Two teams that seem so evenly balanced statistic wise, both share a common goal, and now these two CIF-Los Angeles City Section Division III softball powers collide once again on Saturday, 11am for the championship at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Top-seeded Port Of Los Angeles will do battle with second-seeded Northridge Academy for the first time since the Polar Bears defeated the Pumas, 2-0 in the 2011 Small Schools Division championship at Birmingham High of Lake Balboa for their first sports championship. Northridge Academy has been focused all season long to try and get their revenge on POLA, while the Polar Bears have been even more focused than ever to get that three-peat.

In four years under head coach Melissa Bugarin-Espinoza, POLA (27-8 overall) has posted a record of 78-25-1 with three Crosstown League titles and two straight City Section Small Schools championships.

POLA has been truly amazing this season, taking on all comers in the Redondo Union, Torrance National, Las Vegas Spring Jamboree and El Segundo Tournaments, defeating some traditional powers such as Verrado of Arizona, Empire of Arizona and Coronado of Nevada, while also taking down the City Section's top-ranked team in Division I, Banning of Wilmington. The Polar Bears have steamrolled their way into the finals with three straight mercy-rule wins over New Designs, South Region No.9 and Valley Academy Arts & Sciences.

Northridge Academy and coach Ruben Avila meanwhile, has been a team on a mission to unseat POLA. The Pumas haven't lost since getting upset by Harbor Teacher Prep of Wilmington in last year's semifinals and come into this battle for supremacy with a perfect 20-0 record. Although not as glamorous as POLA's resume, the Pumas own a win over Division II finalist Arleta and have also cruised into the finals with a 14-1 win over Bright Star, a 15-0 win over Elizabeth Learning Center, and a 3-0 win over Harbor Teacher Prep.

So the Pumas have exorcised one demon in disposing of the Monarchs, can they exorcise another?

Senior catcher Amanda Lewis, sophomore pitcher Jessica Moore, sophomore outfielder Emily Gonzalez, sophomore infielder Ashley Cortez and sophomore shortstop Breanna Jimenez are the catalysts for a Northridge Academy team that loves to start fast, as they average 17.2 runs per game and as a team hit .401.

That's a statistic better than most Major League Baseball teams.

Meanwhile, POLA has been hitting the ball up a storm themselves, hitting 12 home runs in the playoffs, 10 combined in the last two games. Junior first baseman Allison Bayer may be the Pumas' focus of attention considering Bayer has been hitting a monstrous .777 (7-for-9) with four homers and 7 RBIs in the playoffs. Another key player during this playoff run for the Polar Bears is sophomore second baseman Rosemary Garcia, as she too has stepped up her game in the latter part of the season.

POLA has the slugger's advantage as Bayer, Garcia, sophomore pitcher Nicolle Miranda, sophomore third baseman Savana Ramirez and junior shortstop Kelsea Short all have the capability of going deep at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

The speed advantage may be in Northridge Academy's favor as they aren't afraid to pressure the opposing team's catcher so POLA senior Brianna Grayson must beware... the Pumas have a team total of 114 stolen bases in 122 attempts. 

Looking for a difference-maker to this whole equation? It may be Miranda.

POLA's ace in the circle is five strikeouts away from 200 this season, has started more games this season than Northridge Academy has played themselves, so Miranda has been in her lion's share of big games. Experience is also on the Polar Bears' side, as all their sophomores, juniors and Grayson have been in more big games than anyone would care to count.

Northridge Academy's roster is built of three seniors, one junior, two freshmen and a whopping 11 sophomores.

With that being said, time for talking is over. The Polar Bears and Pumas will do their talking at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday, and the last team standing will accomplish their season-long quest.