N. BILLERICA--Call it a 'public' service announcement.

The last several seasons have produced some gems at the Super Eight play-in round at the Chelmsford Forum, but last night just may have been the best doubleheader the event has ever produced, with one common thread: the public schools prevailing by a single goal, justifying their inclusion in the games to begin with.

The No. 8 Marshfield Rams erased a 3-0 deficit and stormed back to knock off the No. 9 Austin Prep Cougars, 4-3, while the No. 7 Walpole Rebels remain unbeaten after a 2-1 overtime win over the No. 10 Catholic Memorial Knights.

Facing its largest deficit of the season, Marshfield (19-2-2) went down three by the middle of the second period, with two goals coming on the Austin Prep power play; the Rams had been 70 for 75 (93 percent) on the penalty kill on the season. Marshfield head coach Dan Connolly used his timeout, and what appeared on the ice was a reinvigorated Rams team. Nick Hurley, Matt Smith, Andrew Fithian and Aidan Connolly scored the goals for Marshfield, with Connolly's standing as the game-winner with 2:09 to go in regulation.

Nick Young made 18 saves for Marshfield, which is advancing to the Super Eight quarterfinals for the first time ever.

The same can be said for Walpole (22-0-1), another Super Eight newbie that's hanging around longer than many pundits expected.

The Rebels got a goal from Owen Hunter to go on top 1-0 early in the third period before Harry Morrill responded for the Knights.

In overtime, Hunter won a draw to the right of CM goaltender Brendan Clancy. Cam Martin, stationed behind Hunter, took the puck and recorded his team-leading 23rd goal of the season past Clancy's glove 55 seconds in to the extra session.

Marshfield will match-up with top-seeded Malden Catholic, the defending champion and winner of five of the last six Super Eight titles.

Walpole will take on No. 2 BC High; the other quarterfinal match-ups are No. 3 Pope Francis vs. No. 6 Central Catholic, and No. 4 Arlington vs. No. 5 Hingham.

Per Jim Clark of the Boston Herald, it's the first time since 2011 that four public schools will comprise the field of eight after the play-in round (Weymouth, Hingham, Needham and Woburn).

CM (14-5-2) will return to the Div. 1 South tournament as the No. 1 overall seed and will face the winner of Xaverian-Mansfield; Xaverian routed the Knights last Tuesday, 6-1, which perhaps relegated CM to the play-in round in the first place.

AP (16-3-3) returns to the Div. 1 North field, where it will take on the winner of Belmont-St. John's Prep.