Some Indirect Advice Led Directly to Winning Goal

El Camino Real High played well but narrowly escaped being taken to overtime by San Fernando in a City Section boys’ quarterfinal soccer game Friday.

The difference was an idea by the wife of Coach David Hussey of El Camino Real.

With the score tied, 1-1, Maria Hussey yelled from the stands for goalkeeper Raul Calderon to take a direct kick awarded to the Conquistadores.

Calderon, who struck the ball from 65 yards, said he wasn’t necessarily shooting the ball but aiming for the crossbar. His aim was too good. The ball carried over a crowd of El Camino Real players and was swatted into the goal by goalkeeper Edgar Rodriguez.

“He’s good at those,” Maria said. “I knew he was going to score. I knew he could kick the ball hard and accurate. He can kick line drives on goal. He doesn’t just lob the ball up there.”

The El Camino Real players said they appreciate the advice they get from Maria.

“It’s good to have almost like a second coach to tell the coach what to do,” said defender Zach Feldman. “She has the most influence on David and luckily she understands the game.”

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For those who haven’t learned to stop Louisville from scoring, try not fouling the Royals.

The Royals have scored 31 of a school-record 73 goals on free kicks this season. Ten of the shots have scored on crosses from Carrie Schuler.

“Carrie’s free kicks are so dangerous because she’s able to hit the ball consistently every time with accuracy and strength,” said Jenny Farenbaugh, who leads the team with 31 goals and 17 assists. “She’s the leader of the team. She controls everything from the defense up.”

The Royals’ run to the Division IV title game for the first time consisted of knocking off four league champions: South Pasadena of the Rio Hondo, 1-0, Paraclete of the Alpha, 3-0, Oak Park of the Tri-Valley, 4-1, and Chaminade of the Mission, 1-0.

Louisville plays Harvard-Westlake on Saturday.

“I’m so happy I’m playing [Harvard-Westlake Coach Ned Smith],” said Coach Jose Perez of Louisville. “This is great for the Mission League. The winner pays for dinner, so nobody feels bad.”

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Despite not winning the West Valley League for the first time, the six-time defending champion Chatsworth girls’ team easily disposed of its three opponents to reach the City final for the 11th time in 13 years.

On Saturday, the Chancellors play El Camino Real, who beat Chatsworth twice this season.

“We are ready this time,” said midfielder Jenna Fodor of Chatsworth. “The third time is a charm. We are happy to play El Camino Real again. The two best teams made it to the finals and it should be a good game.”

By defeating Granada Hills, 6-0, Tuesday the Conquistadores earned themselves a spot in the title game for the first time. The question is can El Camino Real, who defeated Chatsworth, 1-0 and 2-1, defeat the Chancellors three times in the same season?

“I’m confident in the way we’ve been playing lately,” defender Mimi Shvartz of El Camino Real said. “We’re playing for each other and with so much heart that I think we will do well.

“Because of how far we’ve come, this season wouldn’t be incomplete without a championship, but it would be nice to be rewarded for all our hard work.”

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It’s not unheard of for twins to be selected to all-league teams, but it is when they play for different schools.

Seniors Christal Sheldrick of Antelope Valley and Stephanie Sheldrick of Quartz Hill were chosen to the All-Golden League team.

Christal played on the junior varsity at Quartz Hill last season.

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The city of La Canada was close to having two teams in the Division IV championship game, however La Canada lost, 2-0, to Diamond Ranch on Tuesday.

St. Francis, a 3-2 winner over Notre Dame, is aiming for its second Southern Section title in soccer. The Golden Knights defeated Arroyo Grande, 4-0, to claim the Division III title in 1996.

“It means absolutely nothing,” said St. Francis Coach Glen Appels, when asked what it would mean to his team if it faced La Canada. “We would play an 8-year-old girls’ soccer team if they put them on the field with us.”

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The rain-soaked field in a semifinal game made Notre Dame Coach Colm McFeely, a native of Northern Ireland, feel at home. McFeely’s experience in playing under rough conditions helped the Knights to a 2-0 lead.

Notre Dame responded well to McFeely’s wisdom, refusing to make short passes and playing long ball, hoping to capitalize on errors by the Golden Knights.

“They call my hometown ‘cold rainy’ because it is always cold and rainy,” McFeely said.

It took the Golden Knights and leading scorer Ryan Shaw until late in the second half to learn to adjust to the adverse conditions and stop making short passes that dribbled two yards and stopped in puddles without reaching teammates.

“We got [to the semifinals] by knocking the ball around and using our speed, but none of that was available because of the conditions,” Appels said.

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Harvard-Westlake is shooting for its first championship in girls’ soccer. Smith won a Southern Section title with boys in 1991, however this is the first season the girls have advanced to the final during his eight-year tenure.

The Wolverines lost in the final in 1992.

“Because of the talent we have and the relationships the girls on our team possess with each other, we are going to go into the game with a lot of heart,” said midfielder Gina Farias-Eisner. “We want it so bad for each other. It’s going to be a tough game, but I’m very optimistic.”