I'm on quite a streak.
The last two years, I've included a team that made it all the way to the MIAA Division 1 boys hockey final. In 2024, I had Winchester. Last year, I highlighted St. John's Shrewsbury. Now, I will gladly take those wins. But Winchester was one of six teams I mentioned, while SJS was one of seven.
Again, I'll take the victories where I can get them.
Interestingly enough, only one game didn't go chalk in the Round of 32 last season, and that was then-No. 24 Barnstable beating then-No. 9 Reading.
BOYS MIAA BRACKETS:Â Division 1Â |Â Division 2Â |Â Division 3Â |Â Division 4
Teams mentioned in this story will not really "upset" anyone in the Round of 32. It's more so the noise they could make in the Round of 16 and beyond that could generate waves.
Let's dive in.
No. 7 Pope Francis
Before the season began, I ranked Pope Francis No. 3. That's how much talent this team has.
But it wasn't all smooth sailing. After losing to St. Mary's Lynn, 7-3, on Jan. 10, the Cardinals have gone 9-1-1 with big wins over Archbishop Williams, Hingham, Bishop Hendricken (R.I.) and St. Mary's Lynn.
Head coach Brian Foley's team has legitimate firepower up front, with senior Matthew Regan leading the way with 28 goals. Other forwards like senior Liam Dolan, junior Gabe Kolodjay and sophomore Whitaker Zinger are always threats to score too. Defensively, Pope is big and mobile, while junior George Ramsey is a calming, stable presence in net.
I have Pope Francis making it all the way to TD Garden in my bracket predictions.
No. 8 St. John's Shrewsbury
The Pioneers were the Cinderella story last season. As the No. 8 seed this year, however, they won't really be surprising anyone.
In early January, SJS looked destined to be a top seed come the tournament, beating Catholic Memorial, St. John's Prep and Xaverian in a row. But life is difficult in the Catholic Conference, and SJS dropped its games with those three teams at the end of January. Head coach Michael Mead's team's last five games went like this: a loss to BC High, a tie with Archbishop Williams, a win over Hingham, a win over Andover and a loss to Lincoln-Sudbury.
They're all over the place — and that's what makes them dangerous.
Junior goalie Colin McCarthy, who led the Pioneers to the Garden last season after spending the year with junior varsity, proved to be for real this winter and is a strength. Having a gamebreaker like junior defenseman Ryder Bisson is also a huge plus, along with senior defender Connor Secrist, who will hit everything, is key, too.
No. 9 BC High
BC High is here because of its schedule — and its familiarity with its potential path through the bracket. BC High opens with Catholic Conference foe Malden Catholic, whom it went 1-1 against this season. If they advance to the next round, head coach John Flaherty's team should get St. John's Shrewsbury, whom they beat both times this season. That would set them up for a potential date with Catholic Memorial in the Round of 8. Even though the Knights beat BC High both times this season (4-1 and 4-0), it's the tournament. You never know.
Look for senior forward Nolan O'Sullivan to be huge if BC High goes on a run.
GIRLS MIAA BRACKETS:Â Division 1Â |Â Division 2
No. 11 Weymouth
A dominant top line can do damage in the tournament, and that's what Weymouth has in seniors Ryan Ferguson and Michael Curry, along with sophomore Ryan MacDonald. Ferguson has an incredible 29 goals and 42 points, while Curry has 38 points and MacDonald has 36.
Weymouth has mostly dominated its schedule this season (16-4-0). If it can take down Waltham in the first round, it could face a spotty Hingham team in the Round of 16. All I'm saying is don't be shocked if Weymouth goes deeper than a typical No. 11 seed.
No. 13 Framingham
Framingham has had a great bounce-back season, going 14-6-0 under second-year boss Adam Aguilar. Some of the big wins came against Marshfield, Weymouth and Burlington. After dropping a game against Arlington Catholic, 6-5, the Flyers won eight in a row before falling in the Cahoon Cup championship, 5-3, to Chelmsford.
The biggest reason Framingham is on here: sophomore forward Colin Walsh. He's one of the best '10s in New England and has completely tormented the competition in the MIAA this winter. I didn't pick Framingham to upset Arlington in the Round of 16, but I wouldn't be shocked if it happened.
If Aguilar's team goes on a run, Walsh will have been a huge part of it. The same goes for senior forward Adam Kornabu.
No. 14 Arlington Catholic
Arlington Catholic would've been ranked higher in the tournament had it not dropped its final four games. Throughout the season, however, AC beat St. John's Shrewsbury, Archbishop Williams (twice), Framingham and St. Mary's Lynn.
Offensive depth has been the name of the game for the Cougars. Led by senior Stephen Constantine, AC's offense has rolled. Names like seniors Tyler Heldenbergh and Alex Frost, sophomore Brayden Boczenowski and freshman Cael Colarullo will be vital if Arlington Catholic is to make a run.
What could hinder them is their potential Round of 16 opponent, St. John's Prep. That's not a fun draw.
READ MORE: Predicting the MIAA D1 boys hockey bracket
No. 16 Wachusett
Wachusett is here solely cause of how dominant it's been this season. Sure, the Mountaineers don't have a strength-of-schedule advantage. But there's something to be said about winning 18 of 20 games.
Senior forward Cody Penniman lit it up this season with 54 points, along with fellow senior Ryan Flaherty, who had 45. Seniors Travis Laidlaw and Matthew Brousseau both tallied 30 or more points, while seniors Caden Lane and Brayden Allaire, along with sophomore Colin Carlson, all had more than 20 points.
Getting Winchester in the Round of 32 before potentially getting Catholic Memorial is an extremely hard first two games. But hey, all Wachusett has done this season is win. Maybe there's some magic to that.
