Milford primed for title repeat
In a loaded Division 1 South field, defending state champion Milford remains the program to beat.
The Scarlet Hawks return nine contributors, six of them starters including shortstop Emily Piergustavo and first baseman Jess Tomaso from a team that rolled through the competition last spring on the way to a 25-1 record.
Also back is pitcher Kelley Reichert, as well as infielders Kate Irwin and Maddy Bonvino and catcher Emily Hartman as Milford will look to make a statement by playing the majority of its regular season games in the Hockomock League, which is arguably the deepest in the state.
Other contenders from the Hockomock include North Attleboro, Taunton and King Philip.
Coming off a run to the sectional semifinals, North Attleboro returns sophomore ace Bella
Erti and sophomore catcher Ashley Cangiano and starters Olivia Capobianco and Andrea Miceli.
King Philip brings back pitcher Elise Pereira, catcher Brianna Lacy and stud shortstop Meg Gorman from a team that lost in the sectional quarterfinals. Taunton will lean on senior catcher Kya Enos and junior Jaime Brown as the Tigers will be looking for a long postseason run after being dispatched in the first round last season.
Out of the Patriot League, Silver Lake remains a serious sectional threat. The Lakers core that won over 90 games the past four seasons is gone, but pitcher Brenna Welch, catcher Amanda Harris, as well as Hannah Mitchell and Izzy Ruprecht offer Silver Lake a new batch of talent to build on. Meanwhile out of the Atlantic Coast League, Marshfield should again be a worthy challenger.
Catcher Lexi Silva provides the backbone for a young Bridgewater-Raynham program that again should be the cream of the Old Colony League. The Trojans return a strong left side of the infield in shortstop Summer Sheerin and third baseman Hannah Rideout, while outfielder Kylee Piche and second baseman Cece Barrow earned AllOCL honors.
Dartmouth brings back outfielder Rachel Pereira, pitcher Sophia Sousa and catcher Jenna Rainville.
Somerset Berkley should not be overlooked, as catcher Lindsay Chubbuck, shortstop Megan Antaya, first baseman Aliyah Welker and pitcher Abigail Cadorette return.
Hopkinton, a semifinalist last season out of the Tri-Valley League, returns senior Emma Murphy and underclassmen Kate Holly and Jill Ceddia to a team that finished 20-3. Walpole, Braintree and Bishop Feehan add depth to a loaded field.
If the Hockomock League represents some of the best teams in the South, the Merrimack Valley Conference does the same in Div. 1 North.
Central Catholic has back one of the better bats in the section in infielder Abby Latham as well as outfielder Sarah Janco and pitcher Abby Jankowski, as the Raiders will look to build on last year’s 13-win campaign.
Lowell, coming into the year off a run to the sectional quarterfinals, has pitcher Emily Carbonneau back along with outfielders Brittany Mota, Sarah McCluskey and Erin McPhee and infielders Olivia Crowley and Nicole Capra — making the Red Raiders a team to watch closely.
Last year’s surprising sectional finalists Billerica — a team that went into the sectional tournament as a 12-seed — will lean on returners Jamie Babineau and Marissa Jones as the Indians look for a return to the championship round. Methuen, Chelmsford and Haverhill were all-tournament teams out of the MVC last season and should be contenders again this spring.
Out of the Northeastern Conference, Beverly, with returners Marlee Hamor and Julia Pitman, and Lynn Classical, which won 15 games last year and has pitcher Tori Adams and catcher Meghan Leavitt back, are two potential bracket busters in Div.1 North.
Other programs on the radar include defending sectional champion Newton North and Woburn. ConcordCarlisle returns catcher Virginia Ryan, outfielder Catherine Kingman and third baseman Alyssa Attonito.