After getting through the regular season with an undefeated record and winning the Northeastern Conference South Division title, the Marblehead boys lacrosse team earned the No. 1 overall seed in the Division 2 North tournament. The Magicians edged out No. 2 Reading, which also finished 13-0 this year.
Marblehead has had a big season on both sides of the ball this year, getting loads of scoring from the likes of Will Shull, Matt Thompson, Connor Cronin, Josh Robertson and a host of others. Shull, Thompson and Cronin all rank in the top 10 in the North Shore in goals scored, while Robertson ranks third in the North Shore in assists.
On the defensive side, goalie J.T. Monahan was a rock in net all season long.
The top seed gives Marblehead a first-round bye and a home game in the quarterfinal round, and the Magicians will host the winner of No. 8 Billerica and No. 9 Masconomet Monday afternoon (4).
The Division 1 North bracket boasts two local teams, with Catholic Conference champion St. John’s Prep slotting in as the No. 3 seed after going 13-1. Peabody is the other team in the bracket, earning the No. 6 seed after an 11-3 campaign in the tough Northeastern Conference. The Tanners will face off against No. 11 Westford Academy Friday afternoon (4) at Coley Lee Field, with the winner moving on to face St. John’s Prep Sunday afternoon (12) in the quarterfinal round at Cronin Memorial Stadium.
Four area teams populate the Division 3 North bracket, with No. 9 Swampscott (10-5), No. 10 Bishop Fenwick (10-6), No. 11 St. Mary’s (10-6) and No. 15 Lynnfield (3-8) all getting set for first-round matchups. Each team will also be playing a road game against an unfamiliar, non-conference opponent.
Swampscott will travel to No. 8 Dracut for a first-round game Friday night (7), while Fenwick will play on the road at No. 7 Shawsheen Friday afternoon (4). St. Mary’s will make the trip all the way up to Rivier University in Nashua, N.H. for a road game against No. 6 Lowell Catholic Friday evening (5:30), while Lynnfield will have the tough task of facing No. 2 Essex Tech on the road Friday evening (5).
