There has been a dramatic changing of the guard when it comes to the regional championships in schoolboy and schoolgirl soccer this fall.
Among the 20 teams that will be vying for state championships on Saturday, only six schools will play in a state title game for the second straight season.
The state finals in Classes A and D will be held at McMann Field in Bath; the Bs and Cs will be at Cameron Stadium in Bangor and the two 8-person state games will be at Pottle Field in Hermon.
Two of the six teams returning to a second straight state title game will be featured in one game. The Class A girls final between Scarborough and Bangor is a rematch of last year’s state game won by Scarborough 2-0. They will square off at 12:30 p.m. in Bath.
In the A boys final, Camden Hills will face Scarborough at 10 a.m. in Bath. The Windjammers beat defending state champion Lewiston in a shootout in their A North championship game while Scarborough had to go double overtime to edge Portland 1-0 in the South final.
The John Bapst of Bangor boys team will be playing Greely High of Cumberland Center at 3 p.m. in Bangor for the Class B crown. Yarmouth beat John Bapst in the state game last year, 7-0. John Bapst trimmed Medomak Valley of Waldoboro 3-1 in the B North title game on Wednesday night while Greely topped Yarmouth 1-0 in overtime.
In the B girls final, the Hermon girls advanced to the 5:30 p.m. state final in Bangor with a 5-1 win over Medomak Valley of Waldoboro and Greely won the South, 2-1 over Cape Elizabeth.
In Class C, the Washington Academy boys from East Machias bested George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill 4-0 on Wednesday while Hall-Dale of Farmingdale edged defending state champ Mount Abram of Salem Township 2-1. They kick off the four-day Saturday card at 10 a.m. in Bangor.
The Fort Kent High School girls are back in the state Class C championship game against a different opponent in North Yarmouth Academy at 12:30 p.m. in Bangor. Fort Kent lost to Waynflete of Portland, 1-0, in last year’s state final. Fort Kent’s girls nipped Foxcroft Academy of Dover-Foxcroft 2-1 in the regional final while NYA beat Maranacook of Readfield 1-0.
Fort Fairfield and Richmond will meet in the boys D final at 3 p.m. in Bath. Richmond ousted defending state champion Monmouth Academy in a shootout that followed the scoreless overtime while Fort Fairfield beat Easton 2-1.
In Class D girls, the Penobscot Valley High School Howlers will be looking to make it two state championships in a row when they take on Buckfield at 5:30 p.m. in Bath. The Howlers beat St. Dominic of Auburn 1-0 in last year’s final. Penobscot Valley’s girls punched their ticket to the D final with a 3-0 win over Ashland while Buckfield beat Monmouth Academy 4-0.
In the 8-person boys title game, Piscataquis Community High of Guilford will face Greenville at 11 a.m. in Hermon. PCHS triumphed over Calais 6-0 in the North title game while Greenville beat defending state champ Carrabec of North Anson in a shootout.
In 8-person girls, Madison captured the state crown with a 3-1 win over Penquis Valley High of Milo a year ago. This year they will be meeting Dexter in the state game at 1 p.m. in Hermon. Dexter moved on with a 2-1 victory over George Stevens Academy in the North final against Madison upended Temple Academy of Waterville, 4-1.
