Prep Soccer : Mission Viejo Goes Its Own Way : Diablos Worry About Their Game, Not the Opposition

Cal Foster, the boys’ soccer coach of top-seeded Mission Viejo High School, knows nothing about Foothill, the Diablos’ first-round opponent in today’s Southern Section 3-A playoffs.

“I haven’t seen them or read about them,” Foster said. “I don’t even know how they finished in their league.”

Foothill (4-5-6) is the No. 3 team from the Century League and will play at Mission Viejo at 3 p.m.

Foster’s lack of knowledge about Foothill does not mean he is taking the Knights lightly.

“We play our type of soccer the way we’re capable of playing and let things fall the way they will,” he said. “We plan on playing them just like they are the best team playing.”

The Diablos (23-1) know just how the best team plays because they are the best in the 3-A. They were first in the 3-A poll all season and captured the South Coast League title.

Midfielders Joe Max Moore, who leads the Diablos in scoring with 19 goals and 10 assists, and Andy Wortrich are the team’s strength along with Jeff Jurgemeyer, last season’s South Coast League offensive player of the year.

Third-seeded Santa Ana (17-1-6) moved down from the 4-A this season. The Saints play at home against Millikan (12-8-1), the No. 3 team from Long Beach’s Moore League. The Saints are third in the 3-A poll behind second-seeded Diamond Bar (20-2-1).

Canyon (15-2-2) has a home match against Eisenhower (7-7-6). El Toro (11-6-3), the only other county team in the 32-team draw, has a home match against Wilson (16-5-3) of Hacienda Heights.

In 1-A, Agoura (19-2-1) is the top-seeded team.

Five county teams got spots in the playoffs. Newport Harbor won a wild-card match, 1-0, over La Habra Tuesday. The Sailors (9-6-5) play at fourth-seeded Artesia (13-3-3) today.

Saddleback, the No. 7 team in the 3-A poll at 10-6-3, will stay home against Sunny Hills (10-5-4).

Troy (No. 7) has the best record of any county entry at 11-3-3. The Warriors play El Monte (10-7-4) at Troy. Corona del Mar (11-5-7) travels to La Canada (14-2-2).