Still in the hunt

Mike Sciacca

It’s down to the nitty-gritty time for the Laguna Beach High boys’

soccer team.

For Laguna’s girls’ varsity squad, the challenge this next week is

to close out the season on a winning note.

A year removed from winning a CIF Southern Section championship --

and in its first season playing in a higher division -- the Laguna

Beach boys’ team is in the critical stage of its Pacific Coast League

schedule, where the outcome of every match will determine whether or

not the Breakers reach the postseason party.

Inconsistency has plagued the Breakers in recent weeks, but

victories over Calvary Chapel, Tesoro and University -- Laguna’s

final three regular season opponents -- might be enough to secure a

playoff berth.

“This is the time we really need to come up with some momentum.

It’s now, or never,” said Laguna Coach Andy Thomas, whose team played

at league leader Northwood on Wednesday and today plays host to

Calvary Chapel.

Only once before, in 2001, in Thomas’ six previous years as head

coach, has Laguna not qualified for the playoffs.

“If we stayed focused in this next week, then I like our chances

of making the playoffs,” he said. “At the moment, we’re playing

inconsistently. We just need to get some momentum going.

“If we drop any more games, with our record, it’s hard to justify

earning a playoff berth.”

Heading into a Jan. 28 match against Northwood, Laguna had just

two league wins under its belt, and five overall.

The last time a Laguna team finished with as few wins was in 2000,

yet that team, with a 5-11-3 overall record, finished third in the

PCL and was able to reach the first round of the Division IV

playoffs.

A year later, Laguna won six games overall but missed the

playoffs.

Last year, it all came together for the team who, now playing at

the Division V level, was able to rise from a third-place league

standing to run the tables come tournament time and win the division

championship.

It was the third such title for a Thomas-coached team, whose

previous two crowns came in his first year, 1997, and a

co-championship in ’98.

This year, the Breakers jumped from Division V to compete in

Division II. Although a jump of three divisions might seem daunting

to most teams, Laguna’s established program took the move in stride.

“We’ve always competed in the past against schools that were

Division I or Division II programs, so the jump up really hasn’t

really been that shocking to us,” Thomas said. “We’ve beaten a few of

those programs, too.”

At the start of this season, Thomas said the bump up to Division

II would mean a “tough road,” but the move withstanding, he liked his

team’s potential.

Although just three games remain in the regular season, he says

it’s not too late to realize that potential.

“If the boys can get up for the challenge these next few games, I

feel we can still make a statement this season,” he added. “We’ll

have a better feel once this week is through.”

On the girls’ side of the playing field, Thomas’ brother, Mike,

says his Laguna varsity squad is in a “building year.”

“We lost 15 girls from last year’s team to graduation so our

struggles this year weren’t unexpected,” said Mike Thomas whose

Breakers sought their second league win in a Thursday match against

Calvary Chapel.

“We knew that this would be a rebuilding year, a year for gaining

experience for the younger girls while building for the future.”

Despite not being in the running for a playoff berth, Thomas said

the play of his four seniors -- Emily Ward, Leah Edwards, Caitlin

Ross and Mahlia Hines -- has been invaluable.

“I know they set high expectations for their senior year, and it’s

tough when things don’t work out the way you planned,” he said, “but

these four girls have been great leaders for this program.”