Updated CMass Lax Playoff Picture

Jake Foster and Westboro are already in, but they've got a big game tonight against Grafton.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

We've got a big day of lacrosse ahead of us in Central Mass, as regional mainstays St. John's and Algonquin will duke it out in what is always a physical game this morning.

Beyond that, and a fantastic match up between Westboro and Grafton in the early game of Northbridge's 2nd Annual Charity Doubleheader, there are a few games with playoff implications.

First, Tantasqua can punch its ticket to districts with a win at struggling Amherst-Pelham of Western Mass.

Then, in the late game of the charity doubleheader, host Northbridge can win its way into the postseason against rival Blackstone Valley Tech.

Check out the complete and updated playoff picture below.

Post Game Blog: Westboro Flips the Switch Against Nashoba

Westboro's Kyle Lemack gets some air for one of his three goals.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

By their own coach's admission, Westboro played a pretty bad game Tuesday against Shrewsbury, and their slump seemed to continue into the first half of Thursday's game against upset-minded Nashoba.

But the Rangers turned it on after halftime, transforming a 3-3 tie at intermission into a 12-5 blowout by day's end. Here is your weekly reminder that these are simply my wandering thoughts from today's game. If you would like a full recap, head on over to BostonLaxNet. The story should be up there shortly.

If you would like highlights from the game, you can find those here.

CMass Lax Power Rankings: 2014 Preview

St. John's star Drew Smiley (left) will have to deal with an even tougher Westboro squad (right) in 2014.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

So, this preview is a little late for the teams that opened their 2014 seasons over the weekend, but most teams in Central Mass are gearing up for their openers early this week.

2014 will present new challenges for every team in Central Mass. With the new "Central/West" district in both Divisions 2 and 3, the best teams in CMass will now have to deal with Western Mass powers if they hope to win a district title.

That could prove incredibly problematic in Division 2, where reigning state champion Longmeadow looks to be a juggernaut out west. Still, Central Mass has several teams with district and state title aspirations.

Click below for our first Power Rankings of the season, and then check out our individual team previews after that.

2014 CMass Lax Preview: Westboro Rangers

Westboro will be powered by its talented midfield, led by junior Jake Foster (left) and senior Mike Gallo (right).

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Things started slowly for Tom Baker in his first year at the helm of Westboro's lacrosse program.

The Rangers came out of the gate 1-2, with a nine goal loss to Shrewsbury and a humbling loss to Hopkinton already on their resumes. By season's end, Westboro was a club nobody wanted to play, avenging the aforementioned loss to Shrewsbury with a 14-4 win, and playing regional powers St. John's and Algonquin to the bitter end.

It was a combination of young players stepping up and the team as a whole grasping Baker's "freelance" offense, but Westboro emerged as a legitimate threat by the time the Central Mass tournament rolled around. While some key pieces are lost from last year's team, including the region's best face off man in Tom Lawton, Baker has even bigger plans for 2014.