Regardless of what happens, the Newburyport boys hockey team is in pretty good shape.
Currently ranked at No. 5 in Division 2, the Clippers (11-3-1) have won five in a row, and appear to be playing their best hockey at the right time. Their last setback was to a defending-champion Canton team ranked two spots above them, and who knocked them out in the quarterfinals a year ago.
But this week, Newburyport has a couple of big opportunities.
It starts tonight (Tuesday), when the Clippers travel to take on a Boston College High team ranked No. 15 in Division 1 — and which plays out of the best league in the state, the Catholic Conference. The Clippers will then have a quick turnaround and host Pentucket on Wednesday, before traveling down for “The Big One” this weekend.
Newburyport vs. St. John’s Prep.
The 16th annual Derek Hines Memorial Game is this Saturday at Essex Sports Center, with puck drop set for 2:20 p.m. The Eagles (12-3-0) are year in and year out one of the best teams in the entire state, and, true to form, are currently ranked No. 1 in Division 1.
It’s going to be a tough week.
But, if the Clippers were to pull off a couple of victories, you would think they’d most certainly jump up a couple of spots in Div. 2. Which, thinking ahead, could be the difference between having to travel for a potential quarterfinal game, or having that theoretical matchup be at the Graf.
Just food for thought.
The opportunity is right in front of the Clippers.
And just one more item of note: after Monday’s loss to Manchester-Essex, the Newburyport boys basketball team dropped from No. 10 to 14 in Division 3. The dream of two home playoff games is almost certainly out of the question at this point, and the Clippers will probably need to clean up the rest of the CAL — while beating St. Mary’s on Friday — to hold on to a top-16 seed to get at least one home playoff game.
Here are the compete local rankings with the latest MIAA release on Tuesday.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Division 3
No. 14: Newburyport (13-3)
No. 64: Pentucket (3-13)
No. 68: Triton (3-12)
Division 4
No. 12: Georgetown (12-4)
No. 42: Amesbury (6-9)
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Division 3
No. 9: Pentucket (15-1)
No. 22: Newburyport (8-7)
No. 29: Triton (8-7)
Division 4
No. 13: Georgetown (9-7)
No. 40: Amesbury (4-12)
BOYS HOCKEY
Division 2
No. 5: Newburyport (11-3-1)
No. 24: Amesbury (8-5-0)
Division 3
No. 10: Triton (8-8-0)
Division 4
No. 36: Pentucket (3-11-1)
GIRLS HOCKEY
Division 1
No. 13: HPNA (6-7-2)
Division 2
No. 28: Newburyport (3-10-0)