Next week will be showtime for five Bedford High School varsity teams that have qualified for Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association state tournament play. At least four of those contests will be on the BHS athletic complex.
Softball begins the action on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. at Miss G Field when the 11th-ranked Buccaneers host Nashoba Regional of Bolton, 22nd in the Division 2 rankings. If the Bucs prevail, they likely will be traveling to North Attleboro for the round of 16.
Both tennis teams compete Monday at 4 p.m. The boys, ranked third in Division 3 statewide, begin their quest by hosting Pope Francis Preparatory, a 400-student high school in Springfield that serves not only the Pioneer Valley but also northern Connecticut. If Bedford prevails, the quarterfinals will also be at home against the winner of Austin Prep vs. Fairhaven.
Girls’ tennis is ranked right in the middle, 17th, and therefore has to go on the road in the 32-team MIAA Division 2 field. The girls will face the 16th-ranked Ursuline Academy of Dedham, a private 7-12 school with an enrollment of less than 400. The match is scheduled to take place at Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood.
The boys’ lacrosse team will face Auburn High School in a play-in game for a spot in the 32-team Division 3 tournament. That game is scheduled for Tuesday at 3 p.m. on Sabourin Field.
Girls’ lacrosse, ranked third in statewide Division 2, will entertain the winner of Marblehead and Tantasqua Regional. As of Friday afternoon, the MIAA had not announced the girls’ lacrosse schedule.
Head Softball Coach Dennis Walsh said, “We’ve been trying to stay sharp just by practicing – we had a bunch of scrimmages lined up, but either we’ve had to back out of them or the other team has had to back out of them because of senior activities, including graduation,”
The Buccaneer seniors technically will be alumnae when they step onto the field Sunday. “Keeping the seniors motivated is not something that I feel I need to do, the seniors who really want to be here are very driven.”
Nashoba Regional is “definitely a good team with a really good catcher and a couple of pitchers who will make us work.,” the coach commented.
Second-year girls’ tennis Coach Ben Guth is pleased that his team is coming off consecutive Dual County League tournament wins over Cambridge Rindge & Latin and Waltham, the latter by a 3-2 score that secured the 17th seed.
Guth said his lineup will be the same one that started the season, including four recently-graduated seniors: first-singles Lauren Barnes, first-doubles Audrey Leida and Angela Gu, and Annie Bernstein, who plays second doubles with junior Kate Heller. Juniors at second and third singles are Danielle DiGangi and Ariel Grossman, respectively.
Mike Rosenberg can be reached at [email protected], or 781-983-1763
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