Connecticut Championship Previews: Baseball, Softball, Lacrosse, Volleyball

State championship time has arrived for high school baseball, softball, lacrosse and volleyball teams across Connecticut, as the CIAC spring tournaments conclude with 18 title contests slated for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

All eight lacrosse finals will be played at Fairfield University, baseball finals are slated for Palmer Field in Middletown, softball championships will be contested on Burrill Family Field at the University of Connecticut, and the boys volleyball winners will be crowned at Newtown High School.

Tickets for CIAC championship games are only available digitally, and may be purchased at the GoFan website. There will be no paper tickets.

Some interesting facts and tidbits about the upcoming finals:

• The finals will have Lions (Foran), Tigers (Ridgefield, Daniel Hand) and Grizzlies (Guilford), oh my! There will be three schools of Falcons (St. Paul, Fairfield Ludlowe, Joel Barlow), and two schools each of Trojans (Lyman Hall, Simsbury), Rams (Cheshire, New Canaan), Spartans (Somers, Maloney) and Crusaders (Holy Cross, Lauralton Hall).
• Masuk softball, which plays the final semifinal contest Thursday against St. Joseph, seeks its seventh straight state championship. Woodland Regional softball is on track for its fourth state crown in a row, while New Fairfield lacrosse (both boys and girls), Daniel Hand boys lacrosse, New Canaan girls lacrosse and Lauralton Hall girls lacrosse hope to duplicate last year’s title success.
• Eight schools will be represented in multiple finals, with St. Joseph having a shot at appearing in three pending Thursday’s softball outcome. Those rooting for dual celebrations are Guilford (baseball, boys lacrosse), St. Joseph (baseball, boys lacrosse), St. Paul (baseball, softball), Cheshire (softball, girls lacrosse), Darien (boys and girls lacrosse), Daniel Hand (boys and girls lacrosse), New Fairfield (boys and girls lacrosse) and New Canaan (girls lacrosse, boys volleyball).
• Three programs still in contention have already claimed more than 10 state titles: Darien boys lacrosse (14), Darien girls lacrosse (12) and Masuk softball (10).
• Of all finals teams with previous state titles under their belts, South Windsor baseball has endured the longest drought, last winning a state crown in 1993.
• Glastonbury baseball, Suffield baseball, Ridgefield softball, Sacred Heart Academy girls lacrosse and Conard boys volleyball are making their first trips to a championship game. Programs which have competed in championship games in the past, yet are still seeking their first title, are North Branford softball, St. Paul softball, Fairfield Ludlowe boys lacrosse, Simsbury girls lacrosse, Cheshire girls lacrosse, Daniel Hand girls lacrosse and New Canaan boys volleyball.
• Just six matchups will feature the top two seeds squaring off: Woodland-Foran softball, North Branford-St. Paul softball, Fairfield Ludlowe-St. Joseph boys lacrosse, New Fairfield-Somers boys lacrosse, Darien-New Canaan girls lacrosse and Simsbury-Cheshire girls lacrosse. A victory Thursday would place top-seeded Masuk softball against No. 2 Waterford.

Here is complete information about each title contest, including championship game histories and links to team rosters and season records. Games are on Saturday, June 14 unless otherwise indicated.

BASEBALL

CLASS LL
7 p.m.

No. 2 South Windsor Bobcats vs. No. 32 Glastonbury Guardians

Regular season: SW 17-3; GLA 7-13
The road to the finals:

• SW: d. Greenwich 9-3; d. Fairfield Prep; d. Naugatuck 4-2; d. Norwalk 5-3
• GLA: d. Amity Regional 5-1; d. Fairfield Ludlowe 6-4; d. Southington 6-1; d. Fairfield Warde 9-1

Title game record: SW 1-1; GLA 0-0
Last state championship: SW 1993 (L); GLA none
Rosters

CLASS L
noon

No. 3 Lyman Hall Trojans vs. No. 8 Guilford Grizzlies

Regular season: LH 17-3; GUIL 14-6
The road to the finals:

• LH: d. Bunnell 16-0; d. Torrington 12-1; d. New London 5-4; d. Cheshire 3-2
• GUIL: d. North Haven 7-6; d. Notre Dame-West Haven 9-5; d. Brookfield 5-4; d. Berlin 15-1

Title game record: LH 2-0; GUIL 1-2
Last state championship: LH 2002 (L); GUIL 2007 (L)
Rosters

CLASS M
6/13, 7 p.m.

No. 1 Suffield Wildcats vs. No. 15 St. Joseph Cadets

Regular season: SUF 18-2; STJ 12-8
The road to the finals:

• SUF: d. Vinal Tech 10-1; d. New Fairfield 8-7; d. Ansonia 2-0; d. Stonington 5-4
• STJ: d. Abbott Tech 9-2; d. Montville 17-3; d. Ellington 5-3; d. Killingly 3-0

Title game record: SUF 0-0; STJ 5-1
Last state championship: SUF none; STJ 2019 (M)
Rosters

CLASS S
3:30 p.m.

No. 1 St. Paul Falcons vs. No. 10 Holy Cross Crusaders

Regular season: STP 17-3; HC 12-8
The road to the finals:

• STP: d. Stafford 14-0; d. Lakeview 14-1; d. Woodland Regional 4-3; d. East Catholic 7-1
• HC: d. Thomaston 3-1; d. Wheeler 8-1; d. North Branford 4-0; d. Shepaug Valley 5-4

Title game record: STP 4-3; HC 1-2
Last state championship: STP 2022 (S); HC 2017 (S)
Rosters

SOFTBALL

CLASS LL
time TBA

No. 1 Cheshire Rams vs. No. 18 Ridgefield Tigers

Regular season: CHE 18-2; RIDG 11-9
The road to the finals:

• CHE: 1st round bye; d. Trumbull 4-3; d. Norwich Free Academy 8-0; d. Southington 6-0
• RIDG: d. Fitch 4-0; d. Enfield 5-3; d. Fairfield Ludlowe 13-0; d. Fairfield Warde 4-3

Title game record: CHE 1-6; RIDG 0-0
Last state championship: CHE 2016 (LL); RIDG none
Rosters

CLASS L
time TBA

No. 2 Waterford Lancers vs. No. 1 Masuk Panthers/No. 5 St. Joseph Cadets

Regular season: WAT 17-3; MAS 19-1; STJ 17-3
The road to the finals:

• WAT: 1st round bye; d. Bunnell 3-2; d. New Milford 1-0; d. Ellington 1-0
• MAS: 1st round bye; d. RHAM 17-0; d. E.O. Smith 11-0
• STJ: d. Torrington 12-0; d. Jonathan Law 5-4; d. Brookfield 4-0

Title game record: WAT 5-6; MAS 10-2; STJ 6-5
Last state championship: WAT 2019 (M); MAS 2024 (L); STJ 2018 (M)
Rosters: WFD; MAS/STJ

CLASS M
time TBA

No. 1 Woodland Regional Hawks vs. No. 2 Foran Lions

Regular season: WR 20-0; FOR 20-0
The road to the finals:

• WR: d. Notre Dame Prep 13-0; d. Watertown 10-0; d. Tolland 14-0; d. Oxford 12-0
• FOR: d. Bacon Academy 6-2; d. Holy Cross 9-2; d. Seymour 4-3; d. Nonnewaug 14-0

Title game record: WR 3-1; FOR 2-2
Last state championship: WL 2024 (M); FOR 2011 (L)
Rosters

CLASS S
time TBA

No. 1 North Branford Thunderbirds vs. No. 2 St. Paul Falcons

Regular season: NB 19-1; STP 18-2
The road to the finals:

• NB: 1st round bye; d. Lyme-Old Lyme 8-0; d. Immaculate 6-1; d. St. Bernard 2-0
• STP: 1st round bye; d. Thomaston 7-0; d. East Catholic 12-0; d. Hale Ray 10-1

Title game record: NB 0-4; STP 0-1
Last state championship: NB none; STP none
Rosters

BOYS LACROSSE

CLASS LL
time TBA

No. 3 Staples Wreckers vs. No. 4 Darien Blue Wave

Regular season: STA 12-3; DAR 10-5
The road to the finals:

• STA: 1st round bye; d. Norwich Free Academy 23-0; d. Greenwich 10-2; d. Ridgefield 10-9
• DAR: 1st round bye; d. Bristol co-op 25-2; d. Fairfield Prep 12-5; d. New Canaan 8-5

Title game record: STA 2-3; DAR 14-4
Last state championship: STA 2023 (L); DAR 2019 (L)
Rosters

CLASS L
time TBA

No. 1 Fairfield Ludlowe Falcons vs. No. 2 St. Joseph Cadets

Regular season: FFL 12-4; STJ 11-5
The road to the finals:

• FFL: 1st round bye; d. Windsor 20-1; d. Newtown 19-5; d. Conard 17-7
• STJ: 1st round bye; d. Enfield 17-0; d. New Milford 12-2; d. Cheshire 7-6

Title game record: FFL 0-1; STJ 7-5
Last state championship: FFL none; STJ 2021 (S)
Rosters

CLASS M
time TBA

No. 1 Daniel Hand Tigers vs. No. 3 Guilford Grizzlies

Regular season: DH 10-6; GUIL 9-7
The road to the finals:

• DH: 1st round bye; 2nd round bye; d. RHAM 19-4; d. Brookfield 18-5
• GUIL: 1st round bye; d. Watertown 21-1; d. East Lyme 12-3; d. Joel Barlow 8-7

Title game record: DH 1-7; GUIL 0-1
Last state championship: DH 2024 (M); GUIL none
Rosters

CLASS S
time TBA

No. 1 New Fairfield Rebels vs. No. 2 Somers Spartans

Regular season: NFF 14-2; SOM 15-1
The road to the finals:

• NFF: 1st round bye; d. Morgan 18-0; d. Granby Memorial 16-5; d. Haddam-Killingworth 5-4
• SOM: 1st round bye; d. Holy Cross 19-1; d. Old Saybrook 12-8; d. Sheehan 16-9

Title game record: NFF 4-3; SOM 5-3
Last state championship: NFF 2024 (S); SOM 2017 (S)
Rosters

GIRLS LACROSSE

CLASS LL
6/15, 4 p.m.

No. 1 Darien Blue Wave vs. No. 2 New Canaan Rams

Regular season: DAR 14-1; NC 10-6
The road to the finals:

• DAR: 1st round bye; 2nd round bye; d. Fairfield Ludlowe 22-5; d. Ridgefield 17-5
• NC: 1st round bye; d. Newington 21-2; d. Staples 16-7; d. Wilton 7-6

Title game record: DAR 12-4; NC 8-4
Last state championship: DAR 2023 (L); NC 2024 (LL)
Rosters

CLASS L
6/15, 2 p.m.

No. 1 Simsbury Trojans vs. No. 2 Cheshire Rams

Regular season: SIM 14-1; CHE 14-2
The road to the finals:

• SIM: 1st round bye; 2nd round bye; d. Farmington 18-1; d. Masuk 7-5
• CHE: 1st round bye; 2nd round bye; d. Fairfield Warde 12-8; d. Amity Regional 14-11

Title game record: SIM 0-1; CHE 0-1
Last state championship: SIM none; CHE none
Rosters

CLASS M
6/15, noon

No. 1 New Fairfield Rebels vs. No. 3 Daniel Hand Tigers

Regular season: NFF 15-1; DH 9-7
The road to the finals:

• NFF: 1st round bye; d. Berlin 16-3; d. Joel Barlow 15-4; d. Suffield 15-5
• DH: 1st round bye; d. Sheehan 18-6; d. St. Joseph 11-4; d. Branford 16-10

Title game record: NFF 7-1; DH 0-3
Last state championship: NFF 2024 (M); DH none
Rosters

CLASS S
6/15, 10 a.m.

No. 1 Lauralton Hall Crusaders vs. No. 6 Sacred Heart Academy Sharks

Regular season: LH 10-6; SHA 7-9
The road to the finals:

• LH: 1st round bye; d. Housatonic Regional 20-3; d. East Catholic 18-9; d. Somers 16-15
• SHA: 1st round bye; d. Haddam-Killingworth 17-7; d. Northwest Catholic 18-9; d. Granby Memorial 11-8

Title game record: LH 1-1; SHA 0-0
Last state championship: LH 2024 (S); SHA none
Rosters

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

CLASS L
6/13, 7 p.m.

No. 1 Conard Red Wolves vs. No. 3 Maloney Spartans

Regular season: CON 17-0; MAL 18-1
The road to the finals:

• CON: d. Ridgefield 3-0; d. Hall 3-2; d. Shelton 3-2
• MAL: d. East Hartford 3-1; d. Darien 3-0; d. Trumbull 3-1

Title game record: CON 0-0; MAL 1-0
Last state championship: CON none; MAL 2005 (M)
Rosters

CLASS M
6/13, 4:30 p.m.

No. 1 Joel Barlow Falcons vs. No. 3 New Canaan Rams

Regular season: JB 15-4; NC 14-3
The road to the finals:

• JB: d. St. Joseph 3-0; d. Newtown 3-0; d. Newington 3-1
• NC: d. Putnam 3-0; d. Cheshire 3-1; d. Masuk 3-2

Title game record: JB 2-3; NC 0-1
Last state championship: JB 2022 (M); NC none
Rosters