The MIAA field hockey tournament seedings were released Monday, and three local teams will host a first-round game as the Division 2 North sectionals get started on Wednesday.
The highest-seeded local team is No. 5 Marblehead, which will host No. 12 Tewksbury Wednesday afternoon at 4. The Magicians had an excellent regular season, going 13-3-1. Marblehead sprinted out of the gate this season, winning its first five games and allowing only one goal over those five contests. It wasn’t until the Magicians ran into Northeastern Conference rival Swampscott for a second time that Marblehead suffered its first loss, 3-1. Marblehead’s other two losses were both to Division 1’s Beverly.
The Magicians are led by a veteran core that includes Cricket Tompkins, Hadley Carlton, Annie Ronan, Caroline Driscoll, Lizzie Potvin and Bel Sogoloff. The team’s roster is packed with veteran experience, as the Magicians field 17 seniors.
Last season, the Magicians advanced to the Division 2 North Quarterfinals after a thrilling 1-0 double-overtime win against Hamilton-Wenham.
Swampscott earned the No. 7 seed and will host No. 10 Newburyport on the new Blocksidge Field turf Wednesday afternoon at 2:30. The Big Blue (10-5-3) is driven by a large junior class comprised of players who have been on the field together since they were eighth graders. Second-year captains Michaela Freddo and Sydney Faulkner lead the way and goalie Jillian Flanders guides a strong Swampscott defense.
The Big Blue will be taking on the Cape Ann League’s Clippers, who went 8-5-3 during the regular season. If Swampscott can advance past the first round, No. 2 Watertown will be waiting for it. Watertown had its 184-game unbeaten streak broken by Winchester in early September, the team’s only blemish on the season.
Lynnfield earned the No. 8 seed and will host the NEC’s Danvers, the No. 9 seed, Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 at Pioneer Stadium. Lynnfield (11-7-0) has been playing well as of late, winning two of its last three games of the regular season and looking strong in a 1-0 loss to Division 1’s Masconomet.
Also in the Division 2 tournament is Gloucester, which finished the season undefeated at 13-0-3, earning the No. 3 seed. The Fishermen will take on No. 14 Wakefield Wednesday night at 7. Beverly earned the sixth seed in Division 1 and will host No. 11 Lincoln-Sudbury Thursday afternoon at 3:30.
