WESTFIELD – The state high school basketball tournament brackets were unveiled Saturday, setting the state for another exciting postseason.
First round tournaments get under way Tuesday night with No. 11 Southwick (16-4) at No. 6 Athol (16-4) in Division 3, and No. 15 St. Mary (5-15) at No. 2 Ware (13-5) in Division 4. Both games begin at 7 p.m.
Later this week, the action shifts to Division 1 when the Westfield boys’ and girls’ basketball teams, with identical records of 13-7, go on road trips for their first playoff games. Both have first round byes.
In D1 boys’ hoops, No. 5 Westfield plays at No. 4 Leominster (16-4) in the quarterfinals with the winner likely earning a trip to play top-seeded Putnam (18-3), one of the top teams in the entire state. The Beavers will have to survive an opening round matchup against either No. 8 Cathedral (10-10) or No. 9 Chicopee Comp.
Amherst (18-3) and Chicopee (17-3) were seeded second and third, respectively.
In D1 girls’ basketball, No. 5 Westfield travels to No. 4 Shepherd Hill (14-6).
Top-seeded Central (17-5) hosts either No. 8 Minnechaug (10-10) or No. 9 Sci-Tech (11-9). West Springfield (16-4) drew the second seed in the tourney, and Northampton was third (15-5).
The Division 3 hockey tournament is set to begin Thursday with the defending Western Massachusetts champion Westfield Bombers, the tourney’s top seed, hosting No. 4 Minnechaug at the Olympia in West Springfield at 8 p.m.
No. 2 Agawam and No. 3 Longmeadow meet will square off at 6.
Notes: The state ski championships will be held at Wachusett Mountain Feb. 24, beginning at 9:30 a.m.m
