Jets, Swampscott get unexpected playoff spot

Instead of turning in their uniforms today, the Swampscott and Lynn boys? hockey teams have playoff games to get ready for.
Because of the Sullivan Rule, which states if a team plays more than 70 percent of its games against upper division competition in its conference, the Big Blue and Jets qualified as the bottom two seeds in the Division 3 North tournament on Sunday.
?It?s nice to be able to get the chance and now we have to do our best with it,” Lynn coach Joe Conlon said.
The Jets, who are the No. 14 seed and will face No. 3 Lowell Catholic on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at O?Brien Arena in Woburn, have had a roller-coaster season but Conlon knows his team can match up with anyone on a given day.
?We are certainly capable,” Conlon said. “It?s just a matter if we are willing and ready to go.”
The Jets (6-12-2) are led by 19 point scorer Mark Brazell, who was named a Northeastern Conference all-star. Kyle Morrill (13 points) and Brett Molea (11 points) have also helped to shoulder the scoring load.
Swampscott, meanwhile, has been playing some of its best hockey down the stretch. The Big Blue finished with an 8-12 record and the No. 13 seed where they will face No. 4 Shawsheen on Wednesday (5:30) in Stoneham.
?We got a second chance and you can?t ask for any more than that,” Big Blue coach Gino Faia said.
Swampscott was one of the youngest teams in the Northeastern Conference coming into the season and was also racked by a flu bug that left Faia?s team at less than full strength through most of the season?s first month.
But led by the play of co-leading scorers Mike Johnson (5-13-18) and Ryan Donnelly (13-5-18) along with Louis Olivieri (5-12-17) and Ryan Cresta (10-5-15), the Big Blue were solid in the second half of the season.
Another resurgent team that rallied after a slow start was St. Mary?s.
The Spartans opened the season 0-4-1 against one of the state?s toughest schedules but coach Mark Lee?s team rebounded to finish the season on a 12-2-2 tear and earn the No. 6 seed in the Division 1 North tournament.
St. Mary?s opponent on Thursday at 7:30 in Stoneham will be a familiar one in No. 11 Winchester, who the Spartans eliminated in a shootout last season.
?I?m sure (Winchester) will be out for blood because we knocked them out last season,” Lee said. “But we?ve been playing our best hockey of late and we?re as healthy as we?ve been all season.”
The Spartan offense is led by sophomore Dante Maribito?s 16 goals and 29 points, both of which lead the team. He is one of six Spartans (Mike Zampanti, Eric Pedro, Shawn MacBurnie, Max McKay and Jon Powers) who recorded 15 or more points this season.
Lee knows that it?s that depth that has helped the growing process for a still relatively young team.
?This team is full of hard working kids. They?re not the most talented but they work hard,” Lee said. “We are starting to know what our identity is ?a blue collar team.”
The Division 1A tournament also sets up to be a blockbuster as four-time defending champion Malden Catholic has its hands full with teams like Springfield Cathedral, Austin Prep and others.
Cathedral, which lost in the semis to MC last season, earned the No. 1 seed thanks in large part to a season-ending win over the Lancers. MC is the No. 2 seed with Austin Prep, BC High, St. John?s Prep and Central Catholic earning the top six spots.
The other two teams will be determined by the results of the play-in games tonight at the Chelmsford Forum between Franklin-Xaverian and Burlington-Woburn
Division 2 North houses the most area teams with five out of the Northeastern Conference that comprise half of the top 10 seeds in the sectional.
Leading the list is NEC North champion Winthrop, which lost a three-way coin flip with Tewksbury and North Reading to fall to the third spot with a 15-3-2 record.
The Vikings open tournament play Wednesday night at 7:45 at Ryan Arena in Watertown against No. 14 St. Bernard?s.
Marblehead, arguably the hottest team in the confer