Girls soccer: CdM No. 1 seed in Division IV

Barry Faulkner

CERRITOS - Soon after their respective CIF Southern Section

Division IV playoff runs ended last season, Corona del Mar High Coach Ron

Evans and Costa Mesa High head man Dan Johnston both came to the same

realization.

Evans, in fact, went so far as to relay it to a reporter.

“We’ll be back,” Evans told the Daily Pilot, after the Sea Kings

dropped a 2-1 semifinal verdict to eventual champion Chaminade.

CdM, seeded No. 2 last season, is indeed back, bringing another

Pacific Coast League title, a 23-1-3 record, a 23-game unbeaten streak,

and the No. 1 seeding.

The Sea Kings will host the winner of Wednesday’s wild-card game

between St. Paul (9-13-1) and Bishop Conaty-Loretto (6-5-3), in Friday’s

first round at 3:15 p.m.

Costa Mesa (14-4-6), which gained confidence from last year’s 2-0

first-round loss to eventual runner-up Bishop Montgomery, will visit

Pomona-based Diamond Ranch (14-6-2) in Friday’s first round.

Newport Harbor (10-6-4), the third-place entry from the Sea View

League, hosts Loara (17-6-2) in a Division II wild-card clash Wednesday

at 3:15.

CdM, 20-0-3 since suffering a 2-1 tournament setback to Canyon, is

gunning for the program’s first section crown. The two-time defending PCL

champions have outscored opponents, 92-17, and have amassed 12 shutouts.

With senior University of Iowa-bound goalie Britta Vogele backing a solid

defense, only two teams have scored more than one goal against the Sea

Kings. In addition to Canyon, La Serna found the net twice in a 7-2

nonleague loss.

CdM, making its first playoff appearance since 1991 last season,

outscored its first three playoff foes, 9-1, en route to the 2000

semifinals.

Evans, who had surgery for a broken leg last week, has vowed to be

back in time to guide this year’s playoff voyage.

Also back from last year’s squad are returning All-CIF standouts

Allison Harvey and Elisha Morgan, as well as first-team all-leaguers

Vogele and Paige Janes.

Harvey, a junior forward with 25 goals, leads an attack that also

includes scoring threats senior Jaycee Mahler, sophomore Lauren

Shephardson and senior Molly O’Meara. Harvey, however, is doubtful for

Friday, after sustaining an ankle injury in the PCL finale, a 1-0 win

over Costa Mesa.

“Last year’s playoff appearance should help propel us,” Evans said.

“The girls are very very hungry.”

Costa Mesa, led by sophomore scoring sensation Sharon Day (23 goals

and 16 assists) has set a school single-season victory record. The

Mustangs went 6-1-3 in the PCL, including a 1-1 tie with CdM.

Though the Mustangs have never won a CIF playoff game, Johnston

believes confidence will not be an issue.

“We sat down after our loss to Bishop Montgomery last year and we

talked about how well we played against a team that went on to make the

finals,” Johnston said. “It was an eye-opener for us, because we learned

we could play with anyone.

“When our girls listed their goals for this year, one was to make a

run at the PCL title and the other was to make a run at CIF. With the

attack we’ve added to our defense this year, neither of those were

unrealistic.”

While 13 players have scored goals for the Mustangs, it’s defense

which leads the way. Mesa has compiled 10 shutouts while outscoring

opponents, 58-18.

Senior sweeper Katie Roche, junior stopper Mae Powers, as well as

Devin Denman, Sandra Sparks and Sarah Smallcomb all contribute to the

back line, for which junior goalie Chelsea Soria is the last line of

defense.

Fernanda Velasco, Emily Abbott, Lisa Dunn and Nichelle Janti lead the

Mustangs’ midfield contingent.

Evans expects to play St. Paul, which the Sea Kings defeated, 2-0, in

overtime in last year’s second round. Evans also said the sooner the

inclement weather passes, the better his team’s chances will be.

“Rainy weather tends to even the playing field,” Evans said. “It was a

mud bath when we played St. Paul last year and it looks like it will be

that way again Friday.”

Newport Harbor, making its first playoff appearance since 1994, has

outscored its competition, 40-16, while posting 10 shutouts.

Sophomore forward Amy Burlingham leads the attack, while junior goalie

KiIssa Tyler, a transfer from Texas, anchors Coach Jason Sorrell’s

defense.

Harbor opened the Sea View League with a six-game unbeaten streak,

before dropping its last two league games to settle for third place.

If victorious Wednesday, the Tars would visit Troy (16-5-2) in

Friday’s first round.

Chaminade, which has won four straight section crowns and owns a

22-game postseason winning streak, is the No. 2 seed in Division IV,

followed by No. 3 South Pasadena and No. 4 Harvard-Westlake.