Girls soccer: Stingy Sailors settle for tie

Barry Faulkner

IRVINE - Newport Harbor High sophomore goalie Kara DeMille made

three saves Tuesday, but the one junior sweeper Taryn Flamson managed

against host Woodbridge at Alton Park, was the most spectacular of the

day.

Flamson, retreating to cover for DeMille, who had come out to join a

scramble in front, cleared a shot headed toward the goal line near the

right post with her left foot in the 19th minute. The defensive move

turned away the Warriors’ best scoring chance and helped the Sailors earn

a 0-0 tie.

The standoff allowed the Sailors (11-6-4, 4-1-3 in league) to remain

one point ahead of the third-place Warriors (10-6-2, 4-1-2), though

Woodbridge visits league-leading Aliso Niguel (16-3-2, 5-0-2) Thursday to

close out the league season.

The bye created by the five-team league falls to Newport Thursday,

which means the Sailors’ bid for what is believed to be the first league

title in the program’s history, has simply run out of regular season.

If Aliso Niguel wins Thursday, Newport claims second place. If

Woodbridge defeats the Wolverines, the two teams would share the league

crown, dropping Newport to third. If Woodbridge and Aliso tie, Harbor

would tie Woodbridge for second, but earn the league’s No. 2 playoff

berth, based on its 1-0-1 record this year against the Warriors.

Harbor’s 2-0 victory over Woodbridge in the first round of league was

its first win over the Warriors in five seasons.

“To go unbeaten against a great team like Woodbridge is a tremendous

positive for our girls,” Newport Coach Jason Sorrell said.

Flamson, as well as freshman stopper Erin Hardy and senior fullbacks

Lauren Birchfield and Kristin Nahin, helped keep Woodbridge at bay. It’s

the same back line that, along with DeMille, yielded just two goals in

eight league games.

Both goals were scored by Aliso, the first of which, Sorrell points

out, came in the first 10 minutes of the league opener Jan. 8.

Since then, the “Harbor Patrol” has surrendered one goal in 630

minutes of league action. That’s 10 1/2 hours of doggedly determined

diligence from the No. 3-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division II.

And while the defense was clearly on duty for the Sailors, the offense

didn’t exactly stand and watch.

The Sailors, in fact, outshot the Warriors, ranked No. 6 in CIF

Division II, 11-7. Forwards Amy Ross (four) and Amy Burlingham (two) were

among those who tested Woodbridge keeper Kacie Jewell (four saves),

though junior midfielder Tricia Orth was behind the two most dangerous

Newport chances.

In the 12th minute, Orth uncorked a rising 20-yard blast that banged

off the junction of the cross bar and one goal post. With about five

minutes left before halftime, Orth fired a shot that sailed just over the

crossbar.

Senior Tory Manchester and junior Kate Younglove had one shot apiece,

while freshman midfielder Taylor Giacomaro, as well as senior Katie

Yeager and sophomore Barbara Julian, helped Newport finish an impressive

regular season in strong fashion.

“I think we’re excited about the CIF playoffs,” said Flamson, who

downplayed her defensive heroics. “I looked behind me and the goal line

was right there. The shot came right to me and I just reacted.”

Burlingham, whose speed on the attack spurred audible gasps from the

opposing sideline, said the Sailors are primed to improve on last year’s

postseason run, which included the program’s first two CIF playoff

victories.

“We’re excited,” Burlingham said. “We want to make a statement.”

Woodbridge Coach Jon Szczuka said the Tars have already done just

that.

“Jason has done and awesome job with his team,” Szczuka said.

“(Burlingham) makes them very good. I thought we had a better plan

against her today.”

Said Sorrell, “Obviously we wanted to win (Tuesday), but we’re not too

disappointed with a tie, because we’re in the playoffs.”

Playoff pairings will be announced Monday.