D-2, D-3 and D-4 girls basketball title game preview by the numbers
Friday, February 27, 2015 at 4:53PM 
The Richford girls team celebrate their semifinal win on Feb. 26, 2015 at Barre Auditorium. (Shawn Corrow, www.coldhollowphoto.com)
Every year that I’m asked by the Burlington Free Press to cover all three state championship games I do a little research to see if I can uncover some nuggets that might improve my stories.
Here’s the results of the endeavor - most of it will never see the light of day unless I post it here.
No. 1 Lake Region (21-2) vs. No. 3 Mill River (18-5), 3:45 p.m.
Lake Region started the season 5-0, lost to D-I Burr and Burton and Lyndon Institute in back-to-back games, and since then has reeled off 16 straight wins, including a win over Lyndon in the semifinals.
This is Lake Region’s seventh state title game appearance, it’s sixth since 2007 and it’s first since 2011.
The Rangers are 2-4 in state title games, winning the D-III title over Windsor in 2009 and winning the D-II title way back in 1974 over Oxbow. They are 1-0 in D-II title games.
They had a run of five straight title games from 2007-2011.
Mill River is making it’s fourth state title game appearance, but it’s first since 1986. The Minutemen went to three title games in a row from 1984-1986, but came up empty each time.
They have not competed for a title before or since.
Mill River’s losses were to Burr and Burton, Rutland, Fair Haven and Mount Anthony.
The teams did not play each other this season.
This is the second time the schools have met in the playoffs
Past result
2010 - Lake Region 63, Mill River 23 - Quarterfinals
Division III
No. 1 Thetford (22-1) vs. No. 3. Richford (19-4), 7:30 p.m.
Thetford has won 18 straight games since a three-point loss to Rivendell on Dec. 20, 2014.
The Panthers won their first-ever title last year.
Prior last year’s win, they had been 0-3 in state title games.
Richford is seeking it’s fourth state title, its’ first since 1992. The Rockets also won titles in 1989 and 1990.
Richford suffered two losses to Division II top seed Lake Region and one each to BFA-Fairfax and Stowe.
The schools did not play each other this season.
This is the fifth time the schools have meet in the playoffs.
Past results
2012 - Thetford 42, Richford 19 - First round
2001 - Thetford 56, Richford 45 - First round
1996 - Thetford 57, Richford 35 - Quarterfinals
1993 - Richford 60, Thetford 58 - Semifinals
1992 - Richford 67, Thetford 47 - Semifinals
Random notes - Richford coach Jenessa Swainbank is one of the youngest coaches to lead a team to a state title game at the ripe old age of 22. She’s also a member of a very exclusive club of father-daughter combos that have led teams to title games. I’ve asked other members of Vermont sports media and no one could remember anyone younger or another father-daughter combo, but there’s no way to prove she’s the youngest or they are in exclusive company.
Division IV
No. 1 Mount St. Joseph’s (21-1) vs. No. 3 Proctor (17-5), noon
The Mounties defeated Proctor twice during the regular season, 45-33 and 51-46.
MSJ’s lone loss was to West Rutland.
This is MSJ’s fifth trip to the title game. They lost last year to Proctor, 40-33.
MSJ’s lone title was a Division II title in 2002 over Windsor.
They have lost to Vergennes in the D-II title game in 2006 and to Arlington in the D-III tournament in 2001.
Proctor is in the midst of an amazing run of success.
The Phantoms have won three straight state titles. They also won a D-III title back in 1984 and lost three times in the Division III finals (1985, 1987 and 1989).
Their other losses this year are to Whitcomb, West Rutland and Fair Haven.
This is the third time the schools have met in the playoffs.
Past results
2014 - Proctor 40, MSJ 33 - Finals
2013 - Proctor 45, MSJ 37 - Quarterfinals
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