Fall 2025 State Championship Lookahead: Volleyball, Field Hockey, Cross Country
The Fall 2025 State Championship season ramps up in earnest this weekend, as 15 more state champions will be crowned across three sports.
All of the action will take place Saturday, November 15 at three venues. Billerica Memorial High School will be the site of all five Fall Volleyball State Championships, and Burlington High School serves as the host of the four-game slate for the Field Hockey State Championships.
Once again, the State Cross Country Championships will be run at the Devens Willard Sports Complex.
Here is a look at what is ahead:
Volleyball
Division 2: 10 a.m.
Oliver Ames High School vs. Wayland High School
One of the schools will bring home its first state championship in program history.
No. 1 seed Oliver Ames was on this stage a year ago, falling 3-1 to Westborough in the state final. Meanwhile, this is the first finals appearance in program history for Wayland, the No. 7 seed in the bracket.
ROAD TO BILLERICA: Oliver Ames – beat Archbishop Williams (3-0), Hingham (3-0), Canton (3-1), King Philip (3-0) … Wayland – beat Somerset Berkley (3-0), Billerica Memorial (3-0), Duxbury (3-1), Longmeadow (3-0).
Division 4: 12:30 p.m.
Bourne High School vs. East Bridgewater High School
Bourne is another program that wasn’t affected by realignment. The top-seeded Canalmen won the Division 5 state championship a year ago (3-0 over Whitinsville Christian) after falling short against Mount Greylock in 2023. Bourne in 5-7 all-time in previous title matches.
This will be the first state finals appearance for East Bridgewater, the No. 2 seed. The Vikings won a five-set thriller against Bourne on Sept. 19.
ROAD TO BILLERICA: Bourne – beat Tri-County (3-0), Hamilton-Wenham (3-0), Ursuline Academy (3-0), Rockland (3-1) … East Bridgewater – beat Minuteman Regional (3-0), Advanced Math & Science Charter (3-0), West Bridgewater (3-1), Nipmuc Regional (3-0).
Division 3: 3 p.m.
Bellingham High School vs. Joseph Case High School
After competing in Division 4 in recent postseasons, both schools moved up a level in the realignment process and didn’t miss a beat.
No. 1 seed Bellingham played in the last two Division 4 state finals, falling to Ipswich both times (3-1 in 2024, 3-2 in 2023). The Blackhawks are seeking the program’s first championship.
Meanwhile, No. 3 seed Joseph Case had a much longer history of success, but the Cardinals have not won it all since 2016. They were in the D4 final in 2022, also falling to Ipswich in a five-set thriller. Case has 11 championships in all across 17 previous title match appearances.
ROAD TO BILLERICA: Bellingham – beat Scituate (3-0), Notre Dame Academy-Worcester (3-0), Weston (3-0), Lynnfield (3-0) … Joseph Case – beat St. Mary’s (3-0), East Longmeadow (3-0), Newburyport (3-0), Medfield (3-1).
Division 5: 5:30 p.m.
Hopedale Jr./Sr. High School vs. Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School
The schools should be on even terms as far as championship experience – neither the No. 1 seed Blue Raiders nor the No. 7 seed Vikings have ever played in the state final.
There is one common opponent this season - Smith Voke split a regular-season series with Renaissance School, which lost to Hopedale in a Round of 8 matchup.
ROAD TO BILLERICA: Hopedale – beat Brighton (3-0), Saint John Paul II (3-0), Renaissance School (3-1), Lenox Memorial (3-1) … Smith – beat Prospect High Academy (3-0), Norfolk County Agricultural (3-1), Madison Park (3-2), Pioneer Valley Christian (3-1).
Division 1: 8 p.m.
Newton North High School vs. Franklin High School
This is the classic matchup of tournament experience vs. a complete newcomer.
Newton North High School, the No. 2 seed, is the three-time defending state champion and making its 13th state final appearance overall. The Tigers have taken down three different finals opponents on their run — Brookline (2024), Barnstable (2023) and Lincoln-Sudbury (2022) – and will be playing for their seventh championship overall.
This will be the first state finals appearance for Franklin, which enters as the No. 5 seed.
ROAD TO BILLERICA: Newton North – beat Peabody Veterans (3-0), Westford Academy (3-0), Winchester (3-1), Central Catholic (3-0) … Franklin – beat Braintree (3-0), Lincoln-Sudbury (3-0), Andover (3-0), Newton South (3-0).
Field Hockey
Division 1: 9:30 a.m.
Walpole High School vs. Franklin High School
The matchup of No. 1 and 2 seeds pits one of the most decorated programs in state history with a newcomer to the stage.
Few teams have had the success of Walpole, which is making its fifth straight title game appearance and looking for its third straight title after beating Andover in 2023 and ‘24. Walpole is 14-2 all-time in state finals, its only two losses coming to Andover in 2021 and ‘22.
Meanwhile, No. 2 Franklin has knocked on the door in recent years but is finally making its first title game appearance.
ROAD TO BURLINGTON: Walpole – beat Central Catholic (7-0), Algonquin (5-0), Andover (5-0), Winchester (6-1) … Franklin – beat Woburn Memorial (4-0), Waltham (2-0), Hopkinton (2-1 in 2 ot), Wellesley (2-0)
Division 4: 12 p.m.
Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School vs. Frontier Regional School
These two programs are pretty evenly matched in terms of history.
No. 2 seed Dennis-Yarmouth is back for the first time since 2018, when it outlasted Greenfield, 3-2. The Dolphins are 2-1 all time in state finals.
No. 5 seed Frontier was last here in 2004 (2-1 overtime loss to Canton), and it’s been a lot longer since the program won a championship – back-to-back titles in 1975 and ‘76.
ROAD TO BURLINGTON: Dennis-Yarmouth – beat Tyngsborough (7-0), Ipswich (4-0), Quabbin Regional (1-0), Cohasset (4-3 in ot) … Frontier – beat Stoneham (4-1), Seekonk (4-0), Sutton (2-1), Monomoy (3-1)
Division 2: 2:30 p.m.
Hingham High School vs. Somerset Berkley Regional High School
Another defending champion against a newcomer, but this time it’s the No. 1 seed that is making its debut. Hingham High School has been atop the division race for much of the season and the Harborwomen hope to finish it off with their first championship.
Somerset Berkley, the No. 3 seed, beat Norwood for the 2024 championship and the Blue Raiders also won Division 1 titles in 2018 and ‘19.
ROAD TO BURLINGTON: Hingham – beat Minnechaug (6-0), Milton (2-0), Reading Memorial (4-1), Canton (4-1) … Somerset Berkley – beat Bishop Stang (9-0), Doherty Memorial (9-0), Longmeadow (4-0), Nashoba Regional (3-1)
Division 3: 5 p.m.
Uxbridge High School vs. Sandwich High School
Another 1 vs. 2 matchup to end the day, but this one comes with a twist.
Uxbridge is going for its fifth straight state title, but the top-seeded Spartans are making their first appearance in Division 3 after dominating Division 4 in the first four years of the statewide era.
Sandwich is in its fourth title game in five years, having fallen short vs. Watertown in 2021, ‘22 and ‘24. The Blue Knights’ only championship was in 1987 (2-1 vs. Quaboag) and they are 1-4 all time.
The two teams have combined to outscore opponents, 54-0, in four tournament games apiece.
ROAD TO BURLINGTON: Uxbridge – beat Apponequet Regional (8-0), Marlborough (9-0), Scituate (9-0), Watertown (7-0) … Sandwich – beat Blackstone Valley (5-0), Dedham (7-0), Lynnfield (6-0), Dover-Sherborn (3-0).
Cross Country
The top seven teams from each of the three sectional championship races, plus a pair of wild card entries based on cumulative time, will make up the 23-team fields that will compete for boys and girls championships in Divisions 1-3. The top 10 individuals in each sectional race that were not on qualifying teams also advanced to Saturday's meet.
Here is the schedule of races:
- Division 2 Boys: 11 a.m.
- Division 2 Girls: 11:45 a.m.
- Division 3 Boys: 12:30 p.m.
- Division 3 Girls: 1:15 p.m.
- Division 1 Boys: 2 p.m.
- Division 1 Girls: 2:45 p.m.
(Championship history courtesy of Mike Richard (mikerichard0725@gmail.com).
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