No. 1 El Camino Real Gets Its Kicks in Hawaii

Life at the top keeps getting better for the El Camino Real High boys’ soccer team.

The Conquistadores, ranked No. 1 in the region by The Times, will miss school this week to compete in the Iolani Soccer Classic in Hawaii.

“This is an experience the kids will never forget,” Coach David Hussey said.

The Conquistadores open play against a team from New Zealandand wraps up pool play against Iolani, Hawaii’s defending state champion.

Besides snorkeling and touring Honolulu, El Camino Real will visit Pearl Harbor. Hussey was trying to get tickets for Thursday, the 59th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

“I’m excited,” defender Zack Feldman said. “We get to experience the history of our country when we take the trip to Pearl Harbor. Not many other schools have the opportunity to take trips like these.”

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A coaching transition that could have been difficult has gone smoothly for the Harvard-Westlake girls’ team.

Stacy Schwartz replaced Keith West, who served as the team’s trainer and co-coach with Ned Smith for eight years.

West was forced to resign because of a Southern Section rule prohibiting a coach from coaching the same athletes on high school and club teams.

Schwartz, an All-Mission League player for the Wolverines in 1995, graduated from Boston University as the school’s career scoring leader and has an inexperienced team playing impressively.

“It’s very difficult to come into a situation where the previous coach has accomplished so much, especially for a woman in such a male-dominated coaching position,” said midfielder Gina Farias-Eisner.

“However, since Stacy has played for Harvard-Westlake, we can relate to her real well. She played for a competitive college team and knows what it takes to get to the top. She is more than qualified to take us to the top.”

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Newbury Park forward Jon Krupansky wasted no time becoming the region’s scoring leader.

After scoring only 12 goals last season, the junior has nine after the first week of play.

Krupansky set a Burroughs tournament record with four goals against Arcadia, had a hat trick against Fillmore and scored two goals against Sylmar, leading the Panthers to a 3-0 start.

“He’s one of the most explosive, powerful left-footed forwards I’ve ever seen,” said Tony Scalercio, Krupansky’s club coach.

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Rio Mesa standout Chris Schwarze will be sidelined at least a month because of a broken left foot. Despite sitting out the opener against Ventura, he almost injured his right leg.

While standing on a bench to get a better view of a free kick by teammate Chris High, Schwarze tripped over some water bottles and landed on his back with his crutches pointed up.

“I see you are trying to break your other leg, too,” said Brent Kruk, former Rio Mesa coach.

Schwarze has narrowed his college choices to St. John’s, Fresno State, North Carolina and Creighton.

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The Top 10

Rankings of soccer teams from

the region

BOYS

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RK LW School (League) Rec. 1 1 El Camino Real (West Valley) 3-0 2 2 Ventura (Channel) 6-0-1 3 3 Chaminade (Mission) 1-0 4 4 Crespi (Mission) 3-0 5 6 St. Francis (Mission) 1-1 6 10 Rio Mesa (Pacific View) 2-1-1 7 5 La Canada (Rio Hondo) 1-0 8 NR Quartz Hill (Golden) 3-0 9 7 Royal (Marmonte) 3-1 10 8 Thousand Oaks (Marmonte) 1-0-2

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GIRLS

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RK LW School (League) Rec. 1 1 Buena (Channel) 2-0 2 2 Westlake (Marmonte) 1-0-1 3 4 Harvard-Westlake (Mission) 3-1-1 4 5 Louisville (Mission) 3-1 5 3 Chaminade (Mission) 1-0-1 6 6 Chatsworth (West Valley) 1-0 7 8 Canyon (Foothill) 4-0-1 8 7 Hart (Foothill) 1-1 9 NR Thousand Oaks (Marmonte) 1-1 10 10 El Camino Real (West Valley) 0-0

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