Sea Kings fall short

Chris Yemma

The high school soccer talent pool runs deep in South Orange County.

The boys and girls teams of Santa Margarita High, Trabuco Hills

and San Clemente are all ranked in the top 10 of CIF Southern Section

Division I, while added to that list just in the girls division are

Aliso Niguel, Capistrano Valley and Dana Hills.

And, in Division II, you can add the defending CIF champion Tesoro

girls soccer team to the list.

That’s who the Corona del Mar girls visited Tuesday, in the second

Pacific Coast League meeting between the two teams this season. The

Sea Kings took the first one, 1-0, on Jan. 6, but fell to the Titans,

2-0, Tuesday in a game where Tesoro pulled a complete 180 degrees

from the previous meeting.

In a matchup of two teams fighting for the top few spots in the

league standings, the talent pool of the South County area prevailed

in its own environment.

“We’re blessed in South County with tremendous players,” said

Tesoro Coach Chris Vaught, who led his team to a CIF title in only

the program’s second year of existence on the varsity level last

year.

This year, the Titans (8-4-1, 4-1 in league) have a big red target

painted on their back. Corona del Mar (10-8, 4-2) was the first to

pierce that target, giving Tesoro, ranked No. 4 in Division II, its

only league loss.

On Tuesday, though, it was as if the Sea Kings were playing a

completely different team, a team that perhaps was looking for

redemption.

The Titans outshot CdM, 21-3, and scored two goals using their

heads. Both goals came off corner kicks that were headed in by

sophomore Nichole Romanowski -- one in the 22nd minute and an extra

one for insurance in the 80th minute.

“Tesoro at home here today just had more intensity and desire to

win,” Corona del Mar Coach Bryan Middleton said. “Our girls played

well, but Tesoro just wanted it more.”

Vaught had the same rationale for the outcome.

“I think it was just the energy level of the girls,” he said.

“They felt they needed to bring it from the defensive end.”

Tesoro’s biggest challenge is yet to come, though. Its scheduled

meeting with league-leading Northwood was postponed due to rain

earlier this season, and the two will matchup twice in two days.

Corona del Mar’s only other league loss came at the hands of the

Timberwolves, who have yet to be beaten by another league team. Those

three teams are likely to finish, one, two and three in the standings

to continue into the postseason.

But for the Sea Kings to win league, they will most likely need to

hand Northwood a loss. To do that, CdM might have to think of another

opponent that brings out a certain level of emotion and intensity

when the two matchup.

“It takes a Back Bay rival game for my girls, I guess,” said

Middleton, referring to the matchup between Newport Harbor and Corona

del Mar.

“Somehow we have to dig deep and find that intensity within

league. Our league wins have been with our skill level but not with

the heart and desire that I would like to see.”

The Sea Kings host University Thursday at 3:15 p.m., and after

battling Calvary Chapel Feb. 1, travel to Northwood Feb. 3 in a game

that will have a large significance in the league standings.