The MIAA Girls' Hockey Tournament: Seedings and Pairings, Divisions 1 and 2
The road to TD Garden is paved with anticipation. With the release of the MIAA tournament brackets on Saturday morning, 65 girls' hockey teams across two divisions have been assigned their opening matches. The state finals, a thrilling showdown, are set for March 15th on Causeway Street.
The preliminary round could kick off as early as Sunday, marking the beginning of a three-week sprint to glory. In Division 1, Notre Dame-Hingham (13-2-3) takes the lead, followed by St. Mary's (17-3-2), Algonquin (20-1-0), and Bishop Feehan (15-7-0) as the top seeds. This year, the strength of a team's schedule is once again a key factor. Notably, Methuen/Tewksbury (18-0-2) stands as the only unbeaten team in the state, while the reigning D1 champion, Hingham (15-5-1), is seeded seventh.
Division 2's tournament field comprises 32 teams, eliminating preliminary round games. For the second consecutive year, Westwood (19-1-0) claims the top seed. Last year's runner-up, Milton (20-1-1), is seeded second, with Duxbury (14-7-1) in third and Pembroke (17-3-0) in fourth. King Philip, with a record of 19-2-1, is seeded fifth, while the reigning champion, Medfield (13-8-0), is ninth.
The first two rounds of games will be played at the higher seed's home rink, followed by neutral sites for the quarterfinals and beyond.
For more insights, contact Mike Puzzanghera at michael.puzzanghera@globe.com, or follow him on Twitter @mpuzzanghera (https://www.twitter.com/mpuzzanghera).
