When Bob MacCurtain became the first head coach of the Woburn High girls’ hockey team in its inaugural season in 2000-01, he wasn’t looking to accomplish much.

“It was a lot of fun,’’ he said. “It was a challenge, just trying to get the program up and running.’’

Eighteen years later, the program has become more than just a project.

With four state championships during MacCurtain’s tenure, Woburn stands just one game away from another. A win would give Woburn the most state titles won by a public school since the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association began hosting the tournament back in Woburn’s debut season, and it would also tie St. Mary’s Lynn for the most overall.

“Bob’s ability has been amazing for years and years,’’ said Woburn athletics director James Duran. “He’s taken teams that haven’t been as talented, or real young teams, and made them into contenders. He hasn’t even reached 20 years and he already has 300 wins, so he’s been an amazing coach.’’

After being down a goal, Woburn pulled off a thrilling 2-1 victory over undefeated Austin Prep March 12. The team takes on the Methuen/Tewksbury co-op team Sunday, March 18, at the TD Garden for the Division 1 championship.

Getting to play on such a stage is a remarkable accomplishment; more remarkable still is Woburn’s track record since last doing so.

The team will be looking to cap off its season as back-to-back state champions and complete 30 straight games undefeated. It is 27-0-2 dating back to the start of 2016-2017 playoffs.

“We want to prove that we’re just as a good as any other prep school and can compete at any level,’’ said senior forward Georgie Santullo, who scored the game-winner against Austin Prep with 4:46 left in the third period.

Going undefeated in the regular season and one game away from another title — despite having 10 players on its 20-girl roster in either their first or sophomore years and losing top defensive player Olivia Perenick to injury before the season began — extends Woburn’s stellar run as an elite hockey program.

MacCurtain has consistently been able to coach players who stay with their hometown school and pass on the lure of prep schools. Success came early: The team took home the state title three times between 2003 and 2006.

MacCurtain gives all credit to his players, saying his early squads paved the way for his more recent ones.

“I think winning’s contagious,’’ he said. “You have kids from way back when who were fortunate to have success early on, and I think younger kids see that and they want to be a part of it, and it builds from there.’’

Santullo, the senior forward, said being part of a community is why she stayed in Woburn.

“Playing for my hometown is the best. Being able to see your friends and family come to games and being so close to home is awesome.’’

Santullo is one of MacCurtain’s prize players. A team captain, she has more than 100 career goals with the team, 30 this season, and is the first to earn at least 100 points since Emily Lissner in 2014.

Also important to Woburn’s prosperity has been the recent development of the city’s youth program. As the high school’s girls’ hockey program has grown, so has the motivation to improve the younger teams, giving MacCurtain strong talent when players first join.

What Duran finds most astounding is that even as it competes against elite prep schools and co-op teams combining players from multiple schools, Woburn keeps coming out on top.

“We get what we get and we do get a lot of good players, but they’re our kids,’’ he said. “That not only is Bob a great coach, but the only kids that are playing for us are Woburn kids.’’

An added challenge this year was working seven first-year players into the mix.

“A 14-year-old mentality is different than an 18-year-old; it’s just trying to get that chemistry going,’’ said MacCurtain. “The seniors’ desire to be successful can rub off on the group.’’

On Jan. 24, MacCurtain notched his 300th career win. The coach, however, doesn’t look at it that way.

“I look at that as really a program accomplishment,’’ he said. “I didn’t score any goals. I just try to be the guy there behind the bench. The players play; they win the game.’’

MacCurtain’s best attribute, according to Duran, is that the community trusts him.

“The girls believe in him and the parents believe in him, and that’s the key to any coach’s success.’’

While MacCurtain said he only looks ahead to the next game or the next season, he doesn’t plan to leave the team any time soon. And with the program’s winning formula, neither will Woburn leave annual contention for the state title.

“You never know, year to year with the lure of different schools and programs, where things will be,’’ said MacCurtain, “but I think we have a lot of good kids who are underclassmen, and I think there are some good kids in the middle school, so if kids want to continue to keep things going here, I think there’s a great opportunity.’’

Matt Case can be reached at matthew.case@globe.com.