There never seems to be a shortage of suspense, parity and controversy in each year of MIAA field hockey – at least since the start of the power rankings and the statewide tournament format. This year was no different.

Let’s unpack some of the most notable storylines from 2024:

Rivalries, dynasties

By the time the state finals rolled around, the final two teams standing in each division were by no means strangers – further strengthening some of the strongest playoff rivalries the sport has seen.

Walpole was a favorite to return to the Div. 1 state final all year; faster and more tenacious than anyone. There wasn’t as much certainty for Andover, but it came to the surprise of few when the Golden Warriors solved their blemishes for a return, too.

What we got was the first two opponents in MIAA field hockey history to match up in the state final in four consecutive seasons. And after Andover won the first two, the Porkers controlled play this year to win 2-0, repeat as state champions, and even the score in a budding all-time rivalry.

The only active one that could contend with it is in Div. 3, but Sandwich has yet to exorcise its demons against Watertown. Even in a year the Blue Knights were exceptionally talented and experienced, it was the Raiders who were victorious against them late in the state tournament for a fourth straight year – and a third time in the state final. Perhaps this year’s edition was the most impressive, handling 20 Sandwich penalty corners and capitalizing on limited chances for a 2-0 win.

It only adds to Watertown’s historic greatness that it’s the only team to beat the Blue Knights in each of the last three years, and the Raiders’ 97 straight wins define a four-peat only the 2009-17 Watertown teams had ever pulled off prior.

Uxbridge’s mic-drop in Div. 4 – before it moves up to Div. 3 next year – etched the program’s name right alongside Watertown by becoming the second program to ever four-peat. Junior Julianna Casucci joined rare company in this year’s final with a hat trick, finishing off a 3-1 win over Monomoy that gave the Spartans 11 straight wins by at least two goals in the state tournament.

Ayda Hike hugs goaltender Brook Lambo, left, after Watertown defeated Sandwich to win another state title. (Staff Photo/Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

Without a state championship prior to 2021, what we’ve witnessed in Uxbridge is the formation of a winning culture that breeds a championship tradition players are eager to sustain. The Spartans are far from done.

Monomoy is right there itself, reaching the state final in consecutive seasons. Along with a double-overtime loss in the 2022 state semifinals, Uxbridge has been the only team able to stop it.

Parity aplenty

Over the last three years combined, you could count on two hands how many teams seeded outside of the top eight – across all four divisions – made it to the state quarterfinals (nine).

This year, in as evenly matched of a tournament we’ve seen that took several contenders out early, there were eight.

For a second time in three years, No. 17 King Philip proved the power rankings wrong by knocking out No. 16 Durfee and an unbeaten No. 1 Lincoln-Sudbury in Div. 1. Eleventh-seeded Winchester (Div. 1) and No. 12 Medway (Div. 3) became the first teams seeded outside the top 10 to reach the Final Four. Ipswich nearly joined them in Div. 4 as a 12th seed in the state quarterfinals, as did King Philip and No. 13 Hopkinton (Div. 2).

More than half of the contests in Div. 1 were decided by two or less goals in a field which Franklin, Bishop Feehan, Lincoln-Sudbury, Algonquin or Central Catholic would have been worthy state semifinalists in. The 13 upsets across all four divisions leading up to the state quarterfinals were more than any other year in this new system, too.

New heights

Tenth-seeded Bedford (Div. 3) won its first state tournament game and reached the state quarterfinals. No. 11 Malden Catholic (Div. 2) also won its first playoff game.

Medway upset Tri-Valley League foes to reach its first Final Four. No. 9 Wellesley (Div. 1) also reached its first Final Four and fell just short of the state final. Consecutive state final trips for Norwood (Div. 2) and Monomoy were the first two trips in both programs’ history.

Lincoln-Sudbury posted its first unbeaten regular season, and No. 16 Durfee hosted its first state tournament game.

Div. 2 drama, boys

Falling in consecutive state final trips is crushing, something No. 1 Norwood felt every bit of. Just as disappointing for head coach Allison Doliner was how the widespread criticism of Ryan Crook, a male star player on the Somerset Berkley team that beat it, replaced the narrative of an excellent game.

The continued hot-button issue of boys playing with the girls should and will be dissected under a microscope in the near future. This is now two years in a row boys’ participation drew national ire, and Dighton-Rehoboth made a bold statement this year by forfeiting its two games against Somerset Berkley after a deflection of a boy’s shot significantly injured one of its unmasked players on a corner last state tournament against Swampscott.

Among upward of two dozen coaches the Boston Herald spoke to about the issue, most recognize the significant competitive and safety concerns of boys playing with the girls. Many also recognize their own star players’ ability to counter boys’ advantages, there have only been a few times in over 40 years that a co-ed team has been the last one standing, and boys don’t yet have a real opportunity to play high school field hockey otherwise – which coaches want for them.

Either way, it shouldn’t detract from amazing play in Div. 2. Norwood’s run was special, getting revenge on reigning champion Reading before falling just short against a Somerset Berkley team ultra-talented beyond Crook. Hingham and Canton nearly made the state final. Notre Dame Academy (Hingham) and Duxbury got back to its winning ways with impressive seasons. And much like Div. 1, a plethora of teams were real threats to do damage in the field.