In 2018, the MIAA Division 1 (Taunton), Division 2 (Greater New Bedford), and Division 3 (Abington) softball champions ruled the South bracket first on their way to Worcester State.
Will there be a power shift to the North in the next three weeks?
Lowell and Acton-Boxborough earned the first and second seeds, respectively, in Division 1 North. Both finished with 19-1 records, but the Red Raiders owned the tiebreaker from an early-season 3-2 victory, over A-B.
All roads point to what would be an rematch, with Lowell freshman Giana LaCedra, the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year, going toe-to-toe with A-B junior Lauren Meinhold in an elite pitchers’ duel.
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“There’s a lot of good pitching, some stronger bats,” said Lowell coach Bo Durso. “We played some tough out-of-conference [games]. I like going into an unknown knowing that we’ve [prepared].”
Reigning North champion Newton North, the fourth seed, will not be an easy out, however. And third-seeded Medford shouldn’t be counted out either, with leading hitters Brenna Forbes (.738 average) and Carmen Diorio (.651) among the top in the state.
“Where you are, what your record is doesn’t really matter when you get into the tournament,” said Acton-Boxborough coach Mary Bassett. “A lot of people are in it to compete.”
In Division 1 South, Bridgewater-Raynham (18-1) earned the top seed and the Trojans are poised to make a deep run after an early playoff exit a year ago.
To do so, B-R will have to go through defending state champion Taunton. The second-seeded Tigers have a team batting average better than .400 while outscoring opponents, 230-26.
“We really haven’t focused much on being defending champions, we’re just looking forward to making a good run,” said Taunton coach Dave Lewry. “There’s really tough pitching throughout the entire bracket so anyone seeded high will be tough.”
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“Our mind-set is that everyone brings their A-game,” said B-R coach Mike Carrozza. “There’s a lot of good teams, it’s like a whole new season.”
League foes Triton and North Reading sit atop Division 2 North, splitting the season series. Triton registered the best season in program history and unseated the Hornets, the nine-time defending Cape Ann League champions, in the process. Bridget Sheehan and Emily Karvielis have been the stars, each hitting over .600 with a combined 84 RBIs.
Sixth-seeded Dracut also has the potential to make a deep run with the pitching of senior Ryley White.
“You’ve got to play flawless,” said Triton coach Dave Dupere. “Division 2 is tough, there’s a lot of good pitching.”
In Division 2 South, defending state champion Greater New Bedford (18-2) won its final 12 regular-season games en route to its first South Coast Conference and the top seed.
But GNB faces the most balanced division as any of the top 15 teams could viably make a run at the title. The favorite to dethrone the Bears is second-seeded Plymouth South (18-2) with sophomore Amelia Freitas boasting a 0.76 ERA and a .649 average at the plate.
“There’s a lot of parity this season,” said GNB coach Mark Collins. “Our experience from last year helped our team mature and develop this year. We’ve grown more confident since our last loss and know we just can’t show up and expect to win on past success.”
And in Division 3, reigning North champion Austin Prep (18-2) put up a strong sectional title defense and earned the top seed once again. The Cougars rebounded from a slow start, falling to conference foe and third-seeded St. Mary’s in the season opener.
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Separating those two teams from a potential rematch is second-seeded Amesbury. The Indians have a strong pitching staff featuring freshmen Alana Delisle and Olivia DeLong and senior Emily O’Donnell.
In the South, defending Division 3 state champion Abington is a contender once again. The fourth-seeded Green Wave played the toughest schedule out of the top four seeds, but one of their late-season losses came to 10th-seeded Case.
“We’re excited to get into the playoffs,” said Abington coach Kelsea Cheney. “We spent some time trying to figure out our identity and we’ve really come together this season.”
MIAA softball tournament
DIVISION 1 NORTH
Seeds: 1. Lowell (19-1); 2. Acton-Boxboro (19-1); 3. Medford (16-2); 4. Newton North (17-3); 5. Methuen (16-4); 6. Lincoln-Sudbury (15-5); 7. Lynn Classical (15-5); 8. Chelsea (12-5); 9. Boston Latin (14-6); 10. Reading (13-7); 11. Concord-Carlisle (13-7); 12. Lexington (13-7); 13. Beverly (13-7); 14. Woburn (13-7); 15. Peabody (13-7); 16. Arlington (12-8); 17. Haverhill (12-8); 18. North Andover (12-8); 19. Everett (12-8); 20. Cambridge (11-8); 21. Andover (11-9); 22. Central Catholic (10-10); 23. Revere (10-10); 24. Westford (8-12).
Thu., June 6 — Preliminary
Andover at Lexington, TBA; Central Catholic at Concord-Carlisle, TBA; Everett at Woburn, TBA; Haverhill at Arlington, TBA; Peabody at North Andover, TBA; Revere at Reading, TBA; Westford at Boston Latin, TBA.
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Fri., June 7 — Preliminary
Cambridge at Beverly, TBA.
Sat., June 8 — First round
TBA at Medford, TBA; TBA at Lincoln-Sudbury, TBA; TBA at Chelsea, TBA; TBA at Acton-Boxborough, TBA; TBA at Lowell, TBA.
Sun., June 9 — First round
TBA at Methuen, TBA; TBA at Newton North, TBA; TBA at Lynn Classical, TBA.
DIVISION 2 NORTH
Seeds: 1. Triton (19-1); 2. Gloucester (17-3); 3. Whittier (17-3); 4. North Reading (17-3); 5. Arlington Catholic (15-5); 6. Dracut (15-5); 7. Burlington (15-5); 8. Essex Tech (14-6); 9. Wilmington (14-6); 10. Danvers (13-7); 11. Saugus (12-8); 12. Marblehead (11-9); 13. Bedford (10-10).
Thu., June 6 — First round
Danvers at Burlington, TBA; Marblehead at Arlington Catholic, TBA; Saugus at Dracut, TBA; Wilmington at Essex Tech, TBA.
Sat., June 8 — First round
Bedford at North Reading, TBA.
Mon., June 10 — Quarterfinals
TBA at Triton, TBA; TBA at Whittier, TBA; TBA at Gloucester, TBA.
DIVISION 3 NORTH
Seeds: 1. Austin Prep (18-2); 2. Amesbury (17-3); 3. St. Mary’s (16-4); 4. Madison Park (11-3); 5. East Boston (12-5); 6. Tech Boston (11-4); 7. Latin Academy (16-6); 8. South Boston (10-4); 9. Northeast (14-6); 10. Presentation of Mary (12-6); 11. Matignon (13-7); 12. O’Bryant (12-7); 13. Lynnfield (11-7); 14. Mystic Valley (11-7); 15. Snowden (8-6); 16. Greater Lowell (10-8); 17. Manchester Essex (11-9); 18. Pope John (11-9); 19. Lowell Catholic (11-9); 20. St. Joseph Prep (10-10); 21. Ipswich (9-9); 22. Winthrop (6-14).
Thu., June 6 — Preliminary
Pope John at Mystic Valley, TBA; Winthrop at Matignon, TBA; Manchester Essex at Greater Lowell, 3; Ipswich vs. OBryant at West Roxbury High School, West Roxbury, 3:30; Lowell Catholic at Snowden, 3:30.
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Fri., June 7 — Preliminary
Saint Joseph Prep at Lynnfield, TBA.
Thu., June 6 — First round
Northeast at South Boston, 3:30.
Sat., June 8 — First round
TBA at Tech Boston, 4; TBA at Austin Prep, 4; TBA at St. Mary's, 4; Presentation of Mary at Latin Academy, 4.
Sun., June 9 — First round
TBA at Amesbury, TBA; TBA at East Boston, 1; TBA at Madison Park, 1.
DIVISION 1 SOUTH
Seeds: 1. Bridgewater-Raynham (18-1); 2. Taunton (20-2); 3. Bishop Feehan (17-2); 4. Plymouth North (14-4); 5. Walpole (14-4); 6. Braintree (15-5); 7. Silver Lake (15-5); 8. North Attleboro (15-5); 9. Dartmouth (15-5); 10. Marshfield (14-6); 11. Franklin (14-6); 12. Stoughton (14-6); 13. Hopkinton (13-6); 14. Natick (12-6); 15. King Philip (12-8); 16. Mansfield (12-8); 17. Attleboro (10-8); 18. New Bedford (11-9); 19. North Quincy (11-9); 20. Milton (9-8); 21. Somerset-Berkley (10-10); 22. Wellesley (8-8).
Thu., June 6 — Preliminary
Attleboro at Mansfield, 3:30; Milton at Hopkinton, 3:30; North Quincy at Natick, 3:30; Wellesley at Franklin, 7.
Sat., June 8 — Preliminary
New Bedford at King Philip, 3; Somerset Berkley at Stoughton, 4.
Fri., June 7 — First round
Marshfield at Silver Lake, 3:30.
Sat., June 8 — First round
TBA at Bridgewater-Raynham, TBA; TBA at Braintree, 3:30; TBA at Bishop Feehan, 4; TBA at Plymouth North, 4; Dartmouth at North Attleborough, 4.
Sun., June 9 — First round
TBA at Walpole, TBA.
TBA — First round
TBA at Taunton, TBA.
DIVISION 2 SOUTH
Seeds: 1. Greater New Bedford (18-2); 2. Plymouth South (18-2); 3. Hanover (17-3); 4. Falmouth (17-3); 5. Norton (15-4); 6. Fairhaven (15-5); 7. Medfield (15-5); 8. Middleboro (15-5); 9. Dennis-Yarmouth (13-5); 10. Diman (14-6); 11. Norwell (14-6); 12. Dighton-Rehoboth (14-6); 13. Dedham (14-6); 14. Norwood (12-6); 15. Bristol-Plymouth (12-6); 16. Southeastern (12-6); 17. Medway (13-7); 18. Old Rochester (12-12); 19. East Bridgewater (10-10); 20. Foxboro (8-12); 21. Notre Dame-Hingham (4-12).
Thu., June 6 — Preliminary
East Bridgewater at Norwood, 3:30; Foxborough at Dedham, 3:30; Notre Dame (Hingham) at Dighton-Rehoboth, 3:30; Old Rochester at Bristol-Plymouth, 3:30.
Fri., June 7 — Preliminary
Medway at Southeastern, 3:30.
Fri., June 7 — First round
Dennis-Yarmouth at Middleborough, 3:30; Norwell at Fairhaven, 3:30.
Sat., June 8 — First round
TBA at Plymouth South, 4; TBA at Falmouth, 4; TBA at Greater New Bedford, 4; TBA at Hanover, 4; Diman at Medfield, 4.
Sun., June 9 — First round
TBA at Norton, 2.
DIVISION 3 SOUTH
Seeds: 1. Monomoy (18-2); 2. Nantucket (18-2); 3. Bristol Aggie (16-2); 4. Abington (17-3); 5. Norfolk Aggie (15-3); 6. Rockland (14-3); 7. Holbrook (15-5); 8. Bellingham (15-5); 9. West Bridgewater (16-6); 10. Case (14-6); 11. Rising Tide (13-7); 12. Coyle & Cassidy (12-8); 13. Sacred Heart (8-8); 14. Sturgis West (8-8); 15. Bourne (6-14); 16. Wareham (5-15).
Thu., June 6 — First round
Rising Tide Charter at Rockland, 3:30; Sturgis West at Bristol Aggie, 3:30; Wareham at Monomoy, 3:30.
Fri., June 7 — First round
Bourne at Nantucket, 3; Case at Holbrook, 3:30; Coyle & Cassidy at Norfolk Aggie, 3:30; Sacred Heart at Abington, 3:30.
Sat., June 8 — First round
West Bridgewater at Bellingham, 7.
Dan Shulman can be reached at dan.shulman@globe.com.