Don’t ever let me buy a lottery ticket around Paul Neal. The man just has bad luck.
Not only does Lawrence lose the four-way shake and gets a prelim game. The reward for a tourney-opening win is No. 1 Central Catholic.
Paul called it weeks ago. I’ll paraphrase: No matter what the scenario, we get Central.
Oh well, to get there, the Lancers had to beat the Raiders at some point.
Looking elsewhere, Andover gets a shot at redemption, a second shot with Malden, which knocked off the Warriors this week in the Medford tourney.
Beat Malden, it’s Everett (most likely). Beat Everett, it’s Central (again, if seeds hold).
For all of Methuen’s hard work, the reward is Lowell.
Other than Lowell, though, you have to like the bottom half of the draw.
That Keefe (O’Keefe???)-Simpson potential semifinal battle (Lexington-Lowell) could be a classic.
In D2, North Andover’s path to glory should be familiar. The knights, who drew a bye into the quarters, are staring at a ton of the Middlesex league, with a potential slugfest with Dracut mixed in.
Heck, of all the brackets, I have to think D2 North s most wide open.
I’ve seen the top 5 seeds in D3N (albeit only two quarters for North Reading), and I have to like both the Hornets’ chances and the Reggies IF, and it’s a GIGANTIC “if” they get past the opener without Donald Celestin.
The Greater Lawrence win over Fenwick was no fluke. The Reggies dominated.
That said, I’ve seen the good (and it’s really, really, really good) side of Watertown, and the not so good side of Watertown.
What happens when smallish Watertown gets a fistful of the man/mountain Mike Clifford and Fenwick?
And can anyone in the section handle the Reggies’ or for that matter Lynn Tech’s quicks?
Again, a great sectional.
In D4, Georgetown and Jaymie Spears have done all they could to prepare for the event. Now, it’s showtime.
Winthrop is on the other side, meaning they’d only meet in the sectional finals.
The table is set.
We’ll have plenty of preview coverage in The Eagle-Tribune, starting this weekend and per usual, we’ll be blanketing things as the locals advance.
Who’s got some thoughts on the pairings?
I know you’re out there.