Page 18 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, November 5, 2021 GREATER BOSTON LEAGUE NOTEBOOK: First year of new MIAA State Championship format is now underway Everett Football on road in D1 fi rst-round at Methuen tonight; Revere Football left off playoff list despite 6-2 record By Steve Freker ike all of the previous iterations of the Massachusetts high school football playoff format, the one that kicked off this week had plenty of fans and also a good amount of naysayers. The new statewide playoff format is hooked up directly with the also-new Power Rankings system. The statewide football fi eld across eight divisions includes 128 teams (down from 168 in the previous system), and the seedings for all eight divisions (which underwent some major changes during the recent realignment process) were determined by a Power Rankings system. The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Power Rankings combine strength of schedule with margin of victory to provide a more accurate refl ection of how competitive a team will be in a statewide format. Two Greater BosL ton League (GBL) teams would appear at fi rst glance to have a gripe about the results of this year’s playoff alignments. Perennial postseason participant Everett is once again playoff -bound, but even though the Crimson Tide has beaten Catholic Conference second-place team Xaverian and then ripped through its GBL opposition undefeated, second-year head coach Rob DiLoreto’s Tide team fi nds itself on the road tonight at Methuen High, seeded #9 in a fi eld of 16 playoff teams. Basically, Everett is only one of three undefeated teams of the 28 teams in Division 1... but has to get on a bus and play on the road, while four teams with two losses and St. John’s Shrewsbury – with four losses – all are at home hosting fi rst-round games. Go fi gure. How about the second-place GBL team, Revere? The Patriots’ only loss in the GBL has been to unbeaten Everett, and the Patriots are 6-2 overall ... and not in the Division 3 playoff s, ranked #18 in the Power Ratings, two spots out of the playoff Top 16. There appear to be some even more glaring “WHAT!” moments in this list, as fi ve teams with 5-3 records and one team that has fi ve losses (3-5 Stoughton, seeded #12) are in the playoff s. One of the highest rated teams, #3 seed North Attleborough, is 4-3! Still, Revere is out of the picture for the playoffs and not having a game at all this week, taking a “bye” from the consolation round, getting back to action with a divisional team next week and then fi nishing its season with a Thanksgiving game against Winthrop. Overall, it will most likely turn out to be a rewarding system for all, as it has long been wished that state tournament play was indeed statewide from the start. But at its outset, the Power Rankings system does not appear be very rewarding at all to the teams from Everett and Revere. **** Greater Boston League expanding its ‘co-op’ look this winter sports season The GBL has had some successful partnerships in the past with co-operative, or, co-op teams involving multiple schools. This winter that will continue, along with a notable expansion in hockey and an addition in wrestling. According to reports, the previously successful Malden-Revere boys’ ice hockey co-op team will expand and become Malden-Revere-Everett co-op this winter and use the Everett DCR Rink (beside Glendale Park/ Everett PD Station) as its home base. For the last two seasons, it has been a three-team Malden-Revere-Matignon co-op, but Matignon has ended the relationship, leaving the door open for Everett. Everett had previously been in a co-op situation itself with Mystic Valley Charter School, but ceased that arrangement after last winter. According to reports, coaches from the Everett boys’ hockey staff will take lead roles in the new co-op team, and an assistant from Malden High will be added. There is a major move coming in coed wrestling. According to the latest word, the GBL this winter will fi eld one Wrestling Team, with any and all representatives from any of the GBL teams. The head coach will be Malden’s Rin Van, and the team will be based at Malden High. More to come as this story develops! Melrose Arts & Crafts Society announces Annual Exhibit and Sale T he Melrose Arts & Crafts Society members have been contributing handmade items to the Annual Exhibit and Sale that will be held on November 6 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church (121 West Foster St. in Melrose). On exhibit will be crocheted, knitted and quilted items along with art and many other types of crafts. Some of the Society’s talented members will be demonstrating various crafts, such as jewelry-making. Displays of paintings, Swedish weaving and other crafts will be scattered around the space. If you are interested in purchasing these handcrafted works, there will be a sales table with many items available for purchase. For those of you interested in bargains, there will be a room of new and gently used “treasures” for sale. There will also be some items to be raffl ed. Admission is free and open Law Offices of • ESTATE/MEDICAID PLANNING • WILLS/TRUSTS/ESTATES • INCOME TAX PREPARATION • WEALTH MANAGEMENT • RETIREMENT PLANNING • ELDER LAW 369 Broadway Everett, MA 02149 (617)381-9600 JOSEPH D. CATALDO, CPA, CFP, MST, ESQUIRE. AICPA Personal Financial Specialist Designee to the public, with free parking, and the church is wheelchair accessible. Don’t miss this fun event! For questions about the Annual Exhibit, please call Helene Butler at 781-662-0044. The next monthly meeting of the Melrose Arts & Crafts Society will be on Monday, November 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church (561 Main St. in Melrose). The Society has members from 11 surrounding communities and welcomes all who are interested in arts & crafts and any of its fun activities. For more information, please call Dorothy Iudice at 781-662-2099. Mayor’s Year-Round Youth Employment Program in full swing JOSEPH D. CATALDO, P.C. M “ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS AT LAW” ayor Gary Christenson’s Year-Round Youth Employment Program (MYEP) is well underway. Throughout Malden more than 40 Malden youths are gainfully employed at a multitude of worksites. Approximately 30 businesses have stepped up to provide the students with meaningful employment. The program allows students over the age of 14 the opportunity to work and earn money after school hours. The program is a hybrid model providing youth employment along with weekly career readiness training classes. Job placements are at daycare centers, technology and advertisement organizations, City of Malden departments, afterschool programs and more. Students are introduced to career-based programming, such as healthcare, web design and data analysis, enabling them to experience diff erent skill sets while earning money. The Signal Success classes offer them the ability to gain skills they can use in the workforce. The goal is to ensure that youths are able to access critical education, trialing and career development services so that they are able to enter the workforce and build economic self-suffi ciency.
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