GIRLS’ SOCCER PLAYOFFS : San Dieguito Still Has Some Work Left to Do

After compiling a 23-0-1 record, limiting opponents to only seven goals and scoring 138, there doesn’t seem much left for San Dieguito’s girls’ soccer team.

Except a San Diego Section championship, and some even consider that a foregone conclusion. The Mustangs face a team they’ve already beaten this season, Bonita Vista (23-2-3), in the Division I championship at 5 p.m. today at Torrey Pines.

In today’s other games, Torrey Pines and San Pasqual vie for the Division II title at Hilltop (5 p.m.), USDHS and La Jolla go after the Division III championship at Torrey Pines (noon), and Christian will face Bishop’s for the Division IV title at San Diego (5 p.m.).

So dominating is San Dieguito that in its first-round game against Mira Mesa, the Marauders decided scoring was hopeless. They went for the tie, hoping to take the game into penalty kicks.

They started the game by bringing all 10 field players back in front of the goal to form a defensive shell. There they stayed for the duration of regulation, not even managing one shot on goal.

But they didn’t need any shots because the strategy was working. San Dieguito also failed to score and the game went into overtime. Nine minutes later, however, San Dieguito’s Allie Kemp ended it with her 30th goal of the season.

Now Bonita Vista will try to come up with a variation of that strategy, one that will allow for some offense.

Coach Ron Pietila isn’t saying whether he has come up with one, but it is obvious he is obsessed with San Dieguito’s overall speed.

“What we have to deal with is San Dieguito’s great team speed,” he said. “We’re working on something; we’re not going to stand still. That first game (a 2-0 victory for San Dieguito) we played it straight--I thought we were as good as them. Well, we’re not. So this time they’re going to get a different look at us.”

Bonita Vista’s offense rests with Jennifer Ewert (29, 14) and sophomore Bianca Baca (27, 9). Goalie Bethie Crane acts as the last line of defense.

Besides Kemp, who now has 31 goals and 14 assists, San Dieguito attacks with junior Erin Drown (23 goals, 31 assists), senior Amy Comte (20, 14), junior Cindy Carullo (18, 11) and junior Maggie Merritt (14, 18).

Coach Dave Emmerson, however, boasts about his defense a much as he does his offense, especially outside fullbacks Kristen Campbell and Alison Moger.

“I’ve always dreamed of a team that has 11 defenders and 11 attackers,” Emmerson said, talking about his team’s versatility. “And this year it really has come true.”

In goal is Shane Parmely, who recorded 18 of San Dieguito’s 20 shutouts this season.

It easily could be concluded that Bonita Vista’s best hope would be over confidence on the part of San Dieguito players. But the Mustangs promise that won’t happen. Still in their memory is last year’s championship game against Poway, a team they beat three times during the year. It ended in a 0-0 tie.