The 2023 Vermont high school boys soccer playoff primer and predictions
South Burlington, Montpelier, Peoples and Winooski captured state titles a year ago.
They are in position to do so again. But only Montpelier enters #vtplayoffs with a top seed.
In Division I, South Burlington is one of several teams who can make an argument they can win it all. Ditto for Montpelier in a top-heavy Division II field. Peoples must contend with fellow Capital member Stowe and Winooski's title defense might come down to solving undefeated Twin Valley.
To set the stage for each division, here is my annual Varsity Insider boys soccer tournament primer and predictions
Girls soccer: The 2023 Vermont high school playoff primer and predictions
Enjoy!
Division I — Primer and predictions
▶ What to know: No. 1 Champlain Valley (13-1), which saw nine starters graduate, hasn't lost since since its season-opening game to Mount Mansfield at the Jay Brady Classic on Sept. 9. Since that defeat, CVU has outscored opponents 45-5 with nine shutouts. The Redhawks, who conceded four non-penalty goals of their seven allowed this season, aren't a team defined by their stars; they've play together, in sync and unselfishly. Two breakout performers to note: Nic Menard is CVU's top scorer with 10 goals and Luke Sampson follows with nine tallies. Recent results for the Redhawks include one-goal triumphs over MMU, South Burlington and Colchester. ... No. 2 and reigning champion South Burlington (12-2) has played well in its title defense. The Wolves started 6-0 and their only setbacks in 2023 are one-goal defeats to Colchester and CVU, the latter in the waning seconds on the road. Hammad Ali and Omar Daoudi, each with 10 goals, power a Wolves attack that has piled up 49 goals. South Burlington is also 7-2 in one-goal games. ... The reality for No. 3 Burr and Burton (10-3-1): The last non-Chittenden County school to win the D-I boys soccer title was Rutland in 2001. But those odds shouldn't deter a talented Bulldogs squad, which has proven to be a title contender for two months. Against the Metro, BBA lost in overtime to South Burlington and fell to CVU 3-0 but beat Colchester, Essex, St. Johnsbury and MMU by a combined margin of 7-1. ... No. 4 Colchester (9-4-1), last year's runner-up, was looking good after topping South Burlington in a championship rematch on Sept. 27, to get to 6-1 . But the Lakers are just 3-3-1 since with a three-game losing streak to Burlington, South Burlington and CVU. Colchester ended its skid with an overtime victory in the regular-season finale over one-win BFA-St. Albans. ... No. 6 Burlington's (10-4) best win of the season came in comeback at Colchester two weeks ago. The Seahorses have taken a big leap in coach Mukhtar Abdulahi's second year in charge. ... At No. 7, Mount Mansfield (6-6-2) is 4-1-1 over its last six games and is playing like a contender after a midseason funk.
More: Colchester nips South Burlington in D-I boys soccer championship rematch
Playdowns
No. 5 Brattleboro over No. 12 BFA-St. Albans
No. 6 Burlington over No. 11 Rutland
No. 7 Mount Mansfield over No. 10 Essex
No. 9 St. Johnsbury over No. 8 Mount Anthony
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Champlain Valley over St. Johnsbury
No. 4 Colchester over Brattleboro
Mount Mansfield over No. 2 South Burlington
Burlington over No. 3 Burr and Burton
Semifinals
Champlain Valley over Colchester
Mount Mansfield over Burlington
Championship
Champlain Valley 2, Mount Mansfield 0: In the season's rubber match, the Redhawks survive with two late goals to return to the top for the first time in four years.
Division II — Primer and predictions
▶ What to know: No. 1 Montpelier (11-1-1), the defending champion, posted 10 shutouts during the regular season with seasoned goalie Brio Levitt, one of the heroes in last year's state final, anchoring the defense. Josiah Phillips has paced the Solons' offense. ... After a loss to Rutland and ties against Harwood and Hartford, No. 2 Middlebury (10-2-2) has rattled off a 10-1 stretch. And that one defeat (1-0 to Rice) was avenged last week with a 4-1 result on the road. Eddie Fallis (26 goals, 13 assists) has factored in 39 of Middlebury's 61 goals so far. ... With its lone loss to South Burlington and motivation from last year's title loss, No. 3 Harwood (9-1-4) might be the division favorite with a well-balanced, possessive style. ... Fourth-seeded U-32 (10-3-1) started 10-1-1 with seven shutouts, but the Raiders did not score a goal against the Capital's elite: Montpelier, Harwood and Stowe. ... No. 5 Hartford (8-4-2), No. 6 Stratton (6-3-1), No. 7 Green Mountain Valley (5-3), No. 8 Mount Abraham (7-5-2) and No. 9 Rice (7-6-1) lurk as sleepers and will make for interesting early rounds.
More: Lockdown defenders in Vermont high school boys soccer? Here are 17 players to headline.
Playdowns
No. 7 Green Mountain Valley over No. 10 Lake Region
No. 1 Montpelier over No. 16 Missisquoi
No. 9 Rice over No. 8 Mount Abraham
No. 4 U-32 over No. 13 Otter Valley
No. 12 Milton over No. 5 Hartford
No. 2 Middlebury over No. 15 Spaulding
No. 3 Harwood over No. 14 Lamoille
No. 6 Stratton over No. 11 North Country
Quarterfinals
Rice over Montpelier
U-32 over Milton
Harwood over Stratton
Middlebury over GMVS
Semifinals
Harwood over Middlebury
U-32 over Rice
Championship
Harwood 3, U-32 0: The Highlanders roll to the program's first crown since 2018.
Division III — Primer and predictions
▶ What to know: Top-seeded Stowe (12-1-1) struck for 52 goals and recorded seven clean sheets despite goalie Brock Roick missing some time early in the season with an injury. The Raiders have several attacking options, and all of them can finish, evidenced by their three-goal second half in the regular-season finale vs. U-32 on Saturday. Stowe also battled Harwood to a thrilling tie and ended Montpelier's 27-game unbeaten streak over a three-day period earlier this month. Battle-tested in the Capital, Stowe is chasing the program's 14th title and first since 2019. ... The No. 2 Peoples Wolves (10-3-1), last year's champion, gave Stowe its only defeat of 2023 and enters the tourney on a five-game winning streak in which they've outscored opponents 15-1. ... No. 3 Randolph (12-2), which moved to the Southern Vermont League this fall, rattled off 10 straight wins before falling to Twin Valley last week. Last year's state finalist, No. 4 Woodstock (7-6) has won four out of five games.
Playdowns
No. 1 Stowe over No. 16 Bellows Falls
No. 8 BFA-Fairfax over No. 9 Thetford
No. 4 Woodstock over No. 13 Oxbow
No. 5 Enosburg over No. 12 White River Valley
No. 2 Peoples over No. 15 Springfield
No. 10 Green Mountain over No. 7 Hazen
No. 3 Randolph over No. 14 Northfield/Williamstown
No. 11 Vergennes over No. 6 Fair Haven
Quarterfinals
Stowe over Fairfax
Woodstock over Enosburg
Peoples over Green Mountain
Vergennes over Randolph
Semifinals
Peoples over Vergennes
Stowe over Woodstock
Championship
Stowe 3, Peoples 0: After three straight early playoff exits as high seeds, the Raiders storm to first title under fourth-year coach Shane Bufano.
Division IV — Primer and predictions
▶ What to know: Top-seeded Twin Valley (14-0), the state's lone undefeated team, put up 71 goals with six shutouts during the regular season. Cody Magnant is the leader for the Wildcats, who are chasing their first crown since 2020. ... No. 2 Winooski (10-3-1) is the defending champion and has won eight straight games by a combined score of 34-7. With six shutouts this fall, defense has been a focus for first-year coach Brad Agoos. ... No. 3 Grace Christian (7-3) fell to Mount Anthony and Burr and Burton and split with No. 6 Arlington (10-4). ... No. 4 Richford (9-4) lost twice to Winooski but fared much better in Round 2 (5-4 defeat). ... No. 5 Rivendell (8-5-1) battled Twin Valley to a 1-0 loss earlier this month.
Playdowns
No. 10 Twinfield/Cabot over No. 7 Mount St. Joseph
No. 8 West Rutland over No. 9 Leland & Gray
No. 4 Richford over No. 13 Long Trail
No. 5 Rivendell over No. 12 Danville
No. 3 Grace Christian over No. 14 Sharon
No. 6 Arlington over No. 11 Proctor
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Twin Valley over West Rutland
No. 2 Winooski over Twinfield/Cabot
Rivendell over Richford
Grace Christian over Arlington
Semifinals
Twin Valley over Rivendell
Winooski over Grace Christian
Championship
Twin Valley 4, Winooski 3: Late goals power the Wildcats in dethroning the Spartans and completing a perfect season.
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Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @aabrami5.
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont H.S. boys soccer: 2023 playoff primer and predictions
