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 La Cañada, another new coach has his team looking to challenge for the Rio Hondo 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 early 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, Hanna’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 can 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.”

Over at La Cañada, Kevin Neumeier takes over as the third Spartans coach in as many seasons, but with the past four seasons spent coaching the junior varsity team, he’s already familiar with his team.

“I’ve known all of them,” Neumeier said. “I’ve watched them grow up over the years.”

La Cañada went 15-7-3 last season and lost in the second round of the Division IV playoffs to eventual championship runner-up Moorpark.

The Spartans, who have been moved up to Division III, only lost four seniors, but the crop of Katherine Sheehy, Megan Reilly, Rose Quezada and Emma Tapp were all valuable contributors with plenty of experience, including playing focal roles in the Spartans’ run to a Rio Hondo League title and a Division V championship appearance in 2014.

Senior Ari Aghadjanians was also a member of that team and last season was an All-Area pick with a team-leading 11 goals. This time around, though, she’ll be called on to shore up the defense as she’s moving to the back line.

“I’m asking her to make a big switch,” Neumeier said. “I’m very happy with her. Like a good senior and leader, she’s putting the team first.”

Junior forward Ella Romero (two goals, 10 assists last season) and senior goalie Celine Cano-Ruiz will also be returning starters that should play vital parts in the Spartans’ success.

“It’s just a very well-balanced team,” Neumeier said. “Everyone’s going to find their positions and make their contributions.”

As for the goal at hand, Neumeier doesn’t hesitate to say that the Spartans are aiming for a Rio Hondo League title this season and the next.

“With our program, we should always be challenging for league,” said Neumeier, who expects reigning champion Monrovia, San Marino and South Pasadena to be arduous opposition. “I want our seniors to go out as league champs and start a tradition of winning league.

“That’s our No. 1 goal.”