As we turn the calendar to February, the playoff push has begun across the state.
The winter tournaments are just over three weeks away, and local teams are polishing their postseason resumes and chasing those final qualifying wins.
With the advent of the new MIAA Power Ranking system, we are to believe that the state is better equipped than ever to determine who are the best and most deserving teams.
Power rankings also make everything wonderfully numeric, and allow for those so inclined to devise ways to compare the cumulative success of different athletic programs.
This is exactly what I’ve set out to do.
While the winter season paints the most incomplete picture of schools’ athletic programs, due to the fact that only four sports are power ranked, I’ve used what I can.
Below is a list of the top 10 athletic programs on the South Shore based on their success on the ice and on the court this winter.
The parameters
If you frequent other local sports news sources, this formula may look familiar to you.
I originally devised this oh-so-advanced equation for a King of the Spring series in another outlet.
Based on the MIAA Power Rankings, schools are given points. Each spot inside the top 32 of a poll is given a different point total: 32 points for a #1 rank, 31 points for a #2 rank, 30 points for a #3 rank, and so on.
If a team is ranked between 33 and 40 in the Power Rankings, they are not awarded any points, but they are not penalized either.
Teams ranked between 41-50 are assigned -1 point, 51-60 get -2 points, and 61-70 get -3 points.
Each of a given school’s teams’ points are then combined and divided by the number of teams they have competing this winter. What you wind up with is an average value of each team at a school.
For the winter, the only sports that weigh in to the rankings are boys and girls basketball and hockey.
The Top 10
10. Cardinal Spellman
Total Points: 27
Average Points: 13.5
Teams: 2
Best Rank: 6 (D3, Boys Basketball)
With just two qualifying winter programs, a strong showing by the boys basketball team this season puts Spellman just inside our initial Top 10.
9. Plymouth South
Total Points: 56
Average Points: 14
Teams: 4
Best Rank: 9 (D2, Boys Hockey)
South is enjoying another nice start to the season for their boys basketball team, but it is on the ice where they are really making their money.
Both the Panthers’ boys hockey team and their co-op girls team with Plymouth North are inside the top 15 in their division.
8. Abington
Total Points: 57
Average Points: 14.25
Teams: 4
Best Rank: 12 (D4, Boys Hockey)
All four of the Green Wave’s teams are inside the top 30 and will be competing in the postseason this year.
Both their boys hockey team and girls co-op team with Norwell are inside the top 15 and closing in on home playoff games.
7. Duxbury
Total Points: 61
Average Points: 15.25
Teams: 4
Best Rank: 1 (D2, Boys Hockey)
It’s been custom for the Dragons to star on the ice while struggling on the hardwood each winter. While Duxbury achieves this rank on the back of a top-ranked boys hockey team and a second-ranked girls hockey team, this winter is different for their basketball programs.
Both hoops squads look as though they are poised to reach the postseason this winter.
6. Carver
Total Points: 34
Average Points: 17
Teams: 2
Best Rank: 15 (D4, Boys Basketball)
Carver does not take the ice in the winter, but excellent consistency on the courts places them sixth in our rankings.
The boys basketball team is in a prime spot to host a playoff game, while the girls, sitting at 17, could make a push for one as well.
5. Whitman-Hanson
Total Points: 76
Average Points: 19
Teams: 4
Best Rank: 5 (D2, Boys Hockey)
Whitman-Hanson is the first, and one of only three teams on our list who can say all four of their teams are ranked inside the top 20.
Boys hockey is setting the pace for the Panthers, but boys (15) and girls (16) basketball are shining as well.
4. Rockland
Total Points: 58
Average Points: 19.33
Teams: 3
Best Rank: 3 (D3, Girls Basketball)
The Lady Dogs hoops team has been among the most consistent programs on the South Shore in any sport in recent years. Once again, a reloaded squad under Diana Newcomb is looking like a title contender in Division 3.
A home playoff game is in the crosshairs for the boys hockey team, and boys basketball is not to be slept on either.
3. Cohasset
Total Points: 63
Average Points: 21
Teams: 3
Best Rank: 4 (D4, Girls Basketball)
This past spring, Cohasset laid claim to having the best athletic program in the area. They’ll have some work to do to catch the top two teams on this list, but top 10 rankings in girls basketball and boys hoops will give them a chance.
2. Archbishop Williams
Total Points: 104
Average Points: 26
Teams: 4
Best Rank: 1 (D3, Boys Basketball; D2, Girls Hockey)
Nobody else can lay claim to having two top-ranked programs this winter. The Bishops are shining with the current favorites in D3 boys basketball and D2 girls hockey.
Past that, their girls hoops team is ranked 8th and boys hockey 18th.
1. Norwell
Total Points: 107
Average Points: 26.75
Teams: 4
Best Rank: 1 (D4, Boys Hockey)
While the Clippers have just one top seed, they eke out the top spot on consistency. Their lowest ranked team this winter (girls hockey) is sitting at 13 and will be hosting come playoff time.
Three top-six programs have Norwell atop our initial rankings.
First five out: Hingham (13.25), Randolph (13), Hanover (12.75), Hull (11.66), West Bridgewater (11.5)
