The CIAC state championships in boys and girls soccer, volleyball and field hockey are on tap this weekend, as well as the State Open girls swimming championships at Yale on Sunday. Here is a quick look at the state championship matches in each sport:
Boys soccer
(All games at Trinity Health Stadium, Hartford)
Class LL, No. 7 Farmington (16-2-4) vs. No. 4 Xavier (20-1-2), Sunday, 6:15 p.m.: Farmington got past Fairfield Prep, who knocked the River Hawks out of the playoffs in the first round last year, in the quarterfinals and then took down Greenwich in the semifinals in dominating fashion (a 4-1 win) and is back in the finals for the first time since 2021, when Farmington won its last title. Xavier, the SCC champion whose only loss came to Notre Dame-West Haven in September, tied Farmington 1-1 on Sept. 14.
Class L, No. 18 Brookfield (13-4-6) vs. No. 8 Pomperaug (16-3-4), Saturday, 3:30 p.m.: These SWC schools played to a 0-0 tie earlier in the regular season. Pomperaug was the SWC tournament runner-up to Bethel but beat Bethel in the second round of the state tournament.
Class M, No. 24 Weston (9-5-7) vs. No. 6 Tolland (16-4-2), Saturday, 12:45 p.m.: After years of disappointing losses in the semifinals and quarterfinals, Tolland finally made it back to the finals, nine years after its last state title. Weston didn’t win a game between Sept. 24 and Oct. 17, either losing or tying against its opponents and lost in the first round of the SWC tournament, but it’s been on a roll in the state tournament, advancing to the final with a 2-1 overtime win over Wolcott in the quarters and a 1-0 overtime win over Ellington in the semifinal.
Class S, No. 7 Northwestern Regional (15-3-2) vs. No. 1 Shepaug Valley (17-1-1), Sunday, 10 a.m.: These two Berkshire League foes have met in the regular season twice and split, with Northwestern handing Shepaug its only loss, 2-1, on Sept. 24, then Shepaug avenging that loss on Oct. 22, the last day of the regular season with a 2-0 win.
Girls soccer
(All games at Trinity Health Stadium, Hartford)
Class LL, No. 2 Mercy (21-0-1) vs. No. 1 St. Joseph (21-1), Saturday, 6:15 p.m.: Mercy, which won the SCC tournament championship with a 3-2 overtime win over Amity, ran into Amity again in the Class LL semifinals and won 4-0. The only blemish on the Tigers’ record is a 0-0 tie against Guilford. Mercy last won a state title in 2022, in Class M, and shared the Class M championship in 2021. St. Joseph is the defending Class LL champion and won Class L titles in 2021 and 2022. The Cadets posted 13 shutouts in the regular season. Their only loss came on penalty kicks in the FCIAC tournament championship to New Canaan, a Class L finalist.
Class L, No. 9 New Canaan (18-3-1) vs. No. 7 Sacred Heart (16-4-1), Sunday, 3:30 p.m.: FCIAC champion New Canaan will take on Sacred Heart, who had a rough end to the regular season, losing 5-0 to Mercy and losing in the SCC tournament quarterfinals but bouncing back to win four straight tournament games to advance to the finals.
Class M, No. 19 Northwest Catholic (12-5-3) vs. No. 4 Lewis Mills (16-3-3), Saturday, 10 a.m.: Northwest Catholic lost its last three games of the regular season but regrouped to advance to the state championship game. The Lions have three basketball players in key positions who won the state title in basketball over the winter, so they know how to play on a big stage. They lost in the Class M soccer finals two years ago to Mercy and in 2021 to Holy Cross. Lewis Mills tied Tolland 1-1 in the regular season but beat the Eagles 3-0 in the semifinal to advance to the championship. Lewis Mills last advanced to the finals in 2018, winning the Class M title.
Class S, No. 7 Morgan (15-3-3) vs. No. 5 Coginchaug (15-3-3), Sunday, 12:45 p.m.: These two Shoreline Conference teams faced each other once in the regular season, with Morgan defeating Coginchaug soundly, 7-2 and once again in the Shoreline Conference tournament semifinals, where Morgan won, 5-1. Coginchaug knocked off defending Class S champion Cromwell 3-0 in the semifinals, while Morgan beat Class S runner-up Thomaston to advance to the final. This is the first appearance for both teams in a state championship game.
Field hockey
(All games at Wethersfield High)
Class L, No. 2 Darien (20-2) vs. No. 1 Staples (21-1), Saturday, 1:15 p.m.: These two FCIAC teams just saw each other in the conference championship, which Staples won 3-2 in overtime. Staples also beat Darien 5-2 in the regular season and has dominated opponents in the state tournament, outscoring them 30-2. Staples’ only loss was to Camden (N.J.) Catholic. Darien won the Class L title in 2022; Staples beat Darien last year for the championship.
Class M, No. 2 Guilford (17-5) vs. No. 1 Branford (16-4), Saturday, 11 a.m.: After losing four of its last seven games, Guilford won the SCC tournament title. Branford beat Guilford during the regular season, 3-1.
Class S, No. 12 Shepaug Valley (14-4-1) vs. No. 2 Sacred Heart (14-4-2), Saturday, 3:30 p.m.: Both teams beat the defending champions to get to the final. Shepaug defeated Hand, last year’s Class M champion which dropped to Class S, in the semifinal and Sacred Heart beat three-time defending Class S champion North Branford 3-2.
Volleyball
(Class LL, L and M at East Haven High, Class S at SMSA in Hartford)
Class LL, No. 5 Glastonbury (16-5) vs. No. 3 Darien (23-2), Saturday, 6 p.m.: Glastonbury upset top-seeded Southington to advance to its first state final since 1993 when coach Melissa Reynolds helped the team win the championship her senior year. Darien won its 25th FCIAC title and third straight and is the two-time defending Class LL champion.
Class L, No. 10 Bristol Central (16-9) vs. No. 1 Farmington (24-2), Saturday, 3 p.m.: Farmington is the defending Class L champion and has beaten Bristol Central twice 3-0 and 3-1 during the regular season. The River Hawks lost in the CCC tournament semifinal to Glastonbury but rebounded to advance to the Class L final. Their only regular season loss was to Southington, 3-2. Bristol Central avenged a regular season loss to RHAM with a 3-2 win in the tournament quarterfinals over the Raptors.
Class M, No. 4 Joel Barlow (20-2) vs. No. 3 Granby (22-1), Saturday, noon: Granby’s only regular season loss came to Class S finalist Coventry 3-2, in the second match of the season then the Bears beat Coventry 3-1 later in the year. Barlow was the Class M runner-up to RHAM last year.
Class S, No. 5 Coventry (19-4) vs. No. 2 Valley Regional (21-2), Friday, 6 p.m., at SMSA: Coventry is the defending Class S champion, winning its 12th state title last year. Coventry faced Valley last year in the semifinals, winning 3-2.