The two teams that battled all season for the Northeastern Conference field hockey crown wound up sharing the top spot.
Now, both Beverly and Masconomet will begin their respective state playoff openers on home turf.
The Panthers claimed the No. 13 seed in the Division 1 draw that was announced on Tuesday. Masconomet, which like Beverly had an 13-1 mark in NEC competition, is slotted 15th in the Division 2 bracket.
One of our other local qualifiers, Ipswich, also earned a first round home game, courtesy of its No. 12 seeding in Division 4 North.
As teams ranked 17th or lower in their respective 32-team divisional brackets, Essex Tech (No. 23 seed in Division 1) and Hamilton-Wenham (No. 19 in Division 4) will all be on the road for their first round postseason matchups.
Beverly, which at 16-2 won the most games of any team in The Salem News region, will host 20th ranked Arlington (11-6-1) on Monday under the lights at Forti Field at 6 p.m. A victory in their home opener would be the Panthers’ first postseason triumph in six seasons and only their second since 2013.
In capturing a share of the NEC title for the first time since 2018, the Orange-and-Black have five players who have scored 14 or more points this season: seniors Ava Connon (19 goals, 2 assists) and Northeastern Conference Player of the Year and co-captain Elliot Lund (8 goals, 10 assists); juniors Madeline LeBlanc (7 goals, 14 assists) and Morgan Linskey (10 goals, 4 assists), and sophomore Fiona Bazin (8 goals, 7 assists). Co-captain Mia Bazin and freshman Avery LeBlanc lead a strong defensive unit in front of goaltender Charlotte Stevens, a junior who has more shutouts (11) than goals surrendered (8).
Sophomore Mia Marques, who leads the area in scoring with 14 goals and 16 assists for 30 points, forms an excellent 1-2 scoring punch for Masconomet along with senior captain Mia Juliano (16 goals, 2 assists). They’ll help lead their team into a first round matchup with No. 18 Leominster (6-9-3) on Friday at the Boxford Town Common turf field (2:30 p.m.).
Junior Ava Gauvain checks in with five goals and five assists for the Chieftains (13-5 overall), with senior captain Savannah Stevens (3 goals, 4 assists) and juniors Olivia Tsoukalas (4 goals, 2 assists), Molly Regan (2 goals, 4 assists) and Genevieve Clapp (5 goals) all threats to find the scoresheet at any time. Sophomore goalie Sabrina Cafarelli (124 saves, 4 shutouts) heads up a strong defensive unit.
The goaltending talents of junior captain Abbie Allen helped Ipswich (8-6-3) to another solid season in the Cape Ann League. The Tigers will open at Jack Welch Field Friday at 5 p.m. against No. 21 seed Bellingham (6-13-1).
Allen has made 138 saves this season and pitched six shutouts while allowing just 15 goals in 17 games. Team captains Jayne Krause and Faith Hauenstein are top notch defenders in front of her. The IHS scoring is paced by freshman Ella McCarthy, who leads her club in both goals (8) and total points (11). Juniors Bella Bruno (4 goals, 5 assists) and Ava Croce (3 goals, 2 assists), plus another freshman, Ava Poire (7 goals, 1 assist) are other players to keep an eye on up front.
Also in Division 4, Hamilton-Wenham (7-8-2) is back in the state playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons. The Generals will travel to Barnstable to face 14th seeded St. John Paul II (13-6-1) Sunday at 4 p.m. in a first round matchup.
The Generals have balanced scoring among all four classes behind junior captain Samantha Nevins (7 goals, 4 assists), sophomore Molly Ryan (5 goals, 4 assists), freshman Viola Fazio (8 goals, 5 assists) and sophomore Annie Soleimani (5 goals, 1 assist). Senior captains Emma Ryan and Skylar McNall are defensive strengths for Hamilton-Wenham, with junior goalie Ava Baughn (129 saves, 4 shutouts) the last line of defense.
Making its first-ever appearance in the state field hockey playoffs, Essex Tech hopes to go against the grain and pull off a first round upset. The Hawks (7-8-3) will face No. 10 seed Wachusett (7-8-3) Saturday in Holden at 3 p.m.
Seniors Ella Tucker (3 goals, 11 assists), Samantha McClure (8 goals, 2 assists) and Margaret Winslow (4 goals, one assist), along with juniors Alice Stansfield (8 goals, 1 assist) and Gyovanna Barrows (6 goals, 2 assists) have done almost all of the scoring for Essex Tech this fall. Another senior, goalie Natalie Partelow, has five of her team’s seven victories and has 4 1/2 shutouts to her credit.