Royal flush: Although the Royal boys’ soccer...

Royal flush: Although the Royal boys’ soccer team, which plays tonight for the Southern Section Division I title, is more

defensive-minded this season than in the past, the Highlanders have done their share of scoring--and spread it around.

Forward Kendall Simmonds leads the team with 22 goals. The senior, who has signed to play at California, has 47 in his three-year varsity career, breaking the previous mark of 46 set by Matt Brinkman, a 1990 Royal graduate.

Midfielder Brandon Kay has 12 goals and 12 assists, and reserve forward Shaun Neff has nine goals but each Highlander starter has at least a point--including goalkeeper Matt Rainer. The 6-foot-4 senior received an assist after a lengthy punt was collected by Simmonds, who scored.

Dominating: If ever there was a local high school program that fit the word dynasty, it is the Chatsworth girls’ soccer team, defending City Section 4-A division champion.

The Chancellors who face Coast-Valley League rival Granada Hills on Saturday at East Los Angeles College in the 4-A title match, have won six titles in the eight previous seasons of City girls’ soccer.

Jack Sidwell, Chatsworth’s coach for all but one of those seasons, said the Chancellors’ all-time record is 155-16-3. The team has lost only twice in City play, to San Pedro in a 1994 playoff semifinal and to Grant in the 1995 4-A Division title match.

By George: Saturday marks the end of a five-year string of George girls at Chatsworth.

Pamela George, a senior midfielder, is the last of three sisters to play at Chatsworth. The eldest, Melinda, debuted during the 1992-93 season. She, Pamela and Michelle, who is a scholarship player at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, were all starting midfielders for the Chancellors during the 1994-95 season.

Valley girl: The Belmont High boys’ soccer team, which opposes El Camino Real on Saturday in the City Section title match, has a Valley connection--Coach Nancy Carr-Swaim.

Carr-Swaim, who has led the Sentinels to five title matches in 11 seasons, is a 1969 Monroe graduate.

Belmont won the 1994 title match but forfeited 10 days later because it used an ineligible player. Last season, the Sentinels and Garfield were declared co-champions after a scoreless tie in the final.

Setting it straight: During the Chaminade girls’ soccer team’s run to Saturday’s Southern Section Division III title match, it was reported that the Eagles made three previous postseason appearances, losing them all.

Jim DeGroth, who started the program in 1983 and coached the Eagles until 1991, begs to differ.

DeGroth said his teams made seven postseason appearances, winning two playoff matches.