GIRLS LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP CAPSULES
CLASS L NEW CANAAN VS. DARIEN
When: Saturday, noon
Where: Jonathan Law HS, Milford
Seeds/Records: No. 4 New Canaan (18-4) vs. No. 2 Darien (20-2)
Tickets: Adults $10, Students $5, tickets can be bought online in advance
On the air/web: NFHS Network (subscription required)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCES
New Canaan: 9th appearance, 6-2 overall. 2016 def. Ridgefield; 2016 def. Joel Barlow; 2015 def. Daniel Hand; 2014 lost to Wilton; 2013 def. Wilton; 2012 def. Wilton; 2010 def. Greenwich; 2009 lost to Darien.
Darien: 12th appearance, 9-2 overall. 2017 def. Wilton; 2016 def. Warde; 2015 def. Wilton; 2014 def. Glastonbury; 2013 def. Greenwich; 2011 def. Daniel Hand; 2009 def. New Canaan; 2008 def. Wilton; 2007 def. Wilton; 2006 lost to Wilton; 2004 lost to Wilton.
What to look for: Both teams are deep with talent across the field… Darien’s offense is led by All-American juniors Ashley Humphrey and Sarah Jaques, along with seniors Shea van den Broek and Mason Maloney, and junior Maddie Joyce… The Blue Wave defense stars senior MF/D Katie Elders, and freshman goalie Shea Dolce, who was the MVP of the FCIAC championship game... New Canaan’s has several weapons at attack and midfield, including seniors Campbell Connors and Lauren Bisceglia, sophomore McKenna Harden, and freshman Kaleigh Harden and Dillyn Patten among others… Defense is a Ram strength, led by veterans Caroline Schuh, Katelyn Sparks and goalie Caroline O’Dea, all seniors... Both teams have been playing without key weapons, as Darien senior Nicole Humphrey and New Canaan junior Jane Charlton have been sidelined with injuries.
You should know: Darien and New Canaan have been ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively, in the Connecticut Coaches Poll every week since the preseason… The CIAC tournaments moved to the class system (L, M, S) in 2011 and of the 24 state champions crowned since then, Darien and New Canaan have combined for 12 titles... Darien has won the championship the last nine times it has reached the final… New Canaan defeated Darien 12-11 in the Class L semifinals last year, ending the Blue Wave’s five-year reign as state champions... New Canaan defeated Ridgefield 19-7 in the title game last spring, winning its first championship since moving to Class L for the 2017 season… Darien has won both meetings with New Canaan this year, including 11-10 during the regular season and 12-7 in the FCIAC final.
CLASS M ST. JOSEPH VS. EAST LYME
When: Saturday, 2 p.m.
Where: Jonathan Law HS, Milford
Seeds/Records: No. 13 St. Joseph (12-7) vs. No. 3 East Lyme (16-4)
Tickets: Adults $10, Students $5, tickets can be bought online in advance
On the air/web: NFHS Network (subscription required)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCES
St. Joseph: 1st appearance.
East Lyme: 2nd appearance, 1-0 overall. 2006 def. Amity.
What to look for: This could be a battle of offense vs. defense… St. Joseph has been on a tear offensively, scoring double-digit goals in its last four games, including 42 goals in three state playoff victories… East Lyme has held its opponents to single-digit scoring in all but four games this season… East Lyme’s defense is led by the 5-foot-2 senior co-captain Laura Agbayani, along with senior co-captain Sarah Christensen, senior Erin Baumann, and sophomore Ellie McCoy. Senior Maya Rose gives the Vikings a veteran presence at goalie… Offensively, East Lyme features senior Julia Bates, along with juniors Natalie Taylor and Abby Mountain… St. Joseph’s top offensive threat is Lily Ivanovich, a junior who put up eight points on four goals and four assists in a 14-10 semifinal upset of No. 1 Guilford… Senior co-captain Jettke Gray and senior goalie Erin Owens lead the defense, which also features junior Ann Nogueira.
You should know: St. Joseph is 8-0 against non-FCIAC opponents this season… The Cadets have never played in a state girls lacrosse final before, last reaching as far as the semifinals in the 2017 Class S tournament where they lost to Weston 7-5… St. Joseph is the lowest remaining seed in the three state finals… East Lyme is playing in its first state final since 2006 when it defeated Amity 7-3 for the Div. II championship.