How many times can two Central Region girls soccer teams face each other? For both No. 3 seed Phoenix Desert Vista and No. 1 seed Tempe Corona del Sol, the answer is “too many.”

Tonight’s 5A-I girls soccer state championship will be the fifth time this season these two teams have faced each other.

But for a state championship, they’ll play whoever they have to, however many times it takes.

“I’m more excited,” Thunder goalie Lauren Mitchell said. “It’s going to be a good one.”

For Corona, it will be the 11th time this season it will have faced 5A’s final four teams — Desert Vista, Phoenix Mountain Pointe and Phoenix Xavier.

“That’s kind of insane,” Corona coach Matt Smith said.

It’s also become the norm in recent years.

Last year, Corona beat Mountain Pointe in a thriller to win the state title.

Two years ago, Corona beat Desert Vista three times during the regular season — the Thunder went 22-3 that season — but they never saw each other in the state tournament, and Desert Vista won the title.

Both sides know each other from four previous meetings (Corona went 3-1 against Desert Vista in the regular season) and from years of playing club soccer.

Even the coaches are longtime friends.

They coach together in Gilbert soccer club circles, and after Desert Vista got past Mountain Pointe in Wednesday’s semifinal, Smith referred to first-year Thunder coach Paul Manoogian as “Costanza.”

“What else can you say about our region?” Manoogian said. “We’re deep and dangerous. It prepares us for these games.”

Top talent will be plentiful for the casual fan. Corona (22-3-2) is led by Brittany Cole, who is the school’s all-time points leader despite being a junior.

Alexa Daiutolo, Alexis Burkhart and Este Rae combined for more than 100 points this season, and the defense hadn’t surrendered more than one goal in five weeks until Wednesday night’s comeback against Xavier.

Desert Vista (19-5-3) has Mitchell, who practically stood on her head at times to shut out Mountain Pointe Wednesday night.

The Thunder only have three seniors on this year’s roster and are led by junior Katie Shepard, Kara Miller and junior Katlyn Piotrowski.

But both teams knew all this four games ago.

“It’s the oldest cliche, but if you want to be the champs you have to go through them,” Manoogian said.

“I think it’s great for our kids and the communities.”

5A-II CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 1 seed Flowing Wells beat No. 2 seed Avondale Westview, 1-0 to win state.

5A-I girls soccer championship

Who: Tempe Corona del Sol vs. Phoenix Desert Vista

When: 5 p.m. today

Where: ASU’s Sun Devil Soccer Stadium, 655 S. Rural Road, Tempe