D-3 boys soccer championship notes

Two relatively unlikely foes with a lot shared and similiar tournament history will tangle Saturday in the Division III boys soccer state championship game, slated for 1 p.m. at Williamstown High School.

Fifth -seeded Thetford and seventh-seeded Stowe both caught fire at the end of the season after suffering some mid-season woes.

The Panthers, 11-6, suffered through a four-game losing streak, culiminating is a 3-0 loss to top-seeded Peoples Academy followed by a 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Harwood on Oct. 16. Since then, Thetford is 5-0, outscoring foes 14-2.

The Panthers avenged the loss to Peoples in the semifinals, winning 3-1 in penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie in regulation and overtime play.

Stowe, 9-6-2, lost four of five midway through the season and was 3-6-1 in its final 10 games before the playoffs began. Since then, the Raiders have fashioned three straigt close wins, including overtime victories in the quarterfinals and semifinals.

For the season, Thetford enjoys a 39-19 goal differential. Stowe has outscored opponents 30-18.

In the lone meeting between the schools this fall, Stowe prevailed at home, 1-0, on Sept. 22.

However, the Panthers have a 5-5 records against common opponents, compared to a 2-6-2 mark for the Raiders.

This is the ninth time the teams have met in the playoffs, but the first time in the finals.

Past playoff meetings

• 2010 - Stowe 0, Thetford 0 (Stowe wins in PKs) Quarterfinals
• 2009 - Stowe 1, Thetford 0 Quarterfinals
• 2004 - Stowe 4, Thetford 0 Playdowns
• 2002 - Stowe 1, Thetford 1 (Stowe wins in PKs) Semifinals
• 1994 - Thetford 2, Stowe 1 Semifinals
• 1992 - Thetford 2, Stowe 0 Semifinals
• 1990 - Thetford 2, Stowe 1 Quarterfinals
• 1974 - Stowe 1, Thetford 1 Semifinals

Thetford has a 46-37 record all-time in the playoffs and a 3-4 mark in state title games. The Panthers last won the title in 1996.

• 2006 - Enosburg 1, Thetford 0
• 1996 - Thetford 3, Northfield 0
• 1994 - BFA-Fairfax 1, Thetford 0
• 1993 - Thetford 2, BFA-Fairfax 1
• 1992 - Oxbow 2, Thetford 1
• 1973 - Thetford 1, Proctor 0
• 1972 - Proctor 1, Thetford 0

Stowe has a 52-38 all-time playoff record and a 4-2 mark in state title games. The Raiders last won the title in 2009, wrapping up a championship three-peat.

• 2009 - Stowe 4, Winooski 0
• 2008 - Stowe 1, Peoples 0
• 2007 - Stowe 3, Peoples 2
• 2003 - Peoples 3, Stowe 2
• 1974 - Stowe 3, Arlington 1
• 1968 - Proctor 3, Stowe 1

Stowe ranks in a tie for fourth on the D-3 most-championships-won list; Thetford is in a tie for fifth.

Most Division III boys soccer state titles

• Proctor 14 (including 3 co-championships)
• Northfield 8 (including 2 co-championships)
• Arlington 7 (including 3 co-championships)
• Black River 4 (including 1 co-championship)
• Stowe 4
• Peoples 3
• Thetford 3
• BFA-Fairfax 1
• Enosburg 1
• Leland & Gray 1
• Oxbow 1
• Sacred Heart 1
• South Royalton 1
• Swanton 1 (a co-championship)
• Twin Valley 1
• Wilmington 1

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