Girls’ Soccer Preview: Flintridge Prep poised for repeat success
A Prep League title, postseason wins in the CIF Southern Section and Southern California Regional playoffs and incredible statistics colored a phenomenal and historic season for the Flintridge Prep girls’ soccer team in 2016-17.
With nearly every starter returning for the Rebels and five All-Area selections back, expectations are certainly high.
“The expectations are really high for us,” said Flintridge Prep coach Esteban Chavez, the reigning All-Area Girls’ Soccer Coach of the Year. “Our goal is to win CIF. I know a lot of teams say that, but that really is our goal and we’re capable of it.”
Like Flintridge Prep, Crescenta Valley High and St. Monica Academy made the postseason, while Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, Glendale, Hoover and Holy Family struggled and finished outside of the playoffs.
Whether it’s maintaining last season’s level of success or exceeding it, locals are set to kick off the 2017-18 season.
Prep’s cavalcade of returning talent includes reigning All-Area Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year Helen Schaefer (30 goals, 31 assists), a junior forward, 2016 All-Area Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year Julia Gonzalez (31 goals, 22 assists), a senior forward, All-Area junior forward Mike Celeste (23 goals, 16 assists), All-Area senior midfielder Mona Cesario (seven goals, nine assists) and All-Area senior goalie Lindsey Uteda (0.862 goals-against average). Defender Jillian Brady is really the only significant departure for the Rebels, but Chavez stresses that no matter the amount of returners, what matters is if they’ve improved.
“If you don’t get any better, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “We have to get better to do as well as we did last season.”
Last season, Flintridge Prep (23-5-3) won the Prep League title and raced to the CIF Southern Section Division III semifinals and the Southern California Division III Regional semis, tallying a school-record 113 goals while allowing just 25. The Rebels’ record and stats likely won’t be as sterling this time around, though, as Chavez has stacked the team’s nonleague schedule with juggernauts like Sierra Canyon, Mater Dei, Los Alamitos, Bishop Amat and Chaminade.
“Our preseason schedule is three to four times tougher than last year,” said Chavez, whose team will remain in Division III, while South Torrance, which defeated Prep in both semifinals, and the other two Southern Section DIII semifinalists, Bishop Amat and Claremont, have moved up to Division II.
While expectations are higher, so is Chavez’ workload, as he has taken on the head coaching duties for the boys’ team, as well.
So, the Rebels return with an abundance of talent and aspirations, but, just like any other team at the genesis of a season, they have plenty of question marks.
At Crescenta Valley, coach Tyraysha Peterson’s squad is coming off a 16-5-1 season in which its 11-2-1 record brought about a second-place finish in the Pacific League behind longtime reigning champion Arcadia. The Falcons’ playoff run was a brief one, as they lost in the first round for the second straight season, falling at Royal, 2-1.
Senior Nicole Yim, a versatile player who had four goals and six assists as an All-Area selection, is set to return, but All-Area standout forward Brianna McReynolds (31 goals, 12 assists last season), one of the area’s best players over the last two seasons, is not, as she’s now with the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.
“That’ll adjust our offense for sure,” Peterson said.
The Falcons will be a very young team with 11 underclassmen on their 19-player roster and no juniors.
“They’ve played together for years, which is neat,” Peterson said of the freshmen and sophomores. “This will definitely be a learning year and a growth year for them.”
Peterson believes she has a wealth of talent at the goaltender spot with sophomores Grace Zaragoza and Phoebe Barnes. Senior returners Alaina Furstenberg and Mallory Hill will be looked upon for leadership and experience.
With such a diverse group age-wise, Crescenta Valley’s chemistry has developed and Peterson expects the Falcons to be at the top of the league standings as usual.
“[The chemistry is] surprisingly good. There’s a good dynamic on the team,” Peterson said. “Adding in the seniors’ leadership and poise is a great thing.
“I always have an optimistic outlook for us because I think we’ll be competitive, it’s just a matter of to what degree. I’d really like to come out and have a strong year because with such a young team, I know we have nowhere to go but up.”
Once the standard-bearer in area girls’ soccer, Flintridge Sacred Heart missed the playoffs a season ago, struggling to a 3-5 finish in the arduous Mission League, though it had wins over the likes of La Cañada, Mayfield, West Ranch and Chaminade.
“Last year we played well against good teams and horrible against bad teams,” said Tologs coach Mark Snashall, whose team posted a 9-6-1 overall record. “This year we’re hoping for more consistency. If we get that, I think we should be OK.”
Flintridge Sacred Heart had some significant losses, such as All-Area honorees Nia Harris and Sophia Saldivar to graduation, while goalies Mattie Interian and Giulia Cascapera were both due back, but transferred out due to college and national team reasons. Junior Jillian Willis is also likely not to return due to playing for the academy.
But All-Area selection Amethyst Trang (five goals, three assists) is back and the senior midfielder is likely to lead the way.
“She will be our little linchpin in the middle,” Snashall said. “Amethyst is a little magician.”
Sophomore returners Lauren Bolte and Hillary Howard should also be leaders on the offense.
Reigning Mission League champion Harvard-Westlake is likely to be the favorite once again, while Alemany and Chaminade are each coming off lengthy playoff runs.
“We’re gonna be tough across the board. The girls are hungry to play,” said Snashall, whose team is vying to make the Division II playoffs. “At the very least this year, we’ll be competitive. We’ll shoot for the top two [in league] and give winning league a shot.”
Under coach Victor Aquino, Glendale’s goal has long been to crack the top four of the Pacific League and make the playoffs.
The Nitros came agonizingly close last season, posting a 7-10-1, 5-8-1 in the Pacific League mark that trailed fourth-place Burbank (6-5-3) though the Nitros went 1-0-1 against the Bulldogs. Aquino believes this season could finally be it for Glendale.
“Same goal this year: Make playoffs, try to get one of those top four spots,” Aquino said. “It’ll be the same goal until we get it and then we’ll have another one.”
Senior midfielder/forward Rita Grigorian is likely to lead the way for Glendale, with senior midfielder Sophia Noriega and senior midfielder/defender Pearl Navarro also expected to be big contributors.
“I’m hoping we can take the fourth spot [from Burbank],” Aquino said, “and I’m hoping we can put up more of a challenge against Burroughs, CV and Arcadia this year.”
Hoover (6-13, 4-10 in Pacific League) had a disappointing campaign as it finished seventh and it will have an uphill climb with longtime standout Remi Miller having graduated.
“I am looking forward to seeing what our team can do this year,” Tornadoes coach Sarah Dearn said. “As expected, we are rebuilding after the loss of so many seniors last year, but we had a talented group of freshmen join our program, which looks promising.”
Junior Lena Valenzuela, sophomore Mikayla Gidan and freshman Jazzmin Simmons should all be at the forefront of any of Hoover’s good fortune and freshman Madelyn Coppersmith has big potential. The defense is likely to be led by junior Kimberly Milian Moreno.
“I really don’t know who is going to stand out just yet, which is kind of exciting because our team isn’t relying on one or two major players this season,” Dearn said. “I’m already seeing them step into rolls they wouldn’t do last year and work more as a unit.”
St. Monica Academy is coming off a season in which it went 7-5-2, 6-3-1 in the Heritage League for third place.
Coach Martin Gonzales’ team welcomes back all three of its all-league players from last season in sophomore striker Deanelly Gonzales, junior midfielder Veronika Eckart and sophomore forward Anna Urrea.
Holy Family had its second consecutive winless season in 2016-17, but coach Sal Sarmiento is confident the Gaels will break through this go-round.
“It was a very challenging year for us last year, but we made great progress with our freshmen and sophomores,” said Sarmiento, whose team went 0-10-2, 0-8-2 in the Horizon League. “We have a very young group, but we’re looking for that first win.”
If the Gaels garner that first win — and Sarmiento believes they will and that they can contend for a playoff spot in league — it will likely come with big contributions from sophomore midfielder Brianna Cindrich, junior midfielder Lexy Castro, freshman defender Genevieve Cuadra, junior defender Natalie Contreras and senior goalkeeper Andrea Gomez.
Twitter: @TCNGrantGordon
