Mesa magic

Bryce Alderton

In a magical season, Costa Mesa High’s girls soccer team finds itself

on a magic carpet ride that will continue into Saturday.

The Mustangs (22-1-2), a team that just last season won its first,

and only, playoff game, are now just one win away from ultimate

glory, a CIF Southern Section championship, after they defeated

visiting Bonita, 2-1, Tuesday in a Division III semifinal.

The Mustangs will play No. 4-seeded Walnut (19-4-4) on Saturday.

Walnut defeated Orange Lutheran Tuesday, 2-1. The title game will

be at either Cal State Fullerton or La Mirada High, at a time to be

determined.

“It’s what Mesa has been waiting for for a long time,” Mesa

sopohomore standout Jenny Sparks said. “We never wanted something so

much.”

“It’s the greatest feeling in the world,” said junior defender

Stacy Krikorian. “I’m overwhelmed with happiness.”

Mesa, the second seed, persevered through the jitters that come

with a game of this magnitude, and outscored the No. 3-seeded

Bearcats (19-3-4) in the final two quarters after a scoreless first

half.

Bonita, the Miramonte League champion, had allowed just one goal

during the playoffs coming into Tuesday’s game, as had Mesa. But the

hosts managed to get two balls by sophomore goalkeeper Brittany

Massro, who made 10 well-earned saves, often sliding to scoop up

wayward passes or shots.

Mesa freshman Jasmin Day, recovering from a sprained ankle that

caused her to miss the second-round triumph over Santa Monica, was in

the right place at the right time for the game’s first goal.

In the 56th minute, Massro kicked the ball out, but it hit off of

Bonita defender Brooke Sens, and Day was right there to take control

and roll the shot off the left post and into the net.

“I wasn’t expecting it, but if it came, I was waiting,” said Day

about the rebound that went to her.

Sister Sharon, the reigning CIF State high jump champion and team

leader in goals, picked up her 83rd career score 11 minutes later on

a penalty kick she sent flying into the right side of the net to make

it, 2-0.

Mesa sophomore Vera Gale tracked down a bouncing ball and dribbled

about five yards before Bonita defenders Kristi Dow and Nicole Mosher

ran into her, sending Gale to the turf.

Bonita Coach Bob Phillippe didn’t think Gale was attempting to

shoot.

“It was a tough call that was unlucky for us and good for them,”

Phillippe said. “I feel we were the better team today, but the score

doesn’t show it. We didn’t play the plays we should have and made

some defensive mistakes.”

Bonita had five corners to Mesa’s one in the first half and had

its best scoring chance in the 39th minute.

Mesa senior defender Devin Denman, who along with Krikorian,

knocked several balls upfield to stifle Bearcat attacks, headed a

ball off a 25-yard free kick that bounced to senior sweeper and

captain Katie Prather. Mesa sophomore goalkeeper Kindra Bailey batted

the shot that rebounded to Kellie McGrath -- Bonita’s leading scorer

and a second-team All-CIF pick a year ago -- whose shot hit the top

of the crossbar and went over the net. McGrath couldn’t take

advantage of Bailey being out of position.

“They outplayed us in the first half, they are a great team that

works together,” said Mesa coach Dan Johnston, in his 11th year at

Mesa. “We were nervous. In the second half, we got our passing game

going and had a lot of good scoring opportunities.”

Mesa outshot the Bearcats, 8-6, in the second half, getting crisp

passes upfield from the defense and midfielders that included Denman,

Kara Jenkins, Rachel Hughes, Sara Bryant, Valerie Gomez and Nilani

Duarte. Sparks, who has scored 27 goals with 14 assists this season,

along with the Day sisters, were the recipients of many of those

passes, as were Gale, Rachel Ronquillo, Kristen Bagwell and Toshia

Bryant.

“It’s awesome,” said Sparks when asked about playing alongside the

Day tandem. “You always know where to be for the pass. It’s fun

working with them.”

Bonita junior defender Randie Massro kept in a ball off a goal

kick by Bailey, and passed toward the sideline, where McGrath took

the ball in stride. McGrath centered to freshman forward Kellyanne

Kirby for a goal in the 74th minute.

Randie Massro dribbled around a defender in the corner and booted

a ball from nine yards out that also flew over the goal just minutes

into the second half.

“After that we had a letdown,” said Phillippe of Randie Massro’s

shot.

There was no letdown on the Mesa side en route to a 15th straight

victory and 22nd straight without a loss. Junior goalkeeper Kindra

Bailey made seven saves.