Breaking down the brackets: MIAA announces high school field hockey tournament pairings

On Monday, the MIAA released the state tournament fields for high school field hockey.

The South Shore will be represented by 17 teams across the four divisional playoffs. Cohasset (No. 3 in Div. 4) is our highest-seeded team, followed by Hingham (No. 9 in Div. 1), Canton (No. 10 in Div. 2), Hanover (No. 10 in Div. 3) and Braintree (No. 11 in Div. 1).

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Division 2 has the most local flare with seven teams in the field, including No. 10 Canton, No. 14 Oliver Ames and No. 15 Milton.

There's only one matchup of local teams in the first round with OA hosting No. 19 Plymouth North in Div. 2.

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Here's a look at each bracket:

Division 1

The Field

1. Walpole (17-1)

2. Andover (17-1)

3. Shrewsbury (15-1-2)

4. Wachusett Regional (13-3-2)

5. Franklin (16-1-1)

6. Chelmsford (13-4)

7. Bishop Feehan (13-1-4)

8. Winchester (11-2-5)

9. Hingham (16-2)

10. Natick (11-3-2)

11. Braintree (12-4-2)

12. Needham (8-7-3)

13. Belmont (10-4-3)

14. Central Catholic (10-6-2)

15. Acton-Boxboro (10-6-2)

16. Concord-Carlisle (10-4-2)

17. Lincoln-Sudbury (11-4-1)

18. Wellesley (10-4-4)

19. Doherty Memorial (13-3-2)

20. Arlington (9-6-3)

21. Algonquin (5-10-2)

22. Lexington (9-8-1)

23. King Philip (11-5-2)

24. Beverly (7-9-2)

25. Westford Academy (12-4-2)

26. North Andover (8-7-3)

27. Brookline (7-6-5)

28. Barnstable (8-7-3)

29. Durfee (12-3-3)

30. Marshfield (9-8-1)

31. Newton North (7-10-1)

32. Attleboro (7-11)

33. Methuen (9-9)

34. New Bedford (7-6-5)

Bracket breakdown

State champ prediction: No. 2 Andover

Best first-round game: No. 17 Lincoln-Sudbury at No. 16 Concord-Carlisle

Upset pick: No. 18 Wellesley over No. 15 Acton-Boxboro

When/where do the South Shore locals play?

No. 24 Beverly at No. 9 Hingham, TBD

No. 22 Lexington at No. 11 Braintree, TBD

No. 30 Marshfield at No. 3 Shrewsbury, TBD

Favorite, contender or underdog?

No. 9 Hingham - contender- The Harborwomen had their 12-game winning streak snapped by Falmouth on Friday, but they've outscored opponents 76-11 for the season.

No. 11 Braintree - contender - The Wamps have a higher opponents rating (a measure of strength of schedule) than No. 5 Franklin, No. 7 Bishop Feehan and No. 9 Hingham, so they could be even better than their record suggests.

No. 30 Marshfield - underdog - The Rams ended the season in a 1-4 slump, and a first-round matchup with No. 3 Shrewsbury is a tall challenge.

Division 2

The Field

1. Masconomet (15-0-3)

2. Nashoba (10-5-3)

3. Reading (13-2-3)

4. Longmeadow (14-2-2)

5. Leominster (15-2-1)

6. Danvers (13-2-3)

7. Falmouth (12-3-3)

8. Minnechaug (11-2-3)

9. Westwood (12-4-2)

10. Canton (13-3-2)

11. Somerset Berkley (15-2-1)

12. Bishop Fenwick (10-4-5)

13. Hopkinton (9-4-5)

14. Oliver Ames (10-6-2)

15. Milton (8-8-2)

16. Agawam (8-7-1)

17. Scituate (9-5-4)

18. North Attenborough (10-6-2)

19. Plymouth North (11-5-2)

20. Nauset (9-6-3)

21. Dartmouth (11-2-5)

22. Westfield (14-3)

23. Norwood (6-9-3)

24. Marlboro (5-11-2)

25. Wakefield (10-7-1)

26. Westboro (5-11-2)

27. Notre Dame Academy-Hingham (8-9-1)

28. Mansfield (7-9-2)

29. Marblehead (6-10-2)

30. Silver Lake (7-9-2)

31. Holliston (2-15-1)

32. Tewksbury (9-9)

33. Fitchburg (7-7-3)

34. Northampton (9-9)

Bracket breakdown

State champ prediction: No. 1 Masconomet

Best first-round game: No. 19 Plymouth North at No. 14 Oliver Ames

Upset pick: No. 20 Nauset over No. 13 Hopkinton

When/where do the South Shore locals play?

No. 17 Scituate at No. 16 Agawam, TBD

No. 27 Notre Dame Academy at No. 6 Danvers, TBD

No. 19 Plymouth North at No. 14 Oliver Ames, TBD

No. 30 Silver Lake at No. 3 Reading, TBD

No. 23 Norwood at No. 10 Canton, TBD

No. 18 North Attleboro at No. 15 Milton, TBD

Favorite, contender or underdog?

No. 10 Canton - contender - The Bulldogs hail from a tough Hockomock League and come in boasting a 13-3-2 record. They did land in No. 2 Nashoba’s quadrant, but Nashoba has five more losses, the most of anyone in the top 10. A potential matchup with No. 7 Falmouth would be one of the best second-round games.

No. 14 Oliver Ames - contender - Like Canton, the Tigers hail from a loaded Hockomock League. OA has fared well against tough competition all season.

No. 15 Milton - underdog - The Wildcats finished .500 during the regular season but got a nice boost in the seedings due to tough competition. This battle-tested team has a tough first-round matchup. No. 2 Nashoba is likely waiting in the next round.

No. 17 Scituate - underdog - The Sailors will make the Long trek out to No. 16 Agawam in the opening round. If Scituate can advance, top-seeded Masconomet is likely waiting.

No. 19 Plymouth North - underdog - It’s a tough road to the Round of 16 for the Eagles. A first-round game against No. 14 Oliver Ames is one of the best opening-round games of the bracket.

No. 27 Notre Dame Academy - underdog - No. 6 Danvers looks like one of the top contenders in the tournament.

No. 30 Silver Lake - underdog - The Lakers (7-9-2) narrowly earned a bid to the tournament. That’s a nice accomplishment, but No. 3 Reading has state-title aspirations.

Division 3

The Field

1. Watertown (17-0)

2. Sandwich (16-0-1)

3. Gloucester (14-1-3)

4. Dover-Sherborn (13-1-4)

5. Foxboro (14-1-3)

6. Newburyport (13-3-2)

7. Swampscott (10-5-3)

8. Oakmont Regional (11-3-2)

9. Triton Regional (11-3-4)

10. Hanover (14-2-2)

11. Quabbin Regional (11-6-1)

12. Notre Dame Academy-Worcester (13-3-2)

13. North Reading (8-8-1)

14. Medfield (8-8-2)

15. Medway (7-6-3)

16. Ashland (7-8-3)

17. Dennis-Yarmouth (4-9-5)

18. Pentucket Regional (9-6-3)

19. Belchertown (11-3-3)

20. Dedham (6-7-4)

21. East Longmeadow (16-1-1)

22. Weston (9-7-1)

23. Auburn (12-5-1)

24. Bishop Stang (7-7-4)

25. North Middlesex Regional (5-8-5)

26. Wayland (5-8-4)

27. Dighton-Rehoboth (8-6-1)

28. Stoneham (8-10)

29. Middleboro (8-8-4)

30. Wilmington (5-12-1)

31. Sturgis Charter East (5-7-2)

32. Hudson (12-5-1)

33. Norwell (9-6-3)

34. Old Rochester Regional (8-7-2)

35. East Bridgewater (6-6-4)

36. Montachusett Voke (10-6-2)

37. Saint Paul Diocesan (7-5-5)

Bracket breakdown

State champ prediction: No. 1 Watertown

Best first-round game: No. 23 Auburn at No. 10 Hanover

Upset pick: No. 20 Dedham over No. 13 North Reading

When/where do the South Shore locals play?

No. 23 Auburn at No. 10 Hanover, TBD

No. 36 Montachusett at No. 29 Middleboro (preliminary round), TBD

No. 33 Norwell at No. 32 Hudson (preliminary round), TBD

No. 35 East Bridgewater at No. 30 Wilmington (preliminary round), TBD

Favorite, contender or underdog?

No. 10 Hanover - contender - The Hawks have heated up at the right time; they'll take a 12-game winning streak into their first-round matchup with Auburn, which is 7-0-1 since getting blown out by unbeaten Div. 4 top seed Uxbridge.

No. 29 Middleboro - underdog - The Sachems lost five in a row to end the regular season. Their preliminary-round game is winnable, but No. 4 Dover-Sherborn awaits in the first round.

No. 33 Norwell - underdog - The Clippers have some momentum, ending the regular season with four straight wins. Beating Hudson on the road in the preliminary round would be an achievement. The winner there faces top-seeded (and unbeaten) Watertown next.

No. 34 East Bridgewater - underdog - The Vikings have played the likes of Cohasset and Carver tough in the South Shore League, so a preliminary matchup with Wilmington won't faze them. No. 3 Gloucester would be next, though.

Division 4

The Field

1. Uxbridge (18-0)

2. Manchester Essex (12-3-3)

3. Cohasset (12-5-1)

4. Monomoy (9-4-5)

5. Lynnfield (11-7)

6. Case (17-1)

7. Lunenburg (14-4)

8. Frontier Regional (9-2-6)

9. Greenfield (11-4-3)

10. Ipswich (8-9-1)

11. St. Mary’s (12-4-2)

12. Pioneer Valley (10-2-2)

13. Georgetown (8-8-2)

14. Sutton (10-7-1)

15. Blackstone Valley Tech (11-4-3)

16. Franklin County (12-2-3)

17. Nantucket (7-7-3)

18. Hopedale (9-7-2)

19. Saint John Paul II (7-3-4)

20. Hamilton-Wenham (7-10-1)

21. Littleton (11-4-3)

22. Clinton (12-2-4)

23. West Bridgewater (11-4-3)

24. Carver (6-7-5)

25. Leicester (11-6-1)

26. Quahog Regional (9-8-1)

27. North Brookfield (14-3-1)

28. Taranto (10-6-1)

29. Amesbury (2-16)

30. Hampshire Regional (7-7-4)

31. Northbridge (7-8-1)

32. Westport (7-8-1)

Bracket breakdown

State champ prediction: No. 1 Uxbridge

Best first-round game: No. 23 West Bridgewater at No. 10 Ipswich

Upset pick: No. 24 Carver over No. 9 Greenfield

When/where do the South Shore locals play?

No. 30 Hampshire Regional at Cohasset, TBD

No. 24 Carver at No. 9 Greenfield, TBD

No. 23 West Bridgewater at No. 10 Ipswich, TBD

Favorite, contender or underdog?

No. 3 Cohasset - favorite - Top-seeded Uxbridge is the big favorite coming off an 18-0 season and a 2021 state title, but the Skippers are certainly in the mix. Cohasset lost to Uxbridge in last year’s Round of 8, but the Skippers can’t meet the defending champs until the state final.

No. 23 West Bridgewater - underdog - It’s a tough draw for the Wildcats. No. 10 Ipswich was the state finalist last season and hails from a tough league. The Wildcats do bring back from tournament experience from last year’s team that lost a one-goal game in the Sweet 16.

No. 24 Carver - underdog - The Crusaders matched up with tough competition all season and a trip to No. 9 Greenfield won’t overwhelm this team. But there’s no easy road for a No. 24 seed.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: MIAA field hockey tournament pairings are announced