Even the Best Needs a Reservation at Excalibur

Most of the top teams in the Southland will be participating in the Excalibur tournament at Santa Ana Foothill High next week, but not The Times’ top-ranked team, Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley.

Coach Jack Peterson thought it was understood by the tournament’s coordinator that, as a former champion, Capistrano Valley would return. But the tournament got a new director this year and because Peterson missed the reservation deadline, the Cougars, who won consecutive tournament titles in 1998-99, won’t be around to try for another.

“Obviously the girls are very disappointed, the seniors especially,” Peterson said. “We’re going to try to make the most of it.

“I understand what happened. Some of the parents were mad, but we’re going to practice hard and get ready [for South Coast League play].”

Senior Jen Horn is particularly disappointed about missing the tournament.

“It’s my last year,” she said, “and I wanted one last time to play there.”

Horn, who will be playing soccer next year on scholarship at Loyola Marymount, and her sophomore sister, Kim, are the top players on a Capistrano Valley team that returned 14 starters and nine seniors.

*

Slippery slope: Capistrano Valley’s top ranking could be challenged by a number of quality teams before the season ends.

Most coaches agree Santa Margarita, even without Katie Rivera, who is sidelined for the season, is one of the better teams, but the Eagles lost to Irvine Woodbridge in the Mater Dei tournament and tied Irvine Northwood, 0-0, on Tuesday.

Aliso Niguel is also off to a slow start.

But those potential challengershave a chance to stake their claims at the three-day Excalibur tournament, which begins next Thursday.

*

Proving themselves: La Verne Bonita (10-0, 3-0), which dropped from Division III to IV this year, is off to a great start.

“It’s one of the better teams I’ve coached,” said Bob Phillippe, whose team features 10 seniors.

The Bearcats always do well in Valle Vista League play--evidenced by their 91-game league unbeaten and untied streak--but they’ve also defeated nonleague opponents Claremont, Redlands and No. 10 Corona del Mar. They will play in the three-day Claremont tournament beginning Wednesday. Bonita opens against Arcadia.