10 things to watch for in the 2015 Utah high school girls soccer playoffs

Video: Torri Bills' highlight vs. Skyview HS - Girls Varsity Soccer

Many things feel strangely familiar heading into the 2015 UHSAA girls soccer state tournaments. An undefeated, nationally ranked team is atop Class 5A. Early title favorites in Class 3A are once again from Southern Utah. And a Class 4A power with multiple runner-up finishes appears poised to break through and finally win a state title.

Here are 10 things to watch when state tournament action starts next week:

1. Chasing perfection
Davis (Kaysville) is occupying the exact position Lone Peak did a year ago. The Knights put together an undefeated regular season and earned a Top-10 national ranking along the way. Then Lone Peak lost in the Class 5A championship game to the Darts.

Can Davis avoid suffering a similar fate this time around? Odds are good for the defending champs to repeat. The Darts (15-0) lead the state in scoring with 96 goals. Four different players have scored at least 10 goals for the Darts this season: Olivia Wade (30), Ireland Dunn (16), Mikayla Colohan (11) and Megan Rowe (10). Davis also ranks No. 2 statewide in scoring defense, allowing just seven goals while shutting out 10 opponents.

2. High-flying Eagles
Frustrating finishes have defined the postseason for Skyline (Salt Lake City) since it joined Class 4A a few years ago. The Eagles have lost to Timpanogos in the Class 4A championship game three times in the last four years.

Skyline has the tools to follow a different script this time around. The Eagles (13-1-1) lead Class 4A in scoring with 83 goals and are tied with Wasatch for the top defense – allowing just 10 goals through 15 games. Holly Daugirda and Emma Heyn make an effective one-two punch up top. The duo has combined for 45 total goals so far and rank in the Top 10 statewide in goal scoring.

3. Scoring at will
Two players have already crossed the 30-goal plateau heading into the playoffs. Stansbury (Tooele) forward Michaela Didericksen has produced a state-leading 33 goals in 14 games. Davis forward Olivia Wade has tallied 30 goals in 13 games to lead the Darts. Didericksen needs just two more goals to move into the Top 10 all-time for most goals in a season by a Utah high school girls soccer player. Davis needs only five more to achieve the same feat.

4. Shutting it down
Region 8 has produced two of the state's top goalkeepers this season. Salem Hills senior Sophie Carter and Wasatch (Heber City) senior Torri Bills are co-leaders in shutouts for all classifications heading into the final week of the regular season. Both players have earned 10 clean sheets so far in 2015. Wasatch (12-1-3) has emerged as the Class 4A co-leader in scoring defense – allowing just 10 goals. Salem Hills (14-2) is tied for fourth with Timpview (Provo), with 14 goals.

5. First year impression
Alta (Sandy) spent many years dominating on the pitch at the Class 5A level. The Hawks became the first team to capture four straight state titles, winning from 2006 to 2009. After last season, Alta moved to Class 4A for the first time. Can the Hawks take their new classification by storm?

The odds are favorable for Alta (10-3-2) to add to its championship resume. Only one Class 4A team, Corner Canyon (Draper), has beaten the Hawks this season. Alta has come on strong defensively before the playoffs. The Hawks had shut out four of their last six opponents heading into Thursday's regular season finale against Mountain View.

6. Strong Silver Wolves
Davis may get its biggest challenge for the Class 5A crown from a former region rival. Fremont (Plain City) has enjoyed its own special season, as the Silver Wolves (13-0-2) are the only other undefeated team in the state. Defense is a big reason why Fremont is doing well. It has allowed only 10 goals and has a pair of solid goalkeepers in Morgan Green and Shyann Jones. The duo has combined for 6.5 shutouts so far this season.

7. Southern dynasty
Class 3A has been ruled by schools from Southern Utah in recent years. A team from St. George or Cedar City has won the Class 3A title each of the past three seasons: Snow Canyon (St. George) (2012), Dixie (St. George) (2013) and Cedar City (2014). There's a good chance it could be four in a row this fall.

Desert Hills (St. George) (9-4-2) enters the playoffs as one of the primary state title favorites. The Region 9 champs are tough both offensively and defensively. Brittany Moore leads Class 3A with six shutouts and Brooklyn Lott ranks fifth in scoring with 13 goals.

8. Knights charging again
Lone Peak (Highland) seemed unstoppable in 2014, winning 19 straight games before falling to Davis in the Class 5A title game. The Knights remain as dangerous as ever and have all the necessary ingredients to claim their first state title in the sport in 2015.

It starts with a balanced and potent offense. Lone Peak (12-3) boasts three different players with at least 10 goals: Cameron Tucker (17), Natalee Wells (13) and TJ McKendrick (10). The Knights have totaled 63 goals in 15 games to rank second in Class 5A in scoring.

9. Winged Lions taking flight
Private and charter schools have dominated the Class 2A ranks – winning every state title contested since Class 2A formed for girls soccer in 2006. That's unlikely to change in October. Defending champion Rowland Hall-St. Marks (Salt Lake City) looks like the front-runner to win again. The Winged Lions went 1-0-1 against arch-rival Waterford in region play and drew Maeser Prep. Rowland Hall (9-1-2) has not lost to a Class 2A team this season and features a high-flying offense led by Liz Baer. Baer ranks third in the state in scoring with 26 goals.

10. Dominating duo
Bonneville and Timpanogos will likely be in a rare position as lower seeds when the Class 4A Tournament starts. It would not be wise to count either one out of the title picture. Both schools have combined to win the last seven Class 4A titles, with the Timberwolves taking the last two straight. The last school other than Bonneville or Timpanogos to emerge as state champion in Class 4A was Orem in 2007.

John Coon covers Utah high school sports for MaxPreps. He can be reached at john_coon@hotmail.com and you can follow him on Twitter at @johncoonsports