Xavier, Perry get set for Class 6A title rematch
The Arizona girls high school soccer championship matches are set for the 4A, 5A and 6A conferences. Here is a rundown of the games, including each team’s tournament seeding:
6A Championship
No. 3 Perry at No. 1 Xavier Prep, Saturday, 4:30 p.m., at Dobson High School, Mesa
Xavier will look to complete a perfect season and bring home a third straight 6A trophy against Perry in a rematch of last year's conference title game, which the Gators one on penalty kicks, 3-2, after regulation ended in a scoreless tie.
The Gators, which defeated Chaparral for the title two years ago, posted a 12-0 regular season during which they gave up a total of three goals. Their three playoff tournament wins were capped off by a dominant 5-0 victory over No. 5 Hamilton in Wednesday's semifinals.
Perry and Xavier faced each other during the regular season on Jan. 26, and the Pumas gave the Gators all they could handle, eventually losing 1-0 in overtime. In the five games played since then, Perry hadn't given up a goal until Wednesday night's 2-1 semifinal win over No. 7 Highland. The Pumas have no shortage of incentive to finally breakthrough and knock off the Gators. This game has close one written all over it.
5A Championship
No 4 Casteel at No. 2 Chaparral, Saturday, 11:30 a.m., Dobson High School
Is it really surpring to see the Colts in the 5A finals for the fourth straight year? Maybe just a little, given that they knocked off No. 1 Notre Dame, one of the top teams in any conference all season, in Wednesday night's semifinals. The undefeated Saints were so dominant they had given up just one goal all regular season and in the playoffs combined before Wednesday night.
Clearly, Casteel (10-2 regular season) carries its experience in big games and momentum into Saturday's finals' match against Chaparral (11-1 regular season), which defeated Catalina Foothills 3-1 in Wednesday's semifinal game. The Colts won the 5A championship in 2020 and last season, losing in the final in 2021.
The Firebirds defeated the Colts 2-1 when they met on Dec. 1 early in the regular season. Chaparral had gone seven straight game without giving up a goal until Wednesday night. Like Casteel, the Firebirds have been a regular in state championship games in recent years, winning 5A championships in 2017 and '18, and winning the 6A title in 2019 and '20, before losing the 6A championship in 2021 to Xavier. The Firebirds didn't make the finals last season.
This shapes up to be a tight contest between two storied programs.
4A Championship
No. 2 Tucson Salpointe Catholic at No. 1 Sahuarita Walden Grove, Saturday, 5 p.m., Tucson High Magnet School
This match between the top-seeded teams was rescheduled from Friday to Saturday and moved from Mesa to Tucson to accommodate the Southern Arizona schools and their fans. Salpointe, which won the 4A title in 2021 and '22, defeated No. 3 Kingman Lee Williams, 2-0 on Wednesday to advance, while Walden Grove downed No. 4 Flagstaff by the same score.
These two teams played Dec. 7, a match won by Walden Grove, 2-0.
The Red Wolves (12-0 regular season) have gone an impressive 11 straight games without giving up a goal. The Lancers (10-1-1 regular season) have gone eight straight games with clean sheets.
Something's got to give Saturday.