, a 2-1 loss to Algonquin/Hudson or a 2-1 loss to Pope Francis. They gave their first-round opponent, Auburn, a challenge in a 1-1 draw earlier in the season. Few groups are as battle-tested as Melissa Vandermyn's. Don't be surprised if they pull off an upset.
