Girls soccer: Something from nothing

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - Two teams that have produced a whole lot of nothing

square off today at 3 p.m. in a CIF Southern Section Division II girls

soccer quarterfinal at Crescenta Valley High.

You want a scoring blitz, don’t bother watching the No. 3-seeded

Sailors (13-6-4) against visiting Crescenta Valley (19-6-3).

Newport Harbor, which has advanced to the quarterfinals for the first

time in the program’s history, got here with defensive prowess. Coach

Jason Sorrell’s Sea View League runners-up have not allowed a goal in

eight of their last nine games, during which time they have not lost.

They have 13 shutouts for the season, which has enabled them to outscore

their combined opponents, 30-22.

On the other sideline, Crescenta Valley is no stranger to posting

zeros, either. The Falcons, who lost their Pacific League finale to

Arcadia, 1-0, to finish two points behind the Apaches in the league

standings, have posted 18 shutouts and outscored foes, 64-20. The 1-0

loss to Arcadia snapped a streak of 14 straight blankings for the

Falcons, who have not shut out either of their playoff opponents.

Crescenta Valley got past Simi Valley, 2-1, in the first round, then

required excessive measures to eliminate El Toro Wednesday. El Toro,

which defeated Newport, 3-0, in a nonleague game Dec. 13, played the

Falcons to a 3-3 deadlock through regulation. Two 10-minute overtime

periods and two subsequent 10-minute sudden-death overtimes failed to

produce a goal, so penalty kicks ensued. Both teams made 3 of 5 penalty

kicks to force a second round of PKs. Crescenta Valley then converted

three penalty kicks to the Chargers’ zero, to advance.

Newport has taken a less-precarious path to the quarterfinals. It

rallied from a 1-0 deficit to claim a 3-1 first-round win over University

Saturday at home. It then took to the road Wednesday to win a 1-0 clash

with Riverside Poly.

Harbor boasts Parade All-American junior forward Amy Burlingham, a

second-team All-CIF Division II selection last year as a sophomore. But

the Sailors have relied on another Amy, senior forward Amy Ross, for all

four postseason goals thus far.

Newport is also keyed by senior midfielder Tory Manchester, as well as

a strong back line of junior sweeper Taryn Flamson, freshman stopper Erin

Hardy and senior fullbacks Kristin Nahin and Lauren Birchfield.

Newport won its first two playoff games last season, including a

wild-card game, before being eliminated in the second round. A third

playoff win today would be a single-season school record.

Crescenta Valley received a goal and an assist from Rachel Rigamat in

its first-round win. Defender Jorden Stanley was a third-team All-CIF

Division II choice last season.

The Falcons are coached by Reggie Rivas.

Today’s winner advances to Tuesday’s semifinal against No. 2 seeded

Claremont or Canyon of Canyon Country.