How did we get so lucky?
We all have to remember a year ago, right? When over 1,000 people packed into the Graf to watch old rivals Newburyport and Gloucester battle in the Division 2 Round of 16. It was the “Game of the Year” in our area — regardless of sport — and now a year later, we get to experience it again.
Albeit just a round earlier.
With the release of the MIAA playoff brackets over the weekend, it’s now official that No. 11 Newburyport will host No. 22 Gloucester in the first round on Tuesday with a 7 p.m. puck drop. The Clippers won last year’s epic playoff matchup, but earlier in this season, the Fishermen earned some revenge with a 4-3 victory. Goalie Damien Lamb has been in a groove for the Clippers (11-9-2) down the stretch, and offensively the team is led by Henry Waddell (13g, 19a), Luke MacIsaac (13g, 15a), Jack Sullivan (11g, 11a), Will Forrest (7g, 11a), Brian Lucy (0g, 11a) and Finn McNeil (10g, 1a).
Also making the Division 2 field was Amesbury, which earned the No. 26 seed and will travel down to play No. 7 Walpole on Thursday at 6 p.m. Bodie Marcotte (26g, 17a) is one of the best players in the state, and Grady Stickney (16g, 9a), Evan Murphy (5g, 9a), Tommy Puorro (2g, 12a), Maddox LeBlanc (4g, 9a), Lincoln Kime (4g, 8a) and Wes Ackerman (3g, 9a) are all having strong seasons.
Moving down to Division 3, Triton (13-5-2) came in as the No. 5 seed, and will host No. 28 Diman in the first round on Wednesday with a 5 p.m. puck drop. The red-hot Vikings have won six in a row entering the tournament, and are led by Josh Hersey (20g, 13a), Luke Sullivan (20g, 9a), Michael Taylor (10g, 11a), Mason Colby (6g, 7a), Connor Rumph (4g, 8a) and goalie Gavin Marengi (2.40 GAA).
Finally, Pentucket (8-12-0) is back in the Division 4 field as the No. 22 seed, and will travel over to No. 11 Lunenburg on Tuesday for a 6:30 p.m. start. Chase Pelletier (22g, 8a), Aaron Wirwicz (13g, 11a), Mac Cole (7g, 10a) and Charles Quinlan (5g, 11a) have been the offensive leaders for the Panthers, who have also received strong goaltending from Josh Yoon.
Here are complete brackets for each division that includes a local team.
Division 2
SEEDING: 1. Billerica (18-1); 2. Woburn (14-5); 3. Canton (19-1); 4. Tewksbury (15-4); 5. Concord-Carlisle (14-5); 6. Milton (9-6); 7. Walpole (8-9); 8. Auburn (16-3); 9. Whitman-Hanson (13-4); 10. Boston Latin (11-7); 11. NEWBURYPORT (11-9-2); 12. Malden Catholic (3-16); 13. Duxbury (8-13); 14. Falmouth (9-12); 15. Westwood (12-7); 16. Norwood (10-9);
17. Dartmouth (9-8); 18. King Philip (9-8); 19. Hopkinton (9-9); 20. Mansfield (10-8); 21. Silver Lake (8-12); 22. Gloucester (10-8); 23. Algonquin (9-9); 24. North Attleborough (8-10); 25. Beverly (10-8); 26. AMESBURY (8-10-2); 27. Plymouth North (5-12); 28. North Andover (4-14); 29. Westfield (12-4); 30. Masconomet Regional (4-15); 31. Westborough (11-9); 32. Newton South (5-16); 33. Agawam (11-8)
Local First Round games
Tuesday, Feb. 25th
No. 22 Gloucester at No. 11 Newburyport, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 27th
No. 26 Amesbury at No. 7 Walpole, 6 p.m.
Division 3
SEEDING: 1. Nauset (19-0); 2. Medfield (18-1); 3. Essex Tech (16-3); 4. Scituate (16-4); 5. TRITON (13-5-2); 6. Bedford (16-3); 7. Melrose (10-9); 8. Marblehead (15-5); 9. Dracut (16-2); 10. Shawsheen Valley (15-3); 11. Methuen (13-4); 12. Watertown (7-12); 13. Taunton (15-5); 14. Somerset Berkley (12-6); 15. Lynnfield (9-11); 16. Danvers (7-11);
17. Nashoba (12-6); 18. North Middlesex (8-9); 19. Hopedale (9-11); 20. Bishop Stang (14-6); 21. Pembroke (6-12); 22. Wakefield (2-16); 23. East Longmeadow (11-8); 24. North Quincy (8-12); 25. Blackstone Valley (11-7); 26. Holliston (7-11); 27. West Springfield (9-7); 28. Diman RVT (11-8); 29. Norton (6-12); 30. Foxborough (9-10); 31. Somerville (10-10); 32. Ludlow (8-8); 33. Middleborough (9-9); 34. Assabet Valley RVT (11-9); 35. Amherst-Pelham Reg. (11-6)
Local First Round Game
Wednesday, Feb. 26th
No. 28 Diman at No. 5 Triton, 5 p.m.
Division 4
SEEDING: 1. Stoneham (14-6); 2. Hanover (12-4); 3. Dover-Sherborn (11-8); 4. Littleton (17-3); 5. Winthrop (11-6); 6. Dedham (11-8); 7. Medway (10-9); 8. Wilmington (4-16); 9. North Reading (11-8); 10. Hudson (16-2); 11. Lunenburg (15-4); 12. Norwell (11-8); 13. Boston Latin Academy (15-5); 14. Martha’s Vineyard (9-9); 15. Old Rochester (10-8); 16. Sandwich (8-10); 17. Greenfield (12-7);
18. Saint Bernard’s (13-6); 19. Northeast Metro (13-7); 20. Montachusett RVT (11-9); 21. Abington (10-6); 22. PENTUCKET (8-12); 23. Saint John Paul II (11-9); 24. Gardner (10-9); 25. South Shore (14-5); 26. Cohasset (8-10); 27. Rockland (9-9); 28. Apponequet (7-11); 29. Bourne (8-11); 30. Monomoy (12-8); 31. Dennis-Yarmouth (6-15); 32. Burncoat (10-9); 33. Tri-County RVT (9-9); 34. Taconic (8-6); 35. Keefe Tech (8-8)
Local First Round games
Tuesday, Feb. 25th
No. 22 Pentucket at No. 11 Lunenburg, 6:30 p.m.