Soccer coaches extend rivalry

CHRIS YEMMA

Sometimes rivalries never die.

USC vs. UCLA, Yankees vs. Red Sox, Texas vs. Oklahoma and the

granddaddy of them all -- the Battle of the Bay.

Every sport, from frosh/soph to varsity and boys to girls, Newport

Harbor High vs. Corona del Mar proves to be that season’s marquee

matchup, no matter if it’s just a nonleague game that doesn’t really

affect the grand scheme of the season.

But after high school, the athletes move on. Some pursue other

sports and some pursue academics, and the Back Bay matchups tend to

fade from memory.

For the two schools’ frosh/soph boys soccer teams, though, things

are a little different. Corona del Mar Coach Parker Ferguson and

Newport Harbor Coach Warren Junowich are keeping the rivalry alive.

Ferguson, 19, played on the CdM varsity boys soccer team last

season and now attends Orange Coast College.

Junowich played on the Newport Harbor varsity boys soccer team

last season and plays for OCC this year.

So if it’s not in the classroom, or in the halls of OCC, the two

are dueling it out on the soccer field as coaches. Next year it could

even be a trifecta, as Ferguson is looking to join the Pirates’

soccer team after taking a year off from playing the sport.

From the coaching side, Ferguson’s team has given him bragging

rights. His Sea Kings defeated the Sailors, 3-1, Wednesday to claim

the prized bell trophy that goes the game’s annual winner.

“Me and Warren were running our mouths before the game,” Ferguson

said.

But from the players’ standpoint, Junowich holds the upper hand.

The Sailors sent the Sea Kings packing in last season’s varsity

showdown.

In the two schools’ coaching worlds, the soccer circle is fairly

small. Ferguson, Junowich and Newport Harbor varsity coach Ryan

Hernandez all hang out together. But they aren’t sharing each

other’s soccer secrets.

“We all play Halo together,” said Ferguson, referring to the

PlayStation 2 video game. “We’re all pretty close.”

As far as Ferguson’s frosh/soph Sea Kings go, things couldn’t be

looking much better. The team is 4-0-1, with the tie coming the

second game of the season against Santa Ana Valley.

Freshman Mitchell Williams leads the team in scoring with six

goals, including three against Newport.

The defense is led by Riley Sullivan, Trevor Gladych, Nick Taylor

and Kevin Cottkey.

Other members include: Paul Iaccarino, Ryan Caughren, Thomas

Dailynas, Dean Postisol, Carl Waniek, Jeff Carlson and Greg Wolonsky.

The plan is for all of them to stay together on the same team as

they progress through the program. And when their time on the varsity

does come, the expectations are pretty high.

“I’m calling it right now,” Ferguson said. “When these guys are

varsity, they will win CIF [Southern Section Division II].”

Mark his words.