Damien Eyes Title and an Unbeaten Season

The La Verne Damien boys’ soccer team started the season the way everyone else did: with no victories, no ties and no losses.

Entering the Southern Section Division I title match against defending-champion Anaheim Esperanza today, the Spartans are no longer untied, but they remain unbeaten, and unfazed.

“I think we have a really good chance of winning out,” said Tony Vela, a senior defensive midfielder who has five goals and nine assists. “I think it shows we can win the tough games -- the big games.”

Damien (25-0-2) and Santa Ana Saddleback (25-0-2), which faces La Habra Sonora (19-7-2) for the Division III boys’ title, are the only unbeaten teams in 12 boys’ and girls’ division finals taking place today at Cal State Fullerton and La Mirada High. If both win, it will mark the first time any unbeaten champions have been crowned since Long Beach Wilson (26-0-5) won the Division I title in 2003.

“I knew we had a good team,” Damien first-year Coach Juan Fresquez said.

“It was just a matter of if we could put it all together.”

After losing in the quarterfinals last season, the Spartans have been quick studies. They are looking forward to facing Esperanza (26-3-2) today at 1 at Fullerton.

“Our drive is more now, like we should have done it last year, and we didn’t,” said Damien forward Kenny Horne, who leads the Spartans with 15 goals and will play at Cal State Northridge next season.

The Spartans, ranked No. 7 nationally by Student Sports magazine, have relied on a quality defense that includes sweeper Julian Robles, fullbacks Scott Bradley and Juan Fresquez, the coach’s son, along with goalkeeper Lou Moran, who has 11 shutouts.

Though Damien is making its fifth appearance in a championship game -- the last was in 1999 -- the Spartans are still in search of their first title.

“Everybody’s out to give us that one loss,” Horne said. “It sort of worries me, but now it’s like we’re out to get that unbeaten season. It’s been really fun being on the road to a possible championship.”

Saddleback, winner of 16 of its last 17 games, is playing in its first title match today at 9 a.m. at Fullerton. The Roadrunners, the top-ranked team in the country according to Student Sports magazine, have 15 shutouts.

*

The Division II boys’ final at 11 a.m. at Cal State Fullerton will feature Thousand Oaks and Los Angeles Loyola in a rematch of the 2004 title game, won by Thousand Oaks, 1-0.

“There’s no other team that I’d rather be playing right now, and I’m speaking for all my teammates and coaches when I say that,” Loyola senior midfielder Andreas Andrews said.

“As soon as I heard we were going to be playing Thousand Oaks, I started replaying that game in my mind.”

Loyola (31-3-1), ranked No. 9 nationally by Student Sports magazine, has 20 shutouts and has won 12 consecutive matches since a 1-0 loss to Encino Crespi.

Thousand Oaks (15-9-1) lost four in a row to open the season and dropped seven of its first nine games but has rebounded behind senior forward Jason Leopoldo, who will play at UCLA next season and recently was selected the Gatorade boys’ state player of the year

*

A number of other streaks and achievements will be on the line today:

* The Walnut and Westlake Village Oaks Christian girls’ teams will be trying to win at least a share of their third consecutive titles. Walnut (20-2-3) returned all 11 starters from the 2004 squad and senior standouts Janessa Currier, Christina Carriaga and Lauren Marquez have been part of both title teams.

* Oaks Christian will be trying to become the latest Southern Section school to win or share division titles in boys’ and girls’ soccer in the same season. Placentia El Dorado was the last school to do it, winning Division III championships in 2002.

Playing in Division V, the Lions’ girls’ team (20-2-4) is seeking its first outright title. The unseeded Oaks Christian boys’ team (14-5-1) has been led by Liam Leonard, Brett Taylor and Matt Morrissette.

* The Woodland Hills El Camino Real girls’ soccer team will be trying to win its fifth consecutive City Section championship when the Conquistadores (19-3-1) take on Palisades (11-7-1) at 7 tonight at East Los Angeles College. Chatsworth won five titles in a row twice, from 1989 to ’93 and from 1996 to 2000.

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Unbeaten Champions

A look at the boys’ soccer teams that have won Southern Section championships without losing a game:

*--* Team Record Year Div. Long Beach Wilson 26-0-5 2003 Div. I Quartz Hill 28-0-2 2002 Div. I La Canada 25-0 1996 Div. IV La Canada 26-0 1995 Div. IV Corona Centennial 21-0-5 1993 Div. IV Palos Verdes 33-0 1989 Div. I Esperanza 23-0-2 1986 Div. II Santa Barbara 25-0-1 1975 Div. I South Torrance 28-0-1 1974 Div. I San Gabriel 19-0-1 1972 Div. I

*--*