Championship Previews: Field Hockey, Soccer, Volleyball, Swimming

Championship Saturday is upon us, with 15 state titlists to be crowned in field hockey, boys and girls soccer and girls volleyball, plus a host of individual and team champions at the girls swimming State Open.

This story focuses on the championship matchups in field hockey, soccer and volleyball. Complete information on the swimming State Open at Yale University can be found here.

A total of 25 schools will be represented among the 30 finalists. Five schools are playing in two title games - Daniel Hand, Granby Memorial, RHAM, St. Joseph and Staples.

Eight champions from 2016 have an opportunity to repeat their title performance this season.

Three different sets of Spartans (Amity Regional, Lewis Mills and Somers) will be competing for championships, as will two teams of Tigers (Daniel Hand and Ridgefield) and a pair of Wildcats (Old Lyme and Suffield).

Just seven of the 15 title contests feature a No. 1 seed, with four pairings of No. 1 vs. No. 2. Berlin girls soccer, at No. 20, is the lowest seed playing for a state championship.

Here is a brief look at each title game.

FIELD HOCKEY
All games at Wethersfield High School

Class L
No. 5 Darien Blue Wave vs. No. 7 Staples Wreckers
Game time: noon
Title game record: DAR 10-2; STA 1-1
Last title: DAR 2016; STA 2016
Rosters/Results

Class M
No. 2 Daniel Hand Tigers vs. No. 8 New Canaan Rams
Game time: 2 p.m.
Title game record: DH 1-4; NC 5-5
Last title DH 2014; NC 2016
Rosters/Results

Class S
No. 1 North Branford Thunderbirds vs. No. 2 Granby Memorial Bears
Game time: 10 a.m.
Title game record: NB 3-1; GM 13-7
Last title: NB 2006; GM 2011
Rosters/Results

BOYS SOCCER

Class LL
No. 1 Naugatuck Greyhounds vs. No. 2 Glastonbury Tomahawks
Site/time: Willow Brook Park-New Britain, 1 p.m.
Title game record: NAU 2-0, GLA 9-5
Last title: NAU 2002; GLA 2015
Rosters/Results

Class L
No. 4 Masuk Panthers vs. No. 10 Daniel Hand Tigers
Site/time: West Haven HS, 10 a.m.
Title game record: MAS 0-0; DH 4-1
Last title: MAS none; DH 2016
Rosters/Results

Class M
No. 2 Lewis Mills Spartans vs. No. 5 Suffield Wildcats
Site/time: Willow Brook Park-New Britain, 10 a.m.
Title game record: LM 1-2, SUF 9-3
Last title: LM 1997; SUF 2013
Rosters/Results

Class S
No. 3 Somers Spartans vs. No. 5 Morgan Huskies
Site/time: Municipal Stadium-Waterbury, 10 a.m.
Title game record: SOM 6-1; MOR 1-0
Last title: SOM 2015; MOR 1964
Rosters/Results

GIRLS SOCCER

Class LL
No. 4 Staples Wreckers vs. No. 7 Ridgefield Tigers
Site/time: West Haven HS, 1 p.m.
Title game record: STA 1-1; RID 0-3
Last title: STA 1989; RID none
Rosters/Results

Class L
No. 1 RHAM Sachems vs. No. 3 St. Joseph Cadets
Site/time: Middletown HS, 10 a.m.
Title game record: RHA 2-0; STJ 5-1
Last title: RHA 2010; STJ 2016
Rosters/Results

Class M
No. 2 Granby Memorial Bears vs. No. 20 Berlin Redcoats
Site/time: Municipal Stadium-Waterbury, 1 p.m.
Title game record: GM 5-1; BER 1-0
Last title: GM 2001; BER 1998
Rosters/Results

Class S
No. 1 Old Lyme Wildcats vs. No. 2 Holy Cross Crusaders
Site/time: Middletown HS, 1 p.m.
Title game record: OL 3-3; HC 0-3
Last title: OL 2016; HC none
Rosters/Results

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
All matches at East Haven HS

Class LL
No. 5 Amity Regional Spartans vs. No. 6 Greenwich Cardinals
Match time: 7 p.m.
Title game record: AR 10-5; GRE 1-1
Last title: AR 2003; GRE 2010
Rosters/Results

Class L
No. 1 RHAM Sachems vs. No. 7 Woodstock Academy Centaurs
Match time: 1 p.m.
Title game record: RHA 6-3; WA 0-1
Last title: RHA 2016; WA none
Rosters/Results

Class M
No. 1 St. Joseph Cadets vs. No. 7 East Haven Yellowjackets
Match time: 4 p.m.
Title game record: STJ 5-2; EH 1-0
Last title: STJ 1997; EH 2004
Rosters/Results

Class S
No. 1 Coventry Patriots vs. No. 2 Lyman Memorial Bulldogs
Match time: 10 a.m.
Title game record: COV 10-1; LM 1-2
Last title: COV 2015; LM 2016
Rosters/Results

GIRLS SWIMMING

State Open
Yale University, 5 p.m.
Info

Photo credit: Tim Jensen