Five Defending Champions Advance to Massachusetts High School Soccer Brackets
Natick, Sutton, and Hull are among the five prior winners who qualified, while Division 1 lacks a clear favorite.
By Rosa Fuentes ·
Five teams that won the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association girls soccer championships last year have secured spots in this year's tournament. Natick, Sutton, and Hull are included in the group, joining Duxbury and Medfield. The qualifiers represent Divisions 1 through 5. The November event will determine new state champions across all five divisions.
The brackets show varying levels of consistency for the reigning winners. Duxbury in Division 2 and Medfield in Division 3 enter as the No. 1 seeds. Natick in Division 1, Sutton in Division 4, and Hull in Division 5 also made the cut. Three of the five defending champions held the top seed in their respective divisions last year. The remaining two placed within the top four.
Division 1 appears the most uncertain. No single team dominates the field. Concord-Carlisle and Wellesley are listed as the primary favorites. Both teams finished strong in their conferences. Wellesley went 12-0-2 since late September to win the Bay State Conference. Concord-Carlisle captured the Dual County League title. The Patriots defeated Lexington, Acton-Boxborough, and Franklin during the season.
Defending champion Natick holds the No. 20 seed in Division 1. The team has struggled this season compared to last year's run. Central Catholic, Acton-Boxborough, and Beverly are cited as potential upset threats. Central Catholic finished the regular season 14-0-4. Beverly won the Northeastern Conference. These factors suggest Division 1 may crown a new champion.
In Division 2, Duxbury enters as the No. 1 seed. The Dragons finished the regular season with a 14-0-5 record. Hingham is the No. 2 seed. Oliver Ames and Newburyport are identified as sleepers. Newburyport went on a 15-game winning streak without conceding a goal. That run lasted from September 15 to November 2. Duxbury's Lilah MacQuarrie leads the team's offense.
Medfield dominates the Division 3 bracket. The Warriors finished the regular season with an 18-0-0 record. They enter as the No. 1 seed. Norwell has not lost since its second game of the season. The team has won its last five matches. Foxborough and Cardinal Spellman are the designated sleepers for that division. Medfield's squad includes Sidney Heavey, Devon Weafer, and Audrey Grandinetti.
Cohasset is the top favorite in Division 4 despite Sutton winning the last three titles. Cohasset scored 70 goals in the regular season. Sutton is the No. 2 seed. Sandwich is the sleeper pick for that division. The team won the Cape and Islands League. Cohasset and Sandwich played twice during the season. Cohasset won both games. Brynn Dwyer leads Cohasset's high-powered offense.
Granby and Hull are the favorites in Division 5. Granby won its third consecutive Western Massachusetts Class D championship. Hull is the defending state champion. The team is unbeaten in its last five games. Holbrook is the sleeper selection for Division 5. The tournament brackets include 40 seeds across the divisions. Longest road trips in the event range from 75 to 172 miles.
