SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION 4-A GIRLS’ SOCCER : El Toro, Mater Dei Get a Glimpse of Future

El Toro and Mater Dei will meet for the Southern Section Division 4-A girls’ soccer title at 6 tonight at Cerritos Gahr High. The match will also be a preview of things to come.

Mater Dei has finished its final season in the soon-to-be defunct Angelus League and will replace Irvine in the South Coast League next year. The move should strengthen the league, which has produced the past six Southern Section 4-A champions.

“It will be kind of fun to welcome Mater Dei to the South Coast League,” El Toro Coach Kerry Krause said.

El Toro (24-2-2), which won a share of its third consecutive South Coast League title, is attempting to become the second girls’ soccer team in section history to win three consecutive 4-A titles. The Chargers had a 43-match unbeaten streak ended this season, but started another streak and haven’t lost in 19 matches.

Unlike the past two seasons, in which El Toro was led by Shawn Viloria, the Chargers don’t have a single dominating player. Instead, they have eight players who have scored at least five goals this season. Junior Denise Kenyon has 19 goals and 15 assists and senior Shannon deAvila has 14 goals and 19 assists.

“It makes it difficult for our opponents to decide who to mark,” Krause said.

Mater Dei (24-2-2) finished second to Walnut in the Angelus League, marking the first time since 1987 that the Monarchs didn’t win the league title, but advanced to the final match by defeating top-seeded Simi Valley, 1-0, Tuesday.