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The MIAA playoffs kick off on Thursday night and there are several matchups we watching. Here are the ten we think have the potential to be the best games.
Division 1
#9 Andover at # 8 Franklin: Great matchup between two teams with terrific quarterbacks in Andover’s John Stadler and Franklin’s Ethan Edmunds. It could be a high scoring game.
#11 Natick at # 6 Xaverian: The Hawks looking for a fourth straight state championship but the road to a title begins with a tough, well coached Natick team that could be primed for an upset.
Division 2
#9 North Andover at # 8 Bishop Feehan: The Shamrocks haven’t quite had the season folks thought they were going to have but they are still a team to watch in Division Two. So is North Andover who navigated through a tough MVC schedule and is battle tested.
#10 Quincy at #7 Westford Academy: A great matchup between two up between two well coached teams that fundamentally play good football and can win in a variety of ways. Quincy running back Jonas Ala and Westford quarterback Joseph Guthrie are players to watch.
Division 3
#13 Reading at # 4 King Philip: Tough opening draw for the defending champions against the high scoring Rockets who have the state’s most potent rushing attack potentially.
#11 Plymouth South at #6 North Attleboro: Sneaky tough opening round match up for North. The Panthers are well coached and have been a perennial playoff program in recent years.
Division 4
#9 South High Community at #8 Grafton: Intriguing Central Mass match up between two programs that have been in the playoffs consistently for years. Grafton once again appears to be a sleeper team to watch in Division 4.
Division 5
#14 North Reading at #3 Watertown: Tough opening draw for Watertown. North Reading is well coached and is more than capable of potentially pulling off an upset here thanks to their defense.
Division 6
#11 Joseph Case at #6 Fairhaven: The defending champions Blue Devils will bed tested right out of the gate against Mike Cloutier’s Cardinals. The two teams squared off in October with the Blue Devils outlasting the Cardinals 45-37.
Division 7
Plenty of good matchups but we will wait until the next round.
Division 8
#9 West Boylston at #8 KIPP Academy: Expect a contrast in styles between two programs that have had playoff success in recent years, most notably the Lions who went to four straight state title games and won three of them.