PRESCOTT — Since 2001, only six clubs have claimed a fall girls state soccer championship.

And this fall’s playoff action may not be any different.

Show Low and defending state champion Northland Prep claimed the top two seeds after winning their respective regions.

Five-time state champion coach Michael Blair from Northland Prep (17-3, 4-0 Central) says his club has “continued” their historic success by focusing on the “little details that are the difference between success and failure in life.”

“We’ve had some tough injuries this year, specifically to some key senior starters that we’ve had to overcome and the underclassman have done a tremendous job stepping in and filling big roles,” Blair said via email to AZPreps365.com.

Blair believes trust will be a major factor for his club this fall if they are to come out on top.

“We have to do the things we’ve been working on all season and trust each other,” Blair said. “When we play together, we are really hard to beat.”

The Spartans have claimed five of the last six state championships since 2017, losing 1-0 to Chino Valley in 2021.

Show Low, which last won a state title more than a decade ago in 2011, has grabbed the league’s No. 1 overall ranking with a perfect 19-0 record so far this season, including a 5-0 mark in the East region.

Head coach Chris Ellis said via email to AZPreps365.com that any perceived success from the those outside the Cougars’ program this season may seem like it just happened over night, but it simply doesn’t work that way.

“This comes from lots of work and time together. This current team has been playing together since they were in AYSO and club soccer,” Ellis said.

Traveling throughout Arizona, New Mexico and London during spring break has helped bring the team together.

“I believe this helped with chemistry and learning how to play at the top levels and seeing the expectations,” Ellis said, adding that he admires what coach Blair has done in the past several seasons.

“Northland Prep. is still the gold standard for any program and are still the current champions,” Ellis said. “Coach Blair is such a stellar coach and someone I look up to.”

The Cougars defeated Northland Prep twice this season, both by 3-0 scores.

For Show Low to overcome it all and hoist a trophy come Saturday, Oct. 28, in Mesa, they must first “believe they can win and have the right mind set that nothing is given.”

AN OLD FAVORITE

Despite the top two seeds getting much of the attention this season, the girls soccer team that is the “OG” of championship runs in the past 23 years is back in the fold once again this fall.

Since 2001, Blue Ridge leads all fall programs with nine titles, hoisting a trophy in 2003, 2004, 2007 through 2009 and 2012 through 2015.

Not bad for a small school nestled in the White Mountains of Arizona, huh?

Head coach Britni Hamblin said her girls deserve the majority of the credit.

“They show up day in and day out ready to work, they trust the coaches and have built their relationship as a team,” Hamblin said. “They have never wavered.”

They No. 4-ranked Yellowjackets (12-9) qualified for the state play-in round.

OTHER CHAMPIONS

Chino Valley grabbed two titles in 2016 and 2021, St. Johns had a nice run in 2001, 2002 and 2010 and Sedona Red Rock, which cancelled its season earlier this fall due to lack of participation, claimed two titles in 2005 and 2006.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Northland Prep. has several players who can dominate at any time during the match, including senior Mollie Donahoe, who has 33 goals this season and leads the Spartans with 80 points.

Senior Kyra Wilkens leads the club in assists with 20, while sophomore Lilah Bringard has scored 25 goals and recorded 17 assists.

For Show Low, senior Mikenzie Kulish leads her team with 29 goals and 15 assists. Senior Abrie Wilson and junior Raquel Wilson are tied with 17 assists apiece, while sophomore goalkeeper Naomi Tapia has recorded 106 saves this season between the posts.

Blue Ridge has a double-threat lineup to watch out for, including Myli and Leilani Hamblin. Myli, a sophomore, has 28 goals this season, while Leilani, a senior, has netted 21.

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on Twitter @AZPreps365Brian. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.