San Clemente’s Early Success Provides Needed Confidence

The San Clemente High girls’ soccer team is trying to accomplish the one goal that has always eluded the Tritons: a playoff berth.

This could finally be the season.

San Clemente is 7-1-3 and 0-1 in the South Coast League. Ranked sixth in the county’s sportswriters’ poll and fourth in the Southern Section Division I rankings, the Tritons’ only defeat was to top-ranked Capistrano Valley, 1-0, in a league opener last week.

They have defeated No. 7 Marina, No. 9 Los Alamitos and Esperanza, ranked seventh at the time. They have recorded ties against No. 5 Aliso Niguel, No. 8 Edison and defending Division IV champion West Hills Chaminade.

“These girls aren’t out to win league or anything extreme,” San Clemente Coach Stacey Juhl said. “But they are sick of their reputation. They are tired of being losers. They don’t know what it’s like to win, and now they are beginning to know what its like.”

Two years ago, San Clemente won its first South Coast League game in more than 10 years. Last season they were edged out of the playoffs by Mater Dei. But, despite opening league play this season with a loss to the Cougars, the Tritons still have reason to be optimistic.

“They are an excellent team,” Capistrano Valley Coach Jack Peterson said. “I expect them to finish at least third this year and make the playoffs, and it’s a long time overdue for them. I have a ton of respect for them.”

Juhl said her team’s run through the Excalibur tournament helped its confidence immensely. The Tritons knocked off Los Alamitos in the first round before falling on penalty kicks to Chaminade in the second. The team rebounded well, going on to defeat Irvine, Esperanza and Marina to finish ninth.

“I think the tournament helped a lot,” Juhl said. “I saw a lot of maturity against Capistrano Valley that began showing in Excalibur. They felt like they had it in them and all my expectations were filled.”

The Tritons’ strength is in their midfield where they are led by seniors’ Emily Ernsdorf and Whitney Jones. Ernsdorf leads the team with seven of its 16 goals. Jones, who also leads the varsity basketball team in scoring, is the Tritons’ playmaker on the soccer field.

LOOKING AHEAD

Arguably the county’s biggest rivalry resumes today as top-ranked Capistrano Valley hosts No. 2 Mission Viejo.

The Cougars (11-1) have won three consecutive South Coast League titles, but Mission Viejo still holds the one thing the Cougars are itching to get, a Southern Section Division I championship. The Diablos (8-1-1) defeated Capistrano Valley in the title game in 1998.

Each team enters the game with only one loss. The Cougars lost to No. 5 Aliso Niguel, 1-0, and the Diablos to No. 9 Los Alamitos, 1-0.

Capistrano Valley is led by seniors Megan Abbamonto, Laurel Allen, Lindsay Greco and Haleigh Roach and juniors Ashley Casas and Kristen Moore. The Cougars are also deep, with a bench loaded with players who would be starting for many county teams.

Mission Viejo, which has been without junior Lindsey Huie, who was injured in the Excalibur tournament, is led by junior Kendall Billingsly, a Times’ all-county first-team member last season, senior Erin Lowery and junior Jen Thais, the Diablos’ leading scorer.

Game time is 3:15 p.m.

If you have an item or idea for the girls’ soccer report, you can fax us at (714) 966-5663 or e-mail us at Melanie.neff@latimes.com