BOYS LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP CAPSULES

CLASS M NEW FAIRFIELD VS. WESTON

When: Saturday, 1 p.m.

Where: Jack Casagrande Field, McMahon, Norwalk

Seeds/records: No. 1 New Fairfield (21-1) vs. No. 3 Weston (19-3)

Broadcast: NFHS Network (Subscription Required)

Tickets: Adults $10, students/seniors $5, available online at CIACsports.com

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCES

New Fairfield: Sixth appearance, 2-3 overall, 1-1 Class M. 2001 lost to Ridgefield 10-1 (Div. II); 2005 lost to Trumbull 11-10 (Div. II); 2008 def. Weston 17-7 (Class S); 2010 lost to Darien 17-5 (Class M); 2018 def. Hand 13-11 (Class M).

Weston: seventh appearance, first in Class M, 3-3 in Class S. 2007 def. Barlow 10-8; 2008 lost to New Fairfield 17-7; 2009 lost to St. Joseph 12-11; 2010 def. St. Joseph 7-6; 2013 def. St. Joseph 9-8; 2015 lost to St. Joseph 14-5.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

If New Fairfield began the year a solid favorite to repeat in Class M, it ends the year having demolished everyone in its path aside from national power St. Anthony’s (N.Y.). The Rebels famously had every starter back from its undefeated championship season, headlined by Nick Alviti and James Leary defending for goalie Brennan Hart, with offensive threats like Brett Tenaglia and John Morgan, and with a solid faceoff man in sophomore Matt Constantinides getting them the ball. They have lived up to the hype, rolling through their conference season barely scathed, beating a few Class L teams that were ranked in the GameTimeCT poll (the Rebels themselves were fifth coming into the tournament) and handling Weston twice, 17-4 on April 18 and 14-2 in the SWC championship game. If it is a coronation on Saturday, it takes nothing away from Weston, which began the year somewhat unheralded but has put together a solid season, with losses only to New Fairfield and Newtown.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

The last Connecticut team to beat New Fairfield was New Canaan in the 2017 Class M semifinals . ... Hand had reached the final the past four years; New Fairfield defeated the Tigers in this year’s quarterfinals . ... This is the fourth all-SWC final (2002 Div. II, Barlow over Newtown; and the 2007 and 2008 Class S finals).

CLASS S BACON ACADEMY VS. ST. JOSEPH

When: Saturday, 10:30 a.m.

Where: Jack Casagrande Field, McMahon, Norwalk

Seeds/records: No. 3 Bacon Academy (15-5) vs. No. 8 St. Joseph (13-5)

Broadcast: NFHS Network (Subscription Required)

Tickets: Adults $10, students/seniors $5, available online at CIACsports.com

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCES

St. Joseph: Ninth appearance, 5-3 overall and in Class S. 2009 def. Weston 12-11; 2010 lost to Weston 7-6; 2011 def. Barlow 6-5; 2013 lost to Weston 9-8; 2014 def. Brookfield 14-11; 2015 def. Weston 14-5; 2016 lost to Somers 14-8; 2018 def. Somers 11-6.

Bacon Academy: First appearance.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Defending champion St. Joseph had some early growing pains with no seniors on offense, but the Cadets’ youngsters have grown up. They controlled the second half of a 15-11 win at Somers in the quarterfinals, a game that many observers figure pitted the top two teams in Class S. Since the third game of the season, the Cadets’ only losses are to Class L finalists Wilton and Darien and fellow FCIAC power New Canaan. A defense led by senior goalie Kyle Burbank, who made 14 saves in last year’s Class S final, and senior defenders Phil Pasmeg and Bryan Viglione has remained a strength. There were rival coaches who saw this coming in the preseason, looking at talent like senior attackman Dylan Heald, who scored the semifinal winner, and sophomore midfielder Kellen Paparella. They’ve earned their way here.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Since its first appearance in a Class S final in 2009, the only times St. Joseph hasn’t reached the final were 2012 and 2017. It missed qualifying for the tournament by one game both times . ... Bacon Academy is the third ECC team to reach a CIAC final. East Lyme won Division II in 2004; Waterford was Class S runner-up two years ago.