The Massachusetts State Football Committee?s tournament board will take up a proposal today to realign the divisions to create another Super Bowl level.
The reasons for this are because several leagues ? including the Middlesex and Merrimack Valley ? have been split into two divisions.
One aspect of this should please whichever teams win the Catholic Conference. Due to the fact that Old Colony League has been moved down to Division 1A, the conference winner will no longer have to play the Greater Boston League champ (usually Everett) in the preliminary game. Under this proposal, the Catholic Conference winner plays the Big Three champ (again, usually Brockton).
The new alignment proposal is as follows:
DIVISION 1
Big Three vs. Catholic Conference
Merrimack Valley Large vs. Greater Boston League
The change, other than the realignment of opponents for the Tuesday semifinal game is that the newly-minted MVL Large takes over the Old Colony League?s spot.
Division 1A
Dual County Large vs. Northeastern Large
Old Colony League vs. Bay State Carey
This is a significant upgrade for the NEC Large, which had been toiling in 2A for the past several years. Included in the NEC Large are Classical and English, as well as Gloucester, Salem, Peabody and Revere. This could, under the right circumstances, set up a GBL nostalgia Super Bowl between Peabody and Everett, should Peabody win the NEC Large in the future and win its preliminary game. Peabody moved to the NEC from the GBL four years ago.
DIVISION 2
Merrimack Valley Small vs. Middlesex Large
Hockomock Large vs. Bay State Herget
DIVISION 2A
Patriot Keenan vs. Atlantic Coast League
Cape Ann Large vs. Dual County Small
The only thing of note here is that if past is prologue, Masconomet, which has won the league for the past three seasons, will get a chance to try its hand against someone besides the NEC champion. The Chieftains have lost to the NEC champ for the past three seasons ? twice to Gloucester and once to Winthrop.
DIVISION 2B
Hockomock Small vs. Middlesex Small
These are the only two leagues, which means they have an express route to the Super Bowl. No preliminary game is necessary.
DIVISION 3
Northeastern Small vs. Patriot Fisher
Eastern Athletic Conference vs. South Coast Conference
No change here for local schools. The NEC Small played in Division 3 last season. However, it?ll have new opponent, as its foe from the previous two seasons ? the Catholic Central Large ? has been dropped to Division 3A.
DIVISION 3A
Tri-Valley Large vs. South Shore League
Cape Ann Small vs. Catholic Central Large
The Cape Ann Small, which includes Lynnfield, stays the same while the CCL Large drops down.
DIVISION 4
Boston North vs. Commonwealth Athletic Large
Mayflower Large vs. Tri-Valley Small
The CAC Large, which includes Lynn Tech, drops down a notch and would play the bigger of the Boston schools in a preliminary game.
DIVISION 4A
Boston South vs. Mayflower Small
Commonwealth Small vs. Catholic Central Small
