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.
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