Edison alumni Cerda, Jahansouz to meet for NCAA title

It didn’t take Edison High girls’ soccer coach Kerry “Mac” Crooks long this week to go from coach to fan.

Crooks began her 27th year in charge of her alma mater on Thursday, as the Chargers tied San Clemente 2-2 in a nonleague game. The fan part comes from knowing that two of her alumni will be competing for the NCAA Division 1 women’s soccer championship on Sunday.

MacKenzie Cerda and UCLA will meet Alison Jahansouz and Stanford for the Division 1 title on Sunday at 9 a.m. Pacific time at Orlando City Stadium in Florida.

Cerda, who graduated from Edison in 2014, is a senior defender for the Bruins (19-2-3). Jahansouz, a redshirt junior who also graduated from Edison in 2014, is the starting goalie for Stanford (23-1).

Crooks made a post to her Instagram @coachkerrymac on Friday, before the Bruins upset Duke 0-0 (4-3 in penalty kicks) in a national semifinal and top-ranked Stanford took care of South Carolina 2-0 in the other semifinal.

“It’s not every high school soccer coach who gets to say they have two of their players in the semifinals of the Division 1 NCAA Women’s Soccer College Cup, but I do,” Crooks wrote. “It’s even more to say that MacKenzie Cerda (UCLA) and Alison Jahansouz (Stanford) are just as amazing women as they are players. Can’t wait to watch them play on the big stage.”

Cerda was the Gatorade California Girls Soccer Player of the Year as a senior at Edison, helping the Chargers win the Sunset League and advance to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 title match. She has transitioned to defense in her final two years at UCLA. She played in all 24 of UCLA’s games and has four goals and three assists this season.

Jahansouz has posted four straight shutouts headed into the title game, and has 11 this season. She helped the Cardinal tie a school record by earning their 19th shutout in the win over South Carolina.

Sunday’s final will be broadcast on ESPNU.

Estancia’s Mendoza out until league play

Estancia High girls’ soccer sophomore forward Desiree Mendoza won’t make her debut for the Eagles until Orange Coast League play begins, coach Josh Juarez said.

Juarez said in a text message that Mendoza has commitments with her club team, SoCal Blues, early in the high school season. Estancia begins league on Jan. 11 with a home match against Godinez.

Mendoza was a first-team Daily Pilot Dream Team selection as a freshman with Estancia. She scored a team-best 17 goals, which ranked eighth in Orange County.

Estancia opens its season Thursday, with a home nonleague match against Sonora at 5 p.m.

matthew.szabo@latimes.com

Twitter: @mjszabo