FRANKLIN — No matter how the Super 8 selection meeting ended at the MIAA offices on Saturday morning, the Walpole boys’ hockey team was bound to make headlines.

Despite their near-perfect 21-0-1 record, the Bay State Herget champion Rebels were far from a lock to earn one of the 10 spots in the Division 1A tournament.

In a poll conducted by the state hockey coaches’ association (MSHCA) prior to the selection meeting, Walpole was left off the 12-team list. No one argued with the impressive record, but a perceived weak schedule raised questions of whether the Rebels could compete with the top teams in the state.

But as Walpole fifth-year coach Ron Dowd explained, there was uncertainty last summer if three of his top players would return this season. By the time he had confidence in his roster, the schedule was set, which featured 16 conference games.

That uncertainty nearly stalled Walpole’s postseason.

In the first round of voting by the seven-person committee, defending champion Malden Catholic (No. 1 seed), along with BC High (No. 2), and Pope Francis (No. 3) moved on unanimously. The Rebels, meanwhile, garnered just four votes and narrowly advanced into the second round. Walpole was the second-to-last team to be locked into a spot, and ended as the seventh seed.

“I’m happy for the kids,’’ said Dowd of the program’s first Super 8 invite. “They’ve worked hard all year and they certainly deserve it. They’ve done a great job for the program.’’

Dowd’s juggernaut has outscored opponents, 107-11, in 22 games.

Backstopped by senior James Corcoran — who has recorded more shutouts (13) than goals allowed (11) this season — the stingy Rebels defense can compete with any team.

And the Rebels will have a chance to prove their merit immediately: Walpole will take on 10th-seeded Catholic Memorial (14-3-2) in one of the two play-in games Monday night at Chelmsford Forum. The Knights, the winningest team in Super 8 history, are back in the D1A tourney for the first time since 2014 under the direction of first-year coach Larry Rooney.

“We needed to change some things within the hockey program, the way it’s been for the past couple of years,’’ Rooney said. “We had to have the players . . . much more committed to the program than they had been, and they bought in. We’ve got some good goaltending, and as a result the players in front of them have played better than I expected and better than they expected.’’

Monday’s other play-in game (6 p.m.) will feature Austin Prep (16-2-3) and Marshfield (18-2-2), another school making its Super 8 debut. The Rams were the last of the 10 teams to earn a bid, notably edging out Burlington and Andover, as well as St. John’s Prep, which was eliminated in the first round of voting.

With Marshfield and Walpole, along with No. 4 Arlington and No. 5 Hingham, there are four publics in the tournament.

Gunning for its sixth title in seven years, Malden Catholic (13-4-3) claimed the top seed. BC High (14-2-4) settled into the No. 2 seed unanimously. After a 10-minute debate, Pope Francis (16-4-1) was seeded No. 3 and will take on Central Catholic (14-5-3) in the first round a week from Sunday at the Tsongas Center in Lowell. The Cardinals have four wins against Super 8 teams this season.

Arlington and Hingham will square off in another first-round game on March 5. The Spy Ponders blanked the Harbormen, 3-0, on Feb. 12.

Malden Catholic (vs. Austin Prep-Marshfield winner) and BC High (vs. CM-Walpole winner) now wait to see how Monday’s play-in games play out.

Division 1

With Andover (13-5-2), Burlington (16-4-2), and St. John’s Prep (11-7-2) on the outside looking in at the Super 8 field, the D1 North bracket will be formidable. Add St. Mary’s of Lynn (13-7-2) and it’s a minefield. The South features Super 8 watchlist squads Braintree (12-6-2) and Framingham (12-6-4), and the loser of the Walpole/Catholic Memorial play-in game. And Austin Prep (North) or Marshfield (South) will be seeded into the tourney after Monday night. Xaverian (10-6-3), which tied BC High twice, and defending D1 champion Franklin (13-7-1) are also in the conversation.

Division 2

Arguably the most top-heavy division of the four, Division 2 features a number teams that would be favorites to win the title any other year.

In the North, top-seeded Lowell Catholic (16-2-2) owns a 7-2 victory over St. Peter-Marian, a 2-0 win over North Reading, and has outscored foes, 91-20. Its two losses? To St. Mary’s of Lynn and Matignon. North Reading (15-2-3), Winthrop (13-3-4), and Danvers (15-3-2) are also in the hunt.

In the South, Scituate (18-2-1) leads the entire division with 107 goals. Tri-Valley champion Medway (15-2-3) carries an 11-game unbeaten streak into the tournament.

Division 3

One of four unbeaten teams, Shrewsbury (19-0-1) is the top seed in D3 Central. However, there are two other unbeatens in Division 3: Southeastern/West Bridgewater (20-0-2), the top seed in the South, and Nantucket (17-0-3), the second seed. And third-seeded Rockland (18-1-3) is high octane.

However, those squads better beware. No. 5 seed Old Rochester/Fairhaven (19-3-0) has scored 142 goals — more than any team in Massachusetts — and is home to three of the state’s top four scorers, Noah Strawn, Sam Henrie, and Landon Goguen.

In the North, top seed Swampscott (17-3-0) also has the pedigree to win on Garden ice.

The Big Blue are followed by city programs East Boston (16-3-3) and Latin Academy (13-2-5); they both have the ability to score in bunches.

James Duffy can be reached at james.duffy@globe.com. Correspondent David Souza also contributed to this report. He can be reached at david.souza@globe.com.