Minnesota, Massachusetts Finals Set for Weekend

06.06.2024

bc high v simsbury 2024 scott kerr photos 1 0

Minnesota and Massachusetts have their finals set for this weekend.

Minnetonka, which went into the boys playoffs with a 5-0 record, defeated a hard-working Fargo team 68-0 in their semifinal Tuesday night. Minnetonka will face Hopkins, which defeated Edina 28-15 last night to avenge a loss from ealier in the season.

This coming weekend the Minnesota D2 champion will be decided as well, and that will be decided in a round-robin of shortened games between Albert Lea, Marshall, and Becker.

Among the girls, Albert Lea earned a bye to the final with a 5-1 record.

On Tuesday, Eagan and Minnetonka met to decide who would play Albert Lea in Saturday's final. Eagan ran out to 27-5 lead about two-third of the way into the first half. That's when a thunderstorm came over the venue, and the game was delayed for lightning. At that point Minnetonka decided not to continue and accepted the 27-5 scoreline as the final score.

Eagan plays Albert Lea in the girls final.

In the Massachusetts IAA playoffs, BC High will take on Xaverian Brothers in the Boys D1 final.

BC High beat St. John's Prep 48-12, improving markedly from their 20-10 result vs St. John's three weeks ago. In this game BC High had the run of play early but took a while to get over—prop and captain Mikey Smith scored to open the Eagles' account. Still St. John's hung tough and it was 12-7 until late in the first half when Smith scored again. It remained 19-7 through to haftime. BC High did well to cause St. John's problems in the lineout and the Eagles' pressure defense was impressive, making it difficult for St. John's to get out of their 22.

That pressure eventually forced a turnover and a nice run from flyhalf Gavin McNicholl put him over to make it 26-7 early in the second half. The two teams traded tries after that, but the last 15 minutes saw BC High roll on with three tries to put the game away.

In the other semifinal, Milton, which entered the playoffs with the #1 Power Rankings seed, lost 55-14. Milton's power rankings had come from a 5-0 record against largely D2 sides. Xaverian Brothers, for their part, had followed a much tougher road and it paid off for them.

Xavierian and BC High will thus meet in the D1 final; the two teams met May 10 and they tied 31-31.

In the D2 Weymouth beat Catholic Memorial 61-21, and they will play the winner of tonight's semifinal between Brookline and Hanover. Those two teams have three common opponents from the season: Milton, Marshfield, and Braintree. Hanover has a better record in all three matchups.

And in the girls playoffs, Belmont HS beat Lincoln-Sudbury 71-5 and will play the winner of Friday night's clash between Algonquin and Weymouth.

All of the MIAA finals will be played at Curry College on Saturday.