Esperanza Slips in Title Game

Moments before La Costa Canyon took the field for the championship final of the Excalibur girls’ soccer tournament at Foothill High, several Canyon players gathered around a giggling young boy.

The boy had been bound and gagged with surgical tape, the victim of some players--perhaps including an older sister--with too much time on their hands between games.

A few minutes later in the championship game, Esperanza found itself similarly constrained by Canyon and a field torn up by recent rain. With both teams slopping through mud up to their ankles, Canyon won, 1-0.

Canyon (13-0-2) opened this fall. Most of Canyon’s players, however, are transplants from San Dieguito High, which reduced its enrollment and disbanded its athletic program last year. San Dieguito advanced to the tournament semifinals last season.

For Esperanza (10-3-1), the game marked its first appearance in the tournament’s final. The Aztecs finished fifth in the tournament last season and returned 10 starters from that team.

“We are thrilled to be in the final game today,” Esperanza Coach Phyllis Scarborough said.

The Aztecs finished fourth in Sunset League last season, but their strong performance in the prestigious tournament suggests they might improve on that league finish.

“I hope we don’t get too cocky because I think we have a good chance of winning league this year,” said Aztec defender Heather Nelson, selected the tournament’s defensive most valuable player.

Canyon’s Carolyn Schifftner was selected the tournament’s offensive most valuable player after scoring the only goal in the championship game.

Esperanza goalkeeper Tracy Sharp came out of the goal area and jumped on a cross by Canyon’s Suzanne Jensen in the 24th minute. The ball squirted behind Sharp and Schifftner tapped it into the net.

The muddy conditions, especially in the penalty area, precluded much effective passing or accurate shooting.

“It’s very hard. The ball just stops in the middle of puddles,” Aztec forward Kim Gallo said. “It’s hard to run. You feel like you’re running in sand. But it’s fun to get muddy.”

In the third-place game:

Mission Viejo 3, Dana Hills 1--Jennifer Mescher scored two goals and Hanna Cochran added the third for Mission Viejo.

In the consolation final:

Irvine 2, Woodbridge 0--Jennifer Meyerson scored a goal and assisted on the other to lead Irvine (7-5). Meyerson, who was named to the all-tournament team, had four goals and three assists in five games. Woodbridge is 8-4-2.

In the consolation semifinals:

Woodbridge 1, Trabuco Hills 1 (Woodbridge advanced on penalty kicks, 6-5)--Megan Schlegel gave Trabuco Hills a 1-0 lead in the first half. Nicole Swanson tied the score for Woodbridge midway through the second half.