Girls’ Soccer Preview: Gonzalez, Schaefer return to lead Flintridge Prep

A season ago, Flintridge Prep Coach Esteban Chavez believed his team was a campaign away from truly realizing its full potential.

Thus, when the Rebels won a share of the Prep League title, advanced to the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division III playoffs and did so with some gaudy offensive numbers, Chavez was even surprised, as his team was seemingly a year ahead of schedule.

But best laid plans can go awry, however, and the Rebels, though they only had three seniors move on, had a handful of players that won’t be returning and, all of a sudden, the season ahead is filled with question marks, even with one of the greatest scoring duos in area history back on the field.

“It’s gonna be a mystery year,” Chavez said.

For Crescenta Valley, a team filled with seniors and a sensational sophomore returner is hoping to challenge for the Pacific League title, while Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy will field a youthful squad looking to compete in the ever arduous Mission League.

Back in the mix following phenomenal seasons highlighted by mind-spinning statistics will be reigning All-Area Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year Julia Gonzalez and All-Area returner Helen Schaefer. The duo led Prep to a 16-3-5 record, the most victories for the program since 2011 and a share of its first league title since 2012 on the strength of defeating archrival Pasadena Poly for the first time since that same year.

Gonzalez, now a junior forward, tallied a school-record 32 assists and 24 goals in 24 games, while Schaefer, a sophomore forward, had a school-record 38 goals and 14 assists.

“They’re both smarter on the field, they both have improved,” Chavez said. “But you can’t expect those numbers again.”

Also back is All-Area junior midfielder Mona Cesario (nine goals, 11 assists last season), whose production might well go up with Gonzalez and Schaefer drawing plenty of attention.

“Offenses are going to be focusing on stopping Julia and Helen,” Chavez said. “Mona can beat anyone one on one.”

However, another All-Area pick who was poised to return was defender Hannah Barakat, but Chavez’ defense will need to adjust to Barakat’s departure. Barakat, the fastest girls’ athlete in the area as evidenced by her All-Area status in the 100- and 200-meter runs, is focusing on track and field heading into college.

“We don’t have the team back this year that I thought we would,” Chavez said. “If somebody made a mistake, Hannah’s speed could make up for it.”

However, the cupboard is hardly bare as Chavez also expects valuable play from returning junior goalkeeper Lindsey Uteda, sophomore Caitlin Fong, who is likely to play just about anywhere, senior Jillian Brady and sophomore forward Mika Celeste.

As for the Prep League, Chavez prognosticates balance as he believes that it won’t just be the Rebels and archrival Poly vying for the top spot.

“It’s gonna be an interesting year,” said Chavez, whose team will remain in Division III. “Last year, it was clearly Poly and ourselves, but this year, I think everybody, with the exception of Firebaugh, will be in it.”

As for the Mission League, while the competition is always tough from top to bottom, Harvard-Westlake has been the favorite for quite sometime, having won five consecutive league crowns.

Flintridge Sacred Heart, which last won a league title in 2011, is coming off a trying season in which it went 10-7-3, 2-5-1 in league, making it to the Division I playoffs only to suffer a 7-0 first-round loss.

Nine seniors have moved on, including former All-Area Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year Lauren Savo and All-Area mainstay Heather Turcios.

“We are going to be a young team this year,” said Tologs Coach Mark Snashall, who is beginning his second season at the helm, one in which a playoff berth will send it to Division III as it was moved down two divisions after CIF realignment. “We’re going to be a young team that’s going to have to be smart with the ball and be fast.

“We’re going to be alright, it might take a few games, though.”

Senior midfielder Sophia Saldivar is currently injured, as is returning junior All-Area goalie Mattie Interian, so injuries and players returning from club soccer are currently slowing the learning curve for the Tologs.

All-Area junior forward Amethyst Trang is back, though, and Snashall has “high hopes” for her this season.

And with the likes of senior Nia Harris, juniors Marissa Venneri and Giulia Cascapera, sophomores Krista Celo and Jillian Willis and a crop of five freshmen, Snashall believes the future is bright.

“Once we get it worked out, I think we’ll be alright,” Snashall said.

However, the Tologs will need to cut down on mistakes that plagued them during league play last season.

“We just shot ourselves in the foot during those league games,” Snashall said. “Take those errors away and we were competitive in every game.”

Crescenta Valley came oh so close to ending Arcadia’s reign atop the Pacific League as it ended the Apaches’ 43-game league winning streak, but came up short of the league title, which Arcadia has won five seasons running.

But Brianna McReynolds, who scored the game-winner in the Falcons’ historic 2-1 win over Arcadia last season, returns to lead the Crescenta Valley attack. The sophomore All-Area selection had 21 goals and seven assists.

“I think she kind of put the league on notice last year,” said Crescenta Valley Coach Tyraysha Peterson, whose squad went 12-7 last season and lost in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division IV playoffs, but nonetheless have been moved up to Division III. “So now it’s going to be interesting to see how she does as she grows and gets stronger.”

Peterson also returns All-Area senior goalie Nicole Jabourian and senior netminder Sydney Schoeller, who was an All-Area pick as a sophomore.

Sierra Lindman-Marshall, Natalie Misetich, Shelby Reif are all seniors with plenty of varsity experience that’s prevalent on a senior-heavy squad.

“We feel good. We have quite a few returners, we’re heavy in seniors,” Peterson said. “It should be interesting.”

As for the latest chapter in the Crescenta Valley-Arcadia rivalry, Peterson believes another near-perfect effort will be in order to knock the Apaches from the top spot, while also contending with Burbank and Burroughs.

“Arcadia always has a good team. They will definitely be good again and we will have to bring it,” Peterson said. “We always have the goal of taking care of business in league.”

It’s likely to be a season of rebuilding for Glendale, which had nine seniors on a team that went 7-13-1 and 5-9 in the Pacific League for fifth place in league. Victor Aquino’s squad will compete in the Division V playoffs if it can break into one of the league’s top four spots.

Hoover was hoping to keep moving upward last season, but struggled to the tune of a 4-15-3 campaign in which it took seventh in league at 3-11.

“I want to do a lot better than last year,” said Hoover Coach Sarah Strange, who has aspirations of her team advancing to the Division V playoffs. “Realistically, [we want to] have a shot at that fourth spot [in league] and make it more competitive with the teams at the top of league.”

Strange believes she has the talent to do so, she just needs to get it on the field as the Tornadoes are set to start the season on Wednesday against Alverno, but are likely to be missing nine players. Some will be missing due to club commitments, others due to grade issues, but the majority with injuries.

“I’m hoping that by the time the season gets going, we’ll all be healthy,” Strange said. “If we can be 100% healthy, I’m confident we’ll be better than we were last year.”

Leading the charge for the Tornadoes will be returning All-Area senior Remi Miller, who will move around from forward and midfielder.

“She’s looking to have another great year this season,” said Strange of Miller, who will join her sister Jordan, another former All-Area selection, at Cal Lutheran.

Remi Miller had 12 goals and four assists a season ago and keys a lineup filled with upperclassmen, such as senior defender Mary Deyell and senior forward Emily Sawitskas.

“We were a young team before, but we’re not anymore,” Strange said.

However, freshman forward Mikayla Giden could provide some youth and talent as the newcomer is expected to make an impact early.

Holy Family, which has the unfortunate designation of entering the season with the second-lowest power ranking in the Southern Section, went 0-15 in 2015-16 and will look to turn things around with new coach Sal Sarmiento as it looks to make a little noise in the Horizon League.

Following a 5-7-1 showing in which it went 4-7-1 for fifth place in the Heritage League, St. Monica Academy is changing gears with new coach Martin Gonzales.

“From what I see, we’re going to be a competitive team,” said Gonzales, who is still getting to know his players in his first season of high school coaching. “I think we will do much, much better than last year.

“The girls are very enthusiastic.”

The Crusaders, who are aiming for the Division VII playoffs, had three all-league players set to return last season in sophomores Grace Brady, Deanelly Gonzales, Katherine Zampiello.