Newport peaking into CIF playoffs

Chris Yemma

There is no better time for a team to be peaking than right when a

postseason is about to begin.

In the case of the Newport Harbor High girls soccer team, which

has achieved win after win in its last third of the season, a spring

of momentum has come.

The Sailors achieved five consecutive games without a loss

Thursday after a 3-0 win over visiting Woodbridge, to clinch second

place in the Sea View League and a definite pass to the CIF Southern

Section Division I playoffs.

Ever since the Sailors (11-5-1, 7-2-1 in league) handed Aliso

Niguel, ranked No. 2 in Division I, its first loss of the season Jan.

27, Newport has been rolling, and at just the right time.

“This is great. It’s perfect,” Newport Coach Phil D’Agostino said.

“[We’re peaking] right before the playoffs.”

Defeating top teams is something the Sailors have had success at

this season, but in order to advance in CIF, the success must

continue.

Earlier in the year, Newport handed Edison, now ranked No. 9 in

Division I, a 2-0 loss. And of course, there was Aliso Niguel, which

at one point this year had reached the No. 1 spot in Division I.

But going five games without a loss has also played a pivotal role

in the Sailors’ momentum swing. It even provided enough momentum

Thursday to redeem a 3-0 away loss to Woodbridge (6-9-1, 3-5-1) Jan.

20.

This time for the Sailors, it was the exact opposite style of

play, leading to an exact opposite outcome, as Newport sealed its

postseason hopes under first-year coach D’Agostino.

“Last year [Newport] had a tougher time,” D’Agostino said. “I

don’t think their season reflected what they were capable of doing.

It took us a while this year to gel as a team, but then when we beat

Aliso, and that was just a huge boost for us.”

Woodbridge appeared as if it had been replaced by another set of

players Thursday, compared to the first meeting between the two

schools. The Sailors raced out to an early lead after junior Krystal

Wright took a free kick from Tayler Giacamoro in the 10th minute, and bounced it off the top of the cross bar and in for a 1-0 lead.

The early goal seemed to zap the will of the Warriors, who failed

to qualify for the postseason under first-year coach Gabe Smith.

“Once we got down a goal, I think we just faded,” Smith said. “And

then the second one, it just took the emotion out of us.”

The second and third goals were provided by junior Amanda Laz, who

scored both in the second half to give Newport a sizable cushion.