Taking a look at what promises to be a great next few days of soccer with the state championship games starting tomorrow through Saturday, two of the girls games – Sparrows Point vs. Glenelg in the Class 1A final at 7:30 Friday, and River Hill vs. Eastern Tech at noon, Saturday in 2A – caught my eye.

Both games are rematches of tightly contested finals last season, with Glenelg coming away with a 2-0 win over the Pointers, and River Hill prevailing over Eastern Tech, 2-1, in the final minute of the second overtime.

Which teams have the advantage: The defending champions, because they know they’ve done it before, or the hungry runner-up teams that came so close last year?

In the 1A final, Sparrows Point coach Conrad Snyder is confident last year’s experience can push his team over the top as they seek their first-ever state crown. The Pointers have been to the state title game in four of the past five years.

Experience is working for the Pointers this year as they bring back a senior-laden team, while the defending champ Gladiators have eight new starters.

After River Hill edged Eastern Tech last year, both of the teams’ coaches came together after the game and said, "See you next year." This year’s game is filled with star power. Eastern Tech has a fast and aggressive one-two scoring punch in seniors Brittany Rhodes and Amber Womack, with senior Rachel Traeser and junior Kelsey Ports controlling the middle. The Hawks, who have won six state crowns and are looking to make it three straight, are balanced with Brittany Yancey, Anna Kim and Kathryn Rodgers doing much of the scoring, and senior defender Amy Song’s long throw constantly putting pressure on opposing teams’ penalty areas.

-- Glenn Graham