D-3 girls soccer championship notes

In looking over the numbers, it's clear the two best teams in Division III high school girls soccer will meet Saturday at 10 a.m. at Williamstown High School (directions here).

The top-seeded, undefeated and defending champion Peoples Academy Wolves enter the game with a 17-0 record, having outscored (according to the VPA rankings page) opponents 79-4 during the regular season and 23-0 in the playoffs (according to the Burlington Free Press VPA pairings and schedules). I heard some reports the Wolves have outscored opponents 100-4 this season, but regardless if it's 100 or 102 total goals, it's just an incredibly ridiculous statistic.

The second-seeded BFA-Fairfax Bullets are 16-1 and have outscored opponents 76-10 this season (14-1 in the playoffs).

Despite the fact they are just 27.7 miles from each other, the teams did not play in the regular season.

They have, however, a lot of recent playoff history (source: VPA past champions).

• 2005 - Peoples 1, BFA 0 - quarterfinals
• 2007 - BFA 2, Peoples 1 - quarterfinals
• 2008 - Peoples 1, BFA 0 - finals
• 2009 - Peoples 3, BFA 1 - semifinals

More Peoples numbers to consider:

• According to Anna Grearson of the Times Argus, citing the PA athletic director, the Wolves are on a 31-game winning streak, outscoring teams 166-11 and posting 22 shutouts.
• The Wolves have been scored on in just three games this season, allowing two to North Country and one each to U-32 and St. Johnsbury.
• The Wolves carry a streak of five straight shutouts into Saturday's tilt.
• Peoples is 4-2 in state championship game finals and 41-18 all-time in Division III tournament play.
• Their four state championships rank them second all-time to Northfield for more championships won in D-III. The Marauders have 15 titles, including one co-championship.

The Wolves have been the most dominant D-III program over the past eight seasons, advancing the five title games in that span and winning four times.

• 2011 - Peoples 3, Oxbow 1
• 2009 - Peoples 2, Mill River 1
• 2008 - Peoples 1, BFA-Fairfax 0
• 2006 - Peoples 1, Northfield 0
• 2005 - Northfield 2, Peoples 1

Peoples also lost the 1989 title game to Northfield, 1-0.

More BFA-Fairfax numbers to consider:

Anissa Hartmann and Morgan Young have combined for 50 goals this season, with Hartman scoring 26 and Young 24.

Hartmann has equalled the all-time goal scoring mark at the school with 55.

The Bullets have not scored less than two goals in any game this season.

Their lone loss was a 3-2 defeat against Mount Abraham on Sept. 14. Since then, BFA has won 13 straight games.

The Bullets have only allowed two goals in a game twice this season; the aforementioned loss to Mt. Abe and in a 3-2 win over Oxbow on Oct. 11.

They have posted 10 shutouts this season.

Fairfax has a 27-21 all-time record in the Division III playoffs.

They are 0-3 in state championship games.

• 2008 - Peoples 1, BFA 0
• 1998 - Northfield 4, BFA 0
• 1993 - Northfield 3, BFA 0

For those interested, here's the list of all Division III girls soccer championship ranked by the most by each school.

• Northfield 15 (including one co-championship)
• Peoples 4
• Arlington 2
• Black River 2 (including one co-championship)
• Leland & Gray 2
• Green Mountain Valley 1
• Stowe 1
• Thetford 1
• Twin Valley 1

Division III soccer title game notes

In addition to fine coverage, as usual by the Freeps in their previews of the Division III boys and girls soccer state title games on Saturday, here's some notes I've compiled.

Boys

No. 8 Peoples (10-5-2) vs. No.7 Northfield (10-5-2), 10 a.m. at Randolph H.S.

Both teams were seeded low thanks to playing in the tough Captial Division against larger schools.

Both teams were 1-2-1 in last four regular season games.

They played to 0-0 tie on Oct. 10.

Peoples is 2-4 in D-III title games. Northfield is 6-8-2.

Peoples lost to Northfield eight straight times in the playoffs before beating the Marauders 2-1 in the 2000 title game. Since then, Peoples has won the last two playoff meetings, including a 2-1 win in the quarterfinals last year.

Peoples last title was in 2002 - a 3-0 win over Stowe. The Wolves have lost in the finals three times since then - 03, 07 and 08.

Northfield's last title was in 2004, a 3-2 win over South Royalton.

Peoples outscored opponents 27-12 in the regular season; Northfield outscored opponents 32-20.

Girls

No. 2 Oxbow (16-1) vs. No. 1 Peoples (16-1) at Randolph H.S., 1 p.m.

Peoples is 3-2 in state finals, winning in 06, 08 and 09. This is Oxbow's second title game; it lost in 2007.

Oxbow defeated Peoples in the quarters last year, 1-0. Oxbow is 2-1 all-time in the playoffs against PA.

Oxbow outscored opponents 55-9 in the regular season; PA outscored opponents 56-11. Both team's lone loss was a 1-0 defeat. Peoples has scored 18 goals in three playoff games and Oxbow has scored 16.

I will be photographing and writing about both games, as well as tweeting live updates, for the Burlington Free Press and posting photos at ColdHollowPhoto.com late Saturday night.