Forecast includes playoffs

Rick Devereux

Playing at home is always ideal, especially in a must-win situation.

But the next best thing to playing at home is playing on the road in

conditions similar to home.

While the Corona del Mar High girls soccer team will host its

second-round game against Arcadia today in the CIF Southern Section

Division II playoffs, No. 3 seeded Costa Mesa will play at La Mirada

in Division III on a surface familiar to the Mustangs. Sage Hill

plays at Pomona Catholic. All three games are scheduled for 3 p.m.

“We are very fortunate to play on [Orange Coast College’s] field,”

Costa Mesa Coach Dan Johnston said, referring to OCC’s new artificial

soccer field. “La Mirada’s stadium also has an artificial surface. It

will help in this type of weather because you don’t have to play mud

ball.”

Costa Mesa, which is 18-2-0 and the No. 3 seed in the division,

defeated Orange Lutheran, 3-1, in the first round, giving the

Mustangs, two seasons removed from a CIF Division III co-title,

confidence that they can go deep into the playoffs.

“Orange Lutheran is very strong on defense and we were able to

break it down,” Johnston said. “If we were able to break down their

defense, I know we can break down anybody’s.”

Seniors Jenny Sparks and Nilani Duarte, as well as junior Jasmin

Day are the top goal-scorers on the team. But Johnston said the rest

of the roster deserves credit for the team’s success.

“Those three form a middle triangle that keeps everything

running,” he said. “But we get a whole lot of runs from other people.

Well-timed runs have been our strategy all season.”

CdM (13-9-1) advanced to the second round after beating Villa

Park, 4-2, on penalty kicks after the teams ended double overtime

tied, 1-1. Not only will the second round be at home on a familiar

field, it will be against Arcadia, a familiar opponent.

The Apaches (16-2-3) defeated CdM, 2-0, in the second round of the

Mater Dei tournament Dec. 10.

The Sea Kings made an early mistake that led to an Arcadia goal in

the third minute and another ill-advised pass in its own defensive

zone that set up another.

“We played equal ball the entire game,” Coach Bryan Middleton

said. “We know what to expect from them. They have a strong center

midfielder and a strong center forward.”

Middleton said he wants juniors Phoebe Chang and Taylor Fallon

matched up against the Apaches’ two best players.

“I want [Chang and Fallon] to focus on defense but to make a run

on offense if the opportunity presents itself,” Middleton said.

Even though CdM’s field is in good condition, Middleton said the

weather will force the Sea Kings to adjust their style of play.

“You need to play a more direct style of soccer,” he said. Sage

Hill (19-1-1) earned the program’s first playoff game win, 4-0,

against Connelly, a performance Coach Amy Ray called the team’s best

game of the season.

The Lightning have won three straight, with freshman Kellee Kim

scoring six goals in that span. Freshman Claire Josephson has

recorded five goals and four assists during the win streak.

Pomona Catholic (15-11-0) defeated Calvary Chapel of Murrieta,

2-0, to advance.