MIAA releases final brackets after grueling court injuction

There’s no more waiting; the MIAA released the final brackets and power rankings for this year’s field hockey and volleyball tournaments.

The MIAA emailed its member schools at nine o’clock this morning, updating them on the ongoing court injunction. Minnechaug Regional High and Monson High School, along with other school districts, filed the injunction due to scheduling issues on their part. The court hearing affected the release of the field hockey and volleyball seedings that were slated for October 30th.

“We do not have a decision from the judge at this point,” The initial letter said. “The matter in which the Field Hockey and Volleyball tournaments will be seeded will be determined by the Hampden County Superior Court decision. [We] have great empathy for our student-athletes who are anxiously awaiting the unveiling of the brackets.”

While reports initially concluded the hearing would be prolonged until tomorrow, the MIAA and PVIAC schools met in court this afternoon to reach a deal. The presiding judge upheld her decision to bar the MIAA from penalizing Minnechaug and restrained them from recording scores from the Western Mass Tournament that the Minnechaug and Monson played “in any way other than as the scores actually occurred.”

Despite multiple school districts joining in on the lawsuit, only Minnechaug and Monson would get their scores adjusted. The 13 other schools’ scores in the Western Mass Tournament will be totaled as a forfeit. Minnechaug’s field hockey team is ranked 19th in Division 2 and will face 14th-ranked Westborough in the Round of 32.

The news comes at the right time for Gloucester, who start their tournament run this Saturday. The Fishermen, who are ranked 23rd in the updated power ranking, will travel to face the 12-2-2 Buccaneers at 4:00 in the Round of 32.