CIF SOUTHERN SECTION SOCCER PLAYOFFS:Familiarity abounds with locals

The CIF Southern Section boys’ and girls’ soccer playoffs are laden with familiarity for four of the six Newport-Mesa teams that qualified.

In boys Division III on Saturday, Estancia High, the Orange Coast League champion, will play host to Corona del Mar in a first-round matchup at 1 p.m.

The two teams met Dec. 8, with the Eagles emerging a 3-1 victor. And, five years ago, both schools inhabited the Pacific Coast League.

The Sage Hill School boys, the Academy League champion and the No. 2 seed in Division VI, will have to await the outcome of a wild-card match between NuView Bridge (10-6-3) and Joshua Springs (6-5-2) on Wednesday.

The Lightning (14-0-2), the only local team to earn a top-four seeding, will play host to the winner on Saturday at 3 p.m.

On the girls side in Division III, Costa Mesa, the Orange Coast League champion, will play host to Pacifica in the first round on Friday.

Pacifica is coached by Matt Etchison, who coaches the Newport Mesa Soccer Club girls’ under-19 team which has four Mustangs on the roster.

The Newport Harbor boys’ team (10-8-4) will hit the road to face Aliso Niguel (9-7-8) on Saturday in a first-round Division I matchup. The two schools were in the Sea View League the past four seasons, before the Sailors moved to the Sunset League and Aliso Niguel went to the South Coast League.

The Lightning girls’ team (12-8-2) will travel to Calvary Chapel of Murrieta (17-5-4) on Friday to take on the Warriors, ranked No. 7 in the final Division VI regular-season poll. The game is at 3 p.m.

The two schools share a pair of common opponents, leaving with the same result against each. The Lightning did take on a tougher preseason schedule, with seven of the 11 games coming against schools in higher divisions, while Calvary Chapel faced five teams in a higher division in 15 preseason matches.

Sage Hill has a strong starting lineup led by senior midfielders Kara Percival and Emily Webb. Freshman goalie Hannah Macleod has been strong as the last line of defense.

Since the Eagles (11-5-5) and Sea Kings (7-11-2) last met two months ago, a lot has changed for both teams. The Sea Kings were in the midst of what would be a six-game losing streak then, and would end the preseason 2-8-2.

“We’re a different team, we’re playing at a different level,” Sea Kings Coach Pat Callaghan said. “I’m excited to play a team that beat us earlier. There’s a motivation that is built into this.”

Corona del Mar turned around its season, going 5-3 in the Pacific Coast League to earn the league’s No. 2 playoff berth.

The Sea Kings were spurred by the arrival of playmaker Jon Udahsev (a senior who missed the first 12 games with an pulled abdominal muscle) and the consistently strong play of senior leading scorer Brian Burke.

“[Udahseve] is very important,” Callaghan said. “His role is really difficult to fill. He has a unique ability to create things other players can’t and he’s left-footed so that helps our attack on the left side.”

The Eagles on the other hand, followed up a solid preseason (4-3-5) with early dominance in league, winning their first five games before falling on hard times. They lost two of their last four games.

Estancia Coach Gannon Burks said the record in the final games was a result of giving reserves extended playing time.

“I felt it was my obligation as a coach to play them since we had already won league,” Burks said. “I guess you don’t want to see a team you already faced in the first round, but at least it’s a home game. They are big and strong. We have to be disciplined.”

Estancia features senior Edgar Rodriguez, who leads the team with 10 goals, and junior Eric Duarte, who has seven goals and 10 assists.

Sophomore George Olivas (38 steals) leads a strong defense.

The winner will likely face Santa Ana Valley (19-5-3), ranked No. 7 in the final poll, in the second round on Feb. 21. Bellflower (22-4-3), the No. 2 seed, is a potential quarterfinal opponent.

Four of Costa Mesa’s 10 seniors, Rachel Dinsdale, Kaily Carich, Mikyla Lux and Alaina Abalos, played for Etchison over the summer.

The two teams have a pair of common opponents. Pacifica defeated Laguna Beach, 4-2, while Costa Mesa split with its league rival. Costa Mesa blitzed Katella 6-0, while Pacifica won one and tied one against its Empire League foe.

Costa Mesa, which has won five consecutive league titles and shared a section title in 2003, is led by sophomore scoring machines Ayla Medina and Kyra Graham, as well as senior defender Caitlin Duffy. The Costa Mesa-Pacifica winner will likely face No. 4-seeded Chadwick (15-1-2) Tuesday.

Newport Harbor is playing Aliso Niguel for the first time this season. The two split league matches last season, with the home teams winning by a 1-0 margin.

Aliso Niguel relies on defense, having scored more than two goals only once this season.

The Sailors have a balanced attack with senior midfielder Ulises Vega, junior forward Will Reichenstein and senior forward Brian Siemonsma. The winner will likely face No. 2-seeded Millikan (25-1-3) Feb. 21.

The Lightning boys’ team finished the regular season undefeated for the first time in school history. A dominant defense led by senior Alex Edelstein posted 15 shutouts, while only allowing one goal, an own goal.

Sage Hill has been to the second round once but never further. Sage Hill would not face a ranked team until at earliest the quarterfinals.