Class A
Being second has been a good thing in A North recenlty. The No. 2 seeded team has advanced to the state final each of the past three years, and if that holds again Brunswick can expect to book a trip to Hampden Academy.
The Dragons might not need the past on their side. The present may be enough, as they went 13-1, losing only to No. 1 and unbeaten Camden Hills. The Windjammers will have plenty to say and are looking to repeat as state champs.
Bangor, the 2015 champ, is the No. 3 seed and was able to earn a draw against Camden Hills.
Local area squads make up the four road teams in the eight-team bracket. No. 5 Edward Little started the trend of second-seeded teams advancing to the final three years ago. Some of those players still remain from that team, but the Red Eddies also have a lot of youth. EL already has advanced to the semifinals after knocking off a No. 4 Messalonskee team it had lost to during the regular season. No. 6 Oxford Hills, which improved from one win last year to eight this year, will see Bangor for the first time this season in the quarters. No. 7 Lewiston is looking to avoid a third loss this year to Brunswick, while No. 8 Mt. Blue, the last team in, faces Camden Hills for the first time.
In the South, Scarborough earned the top seed after going 13-0-1. The Red Storm are looking to get to their first state final since going to three straight from 2010-12. The two-time-defending regional champ, Gorham, is the No. 4 seed and could stop Scarborough’s quest in a potential semifinal. The Red Storm will first have to get through No. 8 Windham (state champs in 2013 and 2014). The two teams played to end the regular season, with Scarborough winning 4-1.
York County rivals Kennebunk (No. 2) and Marshwood (No. 3) are good bets to meet in the other regional semifinal, though both have stiff competition in the quarters. The Rams face No. 7 South Portland, which handed Kennebunk its only tie, and the Hawks host No. 6 Bonny Eagle — one of two teams to beat Marshwood.
No. 5 Cheverus has the first crack at ending Gorham’s regional reign. The two teams didn’t meet during the regular season.
Class B
As on the boys’ side, B South runs through Yarmouth, which went 14-0 to earn the No. 1 seed. The Clippers also happen to be the defending state champs.
Oak Hill is slotted right behind Yarmouth as the No. 2 seed. The Raiders were dominant in the MVC this season, going 13-1 and only losing to Class C South No. 2 Madison. But now their postseason path is full of WMC powerhouses. First up is No. 7 Cape Elizabeth, which played in back-to-back state finals in 2013-14. If the Raiders get through that they’ll face either 2015 champ Greely, the No. 3 seed, or No. 6 Freeport, which went 10-4 during the regular season and beat Lincoln Academy in the prelims.
In the North, Aroostook County rivals Caribou (No. 1 seed) and Presque Isle (No. 2 seed) will look to break Waterville and Hermon’s five-year reign in the region. The sixth-seeded Panthers and No. 9 Hawks both had to win prelims to make it to the quarters.
Waterville, the defending regional champ and the only North/East team to win the state title since 2000 (doing so in 2014), faces rival No. 3 Winslow, while Hermon gets top-seeded Caribou. Presque Isle opens its playoffs against No. 7 Brewer, which moved down from Class A this season.
The surprise team of the region is No. 13 Maine Central Institute, which knocked off No. 4 Erskine in the prelims. The Huskies will face No. 5 John Bapst in the quarterfinals.
Class C
Will it be three years in a row for Waynflete and Orono? The two teams have faced off in the last two state finals, with the Red Riots coming out of the North and winning both times. The Flyers got the better of Orono in 2013 to win their second title in a row.
The Flyers will once again look to come out of the middle of the South pack, as the No. 5 seed this season. Orono, meanwhile, is the No. 4 seed in the North after being the top seed in each of the past two years.
Monmouth Academy is the top seed in the South for the second straight season, but doesn’t have the usual advantage of any easy games. First up is a quarterfinal against Class C newcomer No. 9 Maranacook, out of the KVAC. If the Mustangs get through that matchup they’ll then face the winner of Waynflete and No. 4 St. Dom’s.
Madison will start its postseason against No. 7 Lisbon. The winner of that game will advance to a regional semifinal against the winner of No. 3 Traip and No. 11 Sacopee Valley.
Houlton is the top seed in the North after going 13-1 to out-distance itself from the field. No. 2 Dexter and No. 3 Central could be destined to meet in one semifinal. Central, however, must first get past recent state finalist Fort Kent, the No. 6 seed. Orono meets No. 5 Narraguagus in the quarterfinals.
Class D
Can anyone in the South stop Richmond? Will Ashland come out of the North for the fourth year in a row? The Bobcats have been to seven straight state finals, winning four, and they’re the No. 1 seed in the South this year in hopes of an eighth consecutive trip. The Hornets are No. 2 in the North, behind No. 1 Penobscot Valley.
Greenville, the last non-Richmond team to represent the South (back when it was the West), might have the best chance to knock off the Bobcats after securing the No. 2 seed with a region-best 10 wins. But first the Lakers will have to get through No. 7 Buckfield.
No. 4 Rangeley also could make some noise. The Lakers had a region-low one loss, a 1-0 defeat to Richmond. The two teams also tied during the regular season. Rangeley first faces No. 5 Vinalhaven/North Haven, which it went 1-0-1 against this season.
No. 6 Wiscasset gives No. 3 Searsport an interesting quarterfinal opponent, as the Wolverines play in the MVC and don’t play any Class D teams during the season.
No. 3 Southern Aroostook and No. 4 Madawaska round out the top four teams in the North, which separated themselves from the rest of the field. Recent regional champ Washburn (2012-13) is the No. 9 seed and faces Penobscot Valley in the quarterfinals looking to pull the upset.
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