In all three of this year’s girls soccer state tournaments, the defending champions are the top seeds, with a crew of dangerous contenders looking to prevent the repeat — or, in this case, repeats.

Let’s meet who is on the throne as quarterfinals kick off this week, and who will be trying to take their place when semifinals and finals play out at U.S. Bank Stadium next week.

Girls 1A

The defending Class 1A champion is Providence Academy, led by senior forward Maddyn Greenway, who broke the MSHSL’s scoring record this postseason when she netted her 204th career goal.

No. 4 Esko and unseeded St. Paul Academy both managed to hold the Lions scoreless this year, however, and will look to unseat the top seed again when it counts most.

No. 2 Watertown-Mayer was Class 1A’s No. 1-ranked team for most of the fall and had to dispatch a quality Southwest Christian squad in its section championship to book the program’s first trip to state.

Championship prediction: Providence Academy rights its regular-season wrongs to meet Watertown-Mayer in the title game. The Lions’ state experience gives them a 2-0 win and a repeat.

Quarterfinals:

• No. 1 Providence Academy vs. random draw Albert Lea — Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. at Farmington High School
• No. 2 Watertown-Mayer vs. random draw La Crescent-Hokah — Tuesday, 5:30 p.m. at Farmington High School
• No. 3 St. Cloud Cathedral vs. random draw St. Paul Academy — Thursday, 7:30 p.m. at Spring Lake Park High School
• No. 4 Esko vs. No. 5 St. Croix Prep — Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. at White Bear Lake High School

Girls 2A

If any Class 2A team wants to topple No. 1 Mahtomedi — the most recent team to defend a state title, winning in 2018, 2019 and 2021 — it will first have to get past St. Thomas-bound keeper Harlow Berger, who has been a standout for the Zephyrs in net.

But if anyone can manage, it could be a pair of future Gophers teammates, Blake junior Livi Abboud-Young and Holy Angels senior Ellen Neuharth.

Abboud-Young has scored in spades for the undefeated Bears and is up to 29 goals this season. Neuharth, a midfielder honored as Class 2A’s Ms. Soccer, leads a Holy Angels squad that has state championship experience, winning the 2022 title and finishing runner-up the past two years.

Championship prediction: The winner of Class 2A will come from the extremely tight Holy Angels vs. Blake semifinal; that team will match up enticingly against Mahtomedi’s strong defense. Let’s go Blake, 1-0, over the Zephyrs for the Bears’ third state title.

Quarterfinals:

• No. 1 Mahtomedi vs. random draw Grand Rapids — Tuesday, 5:30 p.m. at Forest Lake High School
• No. 2 Blake vs. random draw Sartell — Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. at Monticello High School
• No. 3 Holy Angels vs. random draw St. Francis — Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. at Spring Lake Park High School
• No. 4 Mankato East vs. No. 5 Byron — Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. at Shakopee West Middle School

Girls 3A

The title game could be a classic case of unstoppable force meets immovable object. In this case, the unstoppable force is a Wayzata offense led by the crafty foot of junior Lauren Craig.

The immovable object, meanwhile, is Stillwater’s stalwart back line, which has been one of the most solid in the state this fall. In the quarterfinals, the Ponies will be tested by a Duluth East team that drew 1-1 with Wayzata and is powered by the high-scoring duo of sophomore Darby Friday (29 goals) and Lilly Kuettel (25 goals).

Championship prediction: In this case, the expression “Defense wins championships” will ring true, helping Stillwater, also the 2021 champ, back to the top with a 2-1 win over Wayzata.

Quarterfinals:

• No. 1 Wayzata vs. random draw St. Michael-Albertville — Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. at White Bear Lake High School
• No. 2 Stillwater Area vs. random draw Duluth East — Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. at Forest Lake High School
• No. 3 Eagan vs. random draw Mounds View — Thursday, 5:30 p.m. at Shakopee West Middle School
• No. 4 Lakeville North vs. No. 5 Prior Lake — Thursday, 7:30 p.m. at Monticello High School