The initial MIAA Power Rankings were released on Friday.
It’s Year No. 2 for the statewide tournament format, which will begin in late October to crown champions in football, soccer, field hockey and volleyball.
Here’s a closer look at how Hampshire County schools fared in the first batch of rankings:
Frontier Regional’s road back to the Division 4 boys soccer state title game is off to a strong start. The finalists last year, the Redhawks (3-0-2) were ranked No. 2 in the initial MIAA statewide power ratings Friday.
The top 32 teams by power rating and all remaining teams above .500 will qualify for the state tournament in all five boys soccer divisions.
South Hadley (5-1-1) slotted in at No. 5, while defending state champion Easthampton (4-3-1) sits at No. 13. Returning Final Four participant Hampshire Regional (6-1-1), last year’s No. 1 seed, rates No. 16.
DIVISION 5 – Three area teams dot the top 10. Smith Academy (7-1-1) leads the way at No. 5, followed by No. 7 Granby (6-0-2) and No. 8 Hopkins Academy (6-2-1). All three come from the Schmid League and will contend for the league title.
Gateway (2-5-1) would make the field at No. 29.
DIVISION 3 – State finalist Belchertown (6-0-2) is standing strong with an unbeaten record and a No. 2 ranking.
DIVISION 2 – Amherst Regional (1-5-1), which rode a wave of upsets to reach last year’s Elite 8, just edged into the initial rankings at No. 32.
No area team would make the state tournament if it began this weekend. The top 16 teams across the eight Divisions are placed in a bracket with no wiggle room. Frontier (2-1) stands closest at No. 23 in Division 8. Smith Vocational (0-3) follows at No. 40.
DIVISION 6 – Last year’s playoff participants South Hadley (0-3, No. 26) and Easthampton (1-2, No. 28) are on the outside looking in after three weeks.
DIVISION 4 – Amherst (2-1) slots in at No. 24, while Northampton (2-1), which qualified for last year’s tournament, follows at No 27.
DIVISION 3 – Holyoke (1-2) checks in at No. 31
DIVISION 5 – Belchertown (2-1) was ranked No. 34.
There’s nobody hotter than Frontier volleyball right now, no matter the division. The Redhawks are riding a 10-match winning streak to open 2022.
Their stunning performances have them sitting comfortably in the No. 2 spot in Division 5, right behind top seed Hopedale (7-1).
Also currently in postseason contention in Division 5 is No. 26 Easthampton (5-3-0).
Besides Frontier in Division 5, Amherst is having one of its most successful regular seasons. The Hurricanes currently have a 9-1 record; their lone loss came in a match against Frontier. Amherst is currently ranked No. 11 in Div. 2.
Sitting just outside the playoff bubble is No. 36 South Hadley (0-10) in Division 3 and No. 41 Belchertown (3-6-0) in Division 4. Teams with a .500 record below the No. 33 mark will make the postseason and compete in a play-in game.
Belchertown earned the highest ranking in the first round of power rankings, sitting at No. 7 in Division 3 with a 6-0-1 record.
Hampshire (2-3-0) is also currently in postseason position, sitting at No. 22 in Division 4.
No. 26 Northampton (5-3-0) is above the cut line in Division 2, with No. 35 Amherst (2-5-0) and No. 39 Holyoke (0-5-0) just outside. Also close to a postseason berth is No. 36 South Hadley (0-6-0) in Division 3.
Belchertown and South Hadley girls soccer are used to duking it out on the field against each other. The two teams are also battling for positioning in the Division 3 power rankings.
No. 5 South Hadley (6-1-1) currently has the edge over No. 8 Belchertown (3-1-3), thanks in part to the Tigers’ dramatic win over the Orioles earlier this season.
Hampshire also made the top five in its respective division, earning the No. 4 spot in Division 4 with a 7-1-0 record. No. 29 Easthampton (6-2-1) is currently sitting in a playoff spot in Division 4 as well.
In Division 5, No. 23 Belchertown (1-3-3) and No. 30 Frontier (4-2-2) are both in postseason contention, and No. 36 Hopkins (6-1-1), No. 41 Smith Academy (4-2-1) and Smith Vocational (4-1-0) are just outside the bubble. Even if the latter three teams don’t make the top 32 by season’s end, all three’s records are currently above the .500 mark, which would earn them a play-in spot for the postseason.