Boys soccer: Tars host No. 1 seed

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - Fortunately for Newport Harbor High, today’s 3 p.m.

CIF Southern Section Division II second-round boys soccer playoff game

against top-seeded Los Alamitos will not be played on paper.

In fact, the venue it will be played on, the Sailors’ varsity football

field, provides even more hope that Coach Kevin Esparza’s underdogs can

bid for an upset.

“The thing that concerns me is the size of the field,” Los Al Coach

Trey Scharlin said. “We’re used to playing on a much bigger field. We

like to play with the ball on the ground with a possession-type game.”

The football field, more narrow and shorter than a typical prep soccer

field, will not give the Griffins (23-1-1) as much room as they’re

accustomed to. It also figures to help the Sailors, who typically play a

more physical game than most of their opponents.

The Sailors (10-7-2) will likely need all the help they can get to

knock off the Sunset League champions, who have not lost since Dec. 8, a

span of 20 games, 19 of which have been victories.

Since dropping a 1-0 tournament loss to Marina, the Griffins have

outscored opponents, 54-8, including a 4-0 first-round win Friday over

Foothill League representative Valencia. Their goal advantage for the

season is 65-9.

Los Al, which won the 2001 Sunset League crown and lost in last year’s

Division I semifinals to eventual champion Millikan, has played beyond

already high expectations this season, according to Scharlin.

“After having the success we did last season, we knew we’d do well

(despite graduating three All-CIF performers, including goalie Jamie

Ackerman),” Scharlin said. “But I didn’t expect us to play as well as

we’ve played this year.”

The Griffins are led by senior forward Jon Bornstein (18 goals), while senior midfielder Cameron Kolovos, a returning second-team All-CIF

performer, has 14 goals.

Sean Cima, Dustin Venegas and Nick Koromelas have seven goals apiece

for the Griffins. Kolovos, Koromelas, Venegas and Evan Perley scored

against Valencia. Goalie Jeremy Uhl recorded five saves Friday to post

the team’s 16th shutout.

Newport Harbor, in its second playoff appearance in five seasons,

advanced with a 2-0 first-round win at Santa Ana Valley.

Junior forward Jose Serpas scored both goals to double his season

total, but he should have a little more help, according to Esparza.

The Newport Coach said after Friday’s win, the program’s first playoff

triumph since 1997, that senior Tyson Wahl, who missed his junior season

while training with the national under-16 team in Florida, was expected

to return after missing five games with a strained back muscle.

The Sailors are also expected to welcome back seniors Redge Bendheim

and Adam Kerns, who were not available for the first-round contest.

Esparza said Friday he knew little about Esperanza, but he planned on

collecting details from some Sunset League coaches with whom he is

acquainted.

“I know they have a lot of speed at the forward spot, so playing on

our field should be an advantage for us,” Esparza said.

The Sailors, runners-up in the Sea View League, are also keyed by

senior sweeper Kevin Campos, their lone All-Sea View returner from last

season.

Outside of three South Torrance Tournament games, the scores of which

were unreported, Newport has outscored opponents, 27-26, this season.

“I know Wahl and Campos are very good players, because I’ve seen them

play on the club level,” Scharlin said.

Today’s winner advances to meet either Rubidoux (8-3-6) or San

Gorgonio (18-4-3) in Thursday’s quarterfinals.