The Northwest Catholic girls basketball team, which has won three straight state titles, will try to win its fourth the weekend of March 21-22 at Mohegan Sun Arena.
The Lions (22-1) are the top seed in Division I and will face Conard in a second-round game March 9. Northwest Catholic won the Class L title last year, the Class MM title two years ago and the Class S title in 2023.
The CIAC state tournament brackets for girls basketball were released Monday. First round games will take place Friday and Saturday. The boys basketball brackets will be released Tuesday.
The classifications have been changed this year to divisions, which is the same system used by the boys basketball tournament.
The last girls team to win four straight titles was Capital Prep, which won one Class S title and three Class L titles between 2013-16.
Northwest Catholic’s only loss was to Springfield (Mass.) Central at the Hoophall Classic in mid-January.
New Britain, which had two close regular season losses to Rocky Hill and Southington, last year’s Class LL runner-up, is the No. 2 seed in Division I. Southington is the seventh seed and will open against Hamden Monday. Mercy, which last won a title in 2018, is the No. 4 seed.
In Division II, Rocky Hill, another CCC representative, is the top seed. The Terriers, who have two 1,000-point scorers, will open tournament play Tuesday against the winner of Windsor and New London. Last year’s Class MM champion Sheehan is the ninth seed in Division II. South Windsor, led by former Bobcat star Alex Goslin, is the 11th seed.
Coventry, last year’s Class S champion, moved up two divisions and is now the No. 2 seed behind Ansonia in Division III. Suffield, another NCCC team which has had a successful year, is the third seed. The two teams, who met once in the regular season with Coventry coming out on top 60-46, could potentially meet in the semifinals.
Morgan is top-seeded in Division IV, with Weaver at No. 3 and Prince Tech No. 4. Lakeview is the top seed in Division V with Berkshire foe Thomaston No. 2.