With controversy in the rearview mirror, the Andover boys’ hockey team is now focused on competing for a Super 8 title.
With fourth-year coach Chris Kuchar back on the bench for the final week of the regular season, the Golden Warriors (13-5-2) defeated Division 1A contenders Waltham (2-0), Arlington (2-0), St. John’s Shrewsbury (3-1), and Newburyport (4-0) to land the fifth seed in the MIAA Super 8 tournament from the selection committee Saturday morning.
“I’m very, very happy,’’ said Kuchar. “We get to play more hockey, which is what we worked for. We set up our schedule to be difficult this year and the kids got rewarded for that.’’
On Feb. 16, after being on administrative leave for three weeks, Kuchar and two of his assistants were cleared by both the state and school district for allegedly denying their players food and water after a loss at Pope Francis in late January.
“They’ve had a difficult year and for them to get rewarded for what we’ve gone through, I couldn’t be happier,’’ Kuchar said.
Andover will play fourth-seeded Hingham (12-4-6) in a first-round matchup Wednesday at Tsongas Center. Junior Chris Chingris (1.33 goals-against average) anchors a Golden Warrior defense that has been stellar.
“Our goaltending, we’ve had eight shutouts this year, but those are team shutouts against some quality teams,’’ said Kuchar. “With any good team in the tournament, goaltending is going to be good.’’
A year after falling to Arlington in the Super 8 final, 3-2, Central Catholic (21-1) earned the tourney’s top seed. Catholic Conference champion BC High (15-4-1) was awarded the No. 2 seed, followed by St. John’s Prep (13-3-4) and Hingham (12-4-6). Middlesex League champion Burlington (19-3) was the sixth seed.
Pope Francis (16-3-3), along with Central Catholic and BC High, was advanced unanimously into the second round of voting by the committee. But Pope Francis was ultimately dealt the last seed, No. 10, after the violation of Rule 29.3 and will play Arlington (12-5-4) in a play-in game Monday night at Chelmsford Forum.
In the MIAA Handbook, Rule 29.3 states, “Student or teams that have gained injunctions forcing their entry into MIAA tournaments will be seeded last.’’
Richard Pearson, associate executive director of the MIAA, said that there was “legal action involving specific [Pope Francis] players.’’
“We accept our seed,’’ said Pope Francis coach Brian Foley. “We’re looking forward to Monday.’’
“Honestly, I’m really excited about playing a play-in game. Also, we get an extra game out of it and we’re looking forward to it.’’
The other wild-card matchup Monday is No. 8 St. John’s Shrewsbury (13-6-3) vs. No. 9 St. Mary’s (12-6-4). The two teams eliminated Monday night will be seeded into the Division 1 tourney Tuesday.
“We did a good job early in the year to earn [the No. 1 seed],’’ said Central coach Kim Brandvold. “We know now that the No. 1 seed really doesn’t matter. You’ve got to win and play our best and I feel we’ll be able to do that.’’
Division 1
With Arlington (12-5-4), St. John’s Shrewsbury (13-6-3), and defending Division 1 champion St. Mary’s (12-6-4) scheduled for Super 8 play-in games, the North bracket will be daunting.
Add in Austin Prep (13-7-1) and Newburyport (12-2-6), and North will feature a number of programs that were on the coaches’ initial watch list of 19 teams.
Waltham (14-5-2), which handed Central Catholic its lone loss, 1-0, on Feb. 8, is a major threat.
In the South, Catholic Memorial (8-9-4), Wellesley (15-2-3), Xaverian (10-6-5), Natick (13-6-2), and Franklin (12-5-5) are all in the mix.
Division 2
The North bracket is difficult. The top seed is Danvers (15-5-1), the Northeastern Conference champion. The Falcons went undefeated in a seven-team division that sent four teams to the postseason, including Medford in Division 1. But the Falcons are not infallible. Defending champion Lowell Catholic, the fourth seed, has returned nearly everyone from last year’s state title squad. Stoneham, which handed Burlington one of its three losses, looks to return to TD Garden after falling in last year’s North final.
Canton (No. 2) and Plymouth South (No. 3) earned high seeds in the South after stellar seasons. The Bulldogs allowed just 18 goals. Plymouth South lost twice to unbeaten Hanover and once to Scituate, the 11th seed. Canton has an equally impressive résumé, if not better, with wins over Division 1 foe Franklin and a tie with ranked Newburyport. The Bulldogs also have lost just twice, one of which came against Franklin in their third game of the season.
And don’t forget top seed Southeastern/West Bridgewater, which has outscored foes, 114-39.
Division 3
Hanover (19-0-1) is clearly the team to beat. The Indians racked up 105 goals and yielded 27 — including just three in February. Hopkinton (17-2-1), which has won seven straight, and Rockland (17-2-3), which dropped a 2-1 decision to Hanover in early December, are the second and third seeds.
Lowell (15-3-2), which won the North as the ninth seed a year ago, is the top seed this year. However, third-seeded Cambridge (13-6-1) routed the Red Raiders, 7-0, last month at Tsongas Center. Newton South, the seventh seed, beat Lowell last month, 3-2.
Chris Bokum can be reached at chris.bokum@globe.com. Correspondent David Souza also contributed to this report.
