Hammer Time: El Toro Girls Love to Rap

Many teams have a pregame psyche-up routine--songs, cheers, chants, etc. But how many can match the El Toro girls’ soccer squad during the playoffs?

Just before the match, Charger Coach Kerry Krause places a replica of the opponent’s mascot on the sideline. He then takes a hammer from his gym bag and, to the joy of his players, smashes the mascot to bits.

“It’s a bit weird,” Krause says. “But you know kids these days. They get off on the dumbest things.”

Some opponents are a real challenge, though, when it comes to finding a suitable mascot. When El Toro played the Los Alamitos Griffins, Krause couldn’t find a mythical beast so he settled for a rubber chicken. Against Simi Valley’s Pioneers, it was a tiny replica of a covered wagon.

Creativity is a must. Against the Chargers of Edison, Krause opted for a light bulb. Before meeting the St. Joseph Knights, the object of destruction was a . . . bottle of aspirin ?

“You know St. Joseph’s,” Krause said. “Chewable aspirin for children. I had to look all over for that one.”

El Toro, the two-time defending 4-A champion, opened the section playoffs last week against the Loara Saxons. After Krause hammered the heck out of a tiny toy saxophone, El Toro won, 6-0.

This week, El Toro plays Claremont--a.k.a. the Wolfpack. Krause wouldn’t reveal his pregame demolition plans, but we offer this advice:

If you have a dog that looks even remotely like a wolf, don’t let him out alone this week.

Fast Fact: Before committing his energies to basketball, Chris Fry, Brethren Christian’s 7-foot, 245-pound senior center, played football for two years.

“Chris played center on the football team,” Brethren basketball Coach Rich Thomas said. “The quarterback had to stand straight up to get the snap, and when he went to throw, he usually had a tough time seeing over him.”

Ladycat Lull: Brea-Olinda girls’ basketball Coach Mark Trakh says the toughest opponent his players face year in and year out is that sneaky club called complacency.

Especially when it comes to the seniors.

“It’s hard to keep them focused,” Trakh says. “They could walk away from Brea having won four Southern Section titles, four regional titles and three State titles . . . But then I have to remind them that anything can happen.”

As Trakh well knows. Two years ago, Brea was on a 55-game winning streak entering the State final, but underestimated--and lost to--Auburn Placer. He refuses to let his current players forget it.

“Every year the seniors seem to hit a low period, like, ‘God, I can’t wait till it’s over,’ ” Trakh says. “They’ve been doing it for six years (four years at Brea High, two years at the junior high level). Then, somewhere around playoff time, they realize, ‘Oh God, this is it!’ ”

Trakh makes his point with a message on the chalkboard: “Play like a champion tonight!” it reads. Four-year standout Jody Anton says she prefers, “Play hard or go home.”

“From an ad or something, I think,” Anton says.

However they put it, the Ladycats agree on where they want to go. They stare at it every day in practice.

A big color photo of the Arco Arena, site of the State championships, hangs on a gym wall.

Add Trakh: He’s still hurting over not being interviewed last year for the UC Irvine women’s job, but that hasn’t stopped Trakh from looking elsewhere.

In August, Trakh applied for the Cal State Los Angeles opening. After a five-hour interview in September, he was told he was one of two finalists. A few weeks later, he read in the newspaper that Marcia Murota, who was not a finalist, had been given the job. Trakh said he was disappointed, but he’s still hungry for a new challenge.

“I really want to go on to the next level,” Trakh said. “Our record at Brea is good, but how many times do we play someone who’s overmatched? Here, in 80% of games, the only coaching I’m doing is substituting. It’d be nice to see what I can do on a more competitive basis.”

Fast Fact II: Costa Mesa basketball standout Olivia DiCamilli, who lists reconstituted seaweed among her favorite foods, refuses to eat at her father’s Costa Mesa sandwich shop.

“Too calorific,” her father, Jim, says. “Too much junk food for Olivia.”

So what’s her lunch choice? Taco Bell bean burritos, says Dad.

H-O-R-S-E-ing Around: The hype and the hoopla might have been a little much, but the H-O-R-S-E showdown between Laker Byron Scott and Msgr. Michael Harris, Santa Margarita’s Principal, was enough to entertain the 500 or so fans who came to watch the show Monday afternoon at Santa Margarita High.

Scott proposed the game to promote his basketball camp at Santa Margarita this summer. Once word got out about the game, the Eagle athletic department was flooded with inquiries. Athletic Director Rich Schaaf had to scramble practice times in the gym. A local sports columnist and an Eagle booster also wanted in on the act. And the campus was taken by Byron-mania.

“Byron’s agent called and said, ‘We just want it to be low key,’ ” Schaaf said. “I’m like, ‘Oh, then why did you call the newspapers?’ ”

Harris, who shoots hoops almost every day with the school’s gym rats, got off to a good start, nailing three three-pointers in a row.

“The power of prayer,” he said with a grin.

Then he choked, overpowering an easy shot from the foul line.

“Too much juice, Father!” said a voice in the crowd.

“H-O for Monsignor Harris!” the announcer boomed.

Wait a sec. H-O? Harris had only missed one. What kind of score keeping was this? A conspiracy, no doubt.

Scott swished one from the top of the key. Taking a big gulp of air, Harris matched it. He was hot--but not for long. He missed a 15-footer, clanged a shot from the top of the key off the rim, then, one miss away from H-O-R-S-E, lined up for a baseline 12-footer.

Air ball.

The crowd groaned. Harris smiled.

“If this were a competition in praying and I was losing, I’d have been a lot more uptight,” he said.

And a lot less entertaining.