Girls soccer: Triple threat

Barry Faulkner

For the first time in history, the second week of the postseason

includes three Newport-Mesa girls soccer teams. And, with unprecedented

success the last couple seasons at Corona del Mar, Costa Mesa and Newport

Harbor high schools, it would not be a surprise for at least two of them

to advance past Friday’s Saturday’s quarterfinals.

Corona del Mar, with three straight Pacific Coast League championships

and back-to-back appearances in the CIF Southern Section Division IV

semifinals, has come to expect success this time of year.

Newport Harbor, however, won its first two section playoff games last

year, while Mesa had not broken through in the postseason until

Saturday’s 3-1 Division IV first-round triumph at Pacifica. But while

both the Sailors and Mustangs could be excused for pinching themselves as

they prepare to meet second-round opponents Wednesday in Division II and

Division IV, respectively, both have shown an increasing awareness that

they belong.

“We got another monkey off our backs,” Costa Mesa Coach Dan Johnston

said of his team’s victory Saturday, which propelled Mesa past the first

round for the first time in three seasons.

It has been a steady upward climb for the Mustangs, whose program is

only 12 seasons old.

Johnston, who credits wife Margy as a catalyst to getting the program

started -- so their daughter, Anne (Class of 1992), would not have to

play on the boys team -- is in his 10th season as varsity head coach.

Making its debut in the 1990-91 season, Mesa became the last Pacific

Coast League school to field a girls team and one of the last in Orange

County to offer the sport.

But the first uniforms and balls wore out before opponents ceased

wearing out Mesa’s overmatched fledgling squads.

“It was hard,” Johnston recalled. “Every girl in Costa Mesa who wanted

to play soccer, went to Estancia.”

The Mesa program turned a corner in the 1998 PCL campaign, when it

beat Estancia for the first time.

“We haven’t lost to (the Eagles) since,” said Johnson, who program now

fields three teams, including a varsity unit stocked with 11 club

players.

Mesa made the playoffs for the first time in 2000, but lost, 2-0, to

eventual CIF Division IV runner-up Bishop Montgomery. Last season, the

Mustangs battled for the league title, but were dispatched by Diamond

Ranch, 5-0, in the Division IV first round.

This year, Johnston said his girls were more relaxed within the

postseason atmosphere.

“Last year, I think we were a little over wired for the (first-round)

game,” Johnston said. “Then, 10 minutes before the start, the referees

tried to tell us we were using illegal shin guards. We eventually talked

them out of that, but it ruined our pregame.

“This year, we had a good warmup, we finished early and the girls

formed a big huddle and kicked the ball around.”

Johnston also said an intensely competitive PCL season helped prepare

his players for the must-win atmosphere inherent in playoff competition.

“Having all those really important, high-pressure games in a row

really helped us mature,” Johnston said. “I think we’ve found the balance

between being intense and being too excited. If you’re too pumped up, you

can’t perform.”

The Mustangs will need to perform at their peak to get past

Wednesday’s opponent, defending Division IV co-champion Louisville, which

hosts the 3 p.m. game.

The Royals (18-5-1) finished third in the vaunted Mission League,

which has produced six division champions the last five years (Louisville

shared last year’s crown with league rival Harvard-Westlake after

Chaminade won or shared four straight CIF titles).

Mesa will employ its typical 16-player rotation against the Royals.

Among those fueling a balanced scoring attack are junior midfielder

Sharon Day (16 goals and nine assists), senior forward Sarah Ronquillo

(14 goals and nine assists), and freshman forward Jenny Sparks (14 goals

and six assists).

Senior fullback Lisa Dunn, who handles the majority of the corner

kicks, has a team-leading 12 assists, while Stacy Krikorian (five goals,

four assists), Rachel Ronquillo (seven goals), Kristen Bagwell (five

assists, three goals), Natalie Masciale (five assists, three goals) and

Nilani Duarte (three goals, three assists) have been additional weapons.

Junior sweeper Devin Denman leads a back line that has helped

sophomore goalie Kaitlyn Gentling produce seven shutouts.

Fullback Nichelle Janti and the trio of Duarte, Julie Nomura and

Natalie Schoetler at stopper, are also critical members of the back line,

while Rachel Hughes and Cheryl Hack have contributed in the midfield.

Kara Jenkins, Chelsea Soria and Ashley Schaefer have all seen their

seasons hampered by injuries.

Newport Harbor has combined a strong talent cycle with intense

competitors, all of whom seem both motivated and relaxed by the

understated style of Coach Jason Sorrell.

“He’s really laid back and real down to earth,” said junior forward

Amy Burlingham, named to the Parade Magazine All-American team Sunday.

Said Sorrell, “I think we have a little different atmosphere than our

girls experience on their club teams. You have to do the work, but I

believe you also have to make it fun and not all too serious.”

The Sailors (12-6-4), the No. 3 seed in Division II, face a challenge

in Wednesday’s second-round host, Riverside Poly (16-3-7).

Harbor rallied for a 3-1 overtime win over University Saturday and

will be vying for the program’s first second-round win (last year’s

triumphs included a wild-card game).

CdM (13-4-7) is also on the road Wednesday against Division IV

second-round foe Ganesha (16-7-1).

Coach Ron Evans’ No. 4-seeded squad is fresh off a 6-0 first-round

trouncing of visiting Los Altos. Ganesha, the third-place team from the

Valle Vista League, upset Golden West League champion Ocean View, 1-0, in

Saturday’s first round.