No matter the year, the Class A state championship goes through this team: Skowhegan. The River Hawks celebrate Wednesday after winning the Class A North title – their 20th consecutive regional championship. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
CLASS A
Who: Cheverus (17-0) vs. Skowhegan (17-0)
When: Saturday, 4 p.m.
Where: Cony High School, Augusta
Outlook: This should be a great game. Cheverus has lived up to its top billing all season, outscoring teams 95-8 in advancing to the school’s second state title game. Skowhegan is the program all others are measured against and has appeared in the last 20 state championship games (there was no tournament in 2020 because of the pandemic), winning 16 of the previous 19, including a 3-0 decision over Cheverus in 2010. … The Stags can score. Junior Taylor Tory has 35 goals (including both in the 2-1 South final win over Scarborough) and seven assists, freshman Lucy Johnson has 28 goals and nine assists, and sophomore Lily Johnson has 12 goals and 13 assists. Defensively, the Stags are underrated, if that’s possible. They don’t give up many shots and they converge on the ball in the circle quickly. … Skowhegan advanced with a 2-1 win in the North final over Oxford Hills. Freshman Sydalia Savage got the winning goal late in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Layla Conway scored the other goal. That’s the way it is for the River Hawks, who don’t start any seniors. They have a balanced offense, with about 10 players scoring goals this year, and a defense led by goalie Lanie Vanedistine that simply doesn’t budge. … Both teams are athletic and skilled. Whoever wins the midfield battle is likely to come away the winner.
CLASS B
Who: Leavitt (15-3) vs. Old Town (14-3)
When: Saturday, noon
Where: Cony High School, Augusta
Outlook: At the start of the playoffs, no one would have expected these teams to be meeting in the state championship game, except maybe the Hornets and Coyotes. Leavitt came in as the fifth seed with three losses in Class B South, while Old Town was the second seed in Class B North, also with three losses. But here they are. The Hornets upset top-seeded York in the regional semifinals, 2-1, then beat No. 2 Cape Elizabeth 2-0 in the final, while the Coyotes toppled top-seeded Lawrence 1-0 in the North final, as Logan Gardner scored her first goal of the season. … Leavitt has a nice mix of veterans and new players. Freshman Maddie Morin leads the Hornets with 14 goals, while senior Ava Gagnon has 13. Senior midfielder Eve Martineau is a catalyst, with 10 goals and nine assists, and is often the flyer on defensive penalty corners. This is the Hornets’ eighth appearance in a state final, and they’ve won three championships, the last in 2012. … Old Town has won 13 of its last 14 games and is an exceptional defensive team, led by goalie Chelsey Cote. The Coyotes turned back 20 penalty corners by Lawrence in the regional final. Madelyn Arsenault and Kilee Bradeen are the leading scorers. Old Town is making its first appearance in a state championship game.
CLASS C
Who: Winthrop (17-0) vs. Maine Central Institute (15-1)
When: Saturday, 2 p.m.
Where: Cony High School, Augusta
Outlook: Two high-powered offenses are going at each other in this one. Winthrop has outscored its opponents 113-5, while MCI had outscored its opponents 94-12. … The Ramblers are led by senior Maddie Perkins, who had three goals and three assists in the South final – an 8-1 win over Lisbon. She has over 70 career goals. But she has plenty of help, with five other players scoring at least 10 goals. … MCI is led by Gracie Moore, who set the school single-season record with 40 goals. Her 40th came in the North final, a 2-0 win over Foxcroft Academy. Moore set up Ella Bernier for the second goal in that game. She’s helped offensively by Trinity Leavitt, who has scored a goal in every game this season except one. … MCI is looking for its first Class C title since 2015. The Huskies also won the 2017 Class B state title. Winthrop is appearing in its fourth consecutive state title game and last won it in 2018.
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