Playoff Picture, ML12

(ML12 standings from Maxpreps.com)

Sizing up the postseason prospects of ML12 teams has mud-like clarity with the advent of the MIAA All-State tournament. 

In Like Flynn. The top four clubs qualify with at least ten wins and high power rankings. The only questions are the seedings. With Winchester beating Andover 3-2 Friday, they have to be considered among the 8-10 teams with a legitimate shot at a State Title if they get hot. 

Better than even. As of now, power rankings favor Reading (highly), and possibly Belmont (28), Lexington (30), Arlington (32), and Stoneham (#30 in Division 4). Low seeds ensure massive underdog status in the early round. 

Anybody's guess. Wakefield has a power ranking of 40 in D2 and a Woolworth's record (5 and 10) but they've fared poorly against the ML12 D1 teams and Beverly. They can get in by winning out, but with Melrose and Burlington on the schedule that's a big ask. If anybody can coach up a club, Kayla Wyland can. 

Outside looking in. Watertown and Wilmington are not in good shape by record, but there's the inscrutable Sullivan Rule for Watertown if they've won fifty percent in their division. Having beaten Wilmington once, they may be in. They may be the most improved team in the ML12. 

Down the stretch, you want to be healthy, playing well, and headed toward a high seed with at least two home playoff games. With the Byzantine calculus of the MIAA power rankings, trying to game the system is inadvisable.