Mesa hosts Bonita in CIF semifinal

Barry Faulkner

While some coaches run up phone bills networking with colleagues,

meticulously break down videotape of opponents, and scour newspapers

on the internet for the smallest scouting detail, Costa Mesa High

girls soccer coach Dan Johnston virtually ignores his opponents.

The No. 2-seeded Mustangs (21-1-2) have extended this practice to

game day of late, giving a collective cold shoulder to their first

three CIF Southern Section Division III playoff foes, whom they have

outscored, 15-1. In so doing, the Golden West League champions have

compiled a 21-game unbeaten streak, including 14 straight victories,

and have broken new ground for a program that had one playoff victory

and just two postseason appearances coming into this season.

Today’s Division III semifinal opponent, No. 3-seeded Bonita

(19-2-4), figures to be the toughest obstacle to a CIF championship

for the Mustangs. And, while Johnston may lack specific information,

both he and his players are aware the Bearcats are riding their own

cycle of success.

“They know that Bonita took apart a Louisville team that beat us

(last year, when Bonita shared the CIF Division IV title with

Harvard-Westlake),” Johnston said. “(Mesa players) know they’re in

for a donnybrook (3 p.m. at Costa Mesa).”

Bonita, champion of the Miramonte League, has also yielded just

one goal in three playoff victories, but has scored only five. The

Bearcats earned a second-round victory over Sunny Hills on penalty

kicks, in a game that was scoreless through regulation and 30 minutes

of overtime. Bonita defeated first-round opponent Arroyo Grande, 1-0,

and handled La Mirada, 4-1, in Thursday’s quarterfinals.

“They have a reputation as being a strong defensive team,” said

Johnston, though La Mirada Coach Dennis Guerra seemed to be most

impressed with the Bearcats’ speed on offense after Thursday’s loss.

Guerra also called Bonita the best team in Division III, a label

some believe belongs to the Mustangs, especially since top-seeded

Troy fell to Orange Lutheran in the quarterfinals.

“I’ve said all along we have as good a chance to win it as

anyone,” said Johnston, whose team has backed up this belief. The

Mustangs’ 15-1 playoff scoring edge is more lopsided than the

combined 13-2 advantage earned by the other three Division III

semifinalists. Costa Mesa, with its dizzying display of offensive

firepower, has outscored the opposition this season, 113-14.

In the playoffs alone, senior Sharon Day, a second-team All-CIF

Division IV performer last season, has five goals and threee assists.

Sophomore Jenny Sparks has chipped in four goals and three assists,

while freshman Jasmin Day, Sharon’s sister, has three goals in two

games, having sat out the second-round victory at Santa Monica with a

sprained ankle.

Sharon Day, the reigning CIF State high jump champion, who will

compete in track and field, and possibly soccer, at Cal Poly San Luis

Obispo as a collegian, has amassed 28 goals and 34 assists this

season. In four varsity seasons, the midfidler has produced 82 goals

and 71 assists.

Sparks, a forward, has 27 goals and 14 assists this season, while

Jasmin Day has 23 goals and 14 assists.

But while the aforementioned threesome has been most productive,

Johnston said the key to this year’s success has been the depth of

the contribution from the entire roster.

“These girls play together better than any I’ve had,” said

Johnston, in his 11th season at the the Mesa helm.

Strategically, Johnston cites the tansition game as the key to the

Mustangs’ success.

“We’ve done a couple things really well this year,” Johnston said.

“First, we’ve gotten to the 50-50 ball and, second, we’ve been able

to settle it into our play. The only team that has really beaten us

at that was Long Beach Wilson and that was our only loss.”

The Mustangs cast of standouts also includes sophomore midfielder

Nilani Duarte, sophomore forward Vera Gale, senior halfbacks Kristin

Bagwell and Toshia Bryant, sophomore halfback Rachel Ronquillo,

junior halfback Rachel Hughes, senior sweeper Devin Denman, junior

defenders Stacy Krikorian, Valerie Gomez and Kara Jenkins, as well as

the goalie tandem of sophomore Kindra Bailey and junior Kaitlyn

Gentling.

Nelly Barrios, Laura Dinsdale, Sara Bryant and Julie Nomura have

provided additional support.

Bonita, which lost three first-team All-CIF standouts to

graduation after last season, including Division IV Offensive Player

of the Year Lisa Jenson, is paced by All-CIF returners Kelli McGrath

and Randie Massro.

McGrath, a junior forward, was a second-team All-CIF pick a year

ago. She had two goals in the win over La Mirada.

Massro, a junior midfielder, was a first-team All-CIF choice last

year. She had one goal against La Mirada, as did Heather Lausch.

Senior co-captain Kellie Prather had two assists in the Bearcats’

quarterfinal victory.

Today’s winner advances to Saturday’s title game, against either

Orange Lutheran (20-6-1) or No. 4-seeded Walnut (18-4-4). The

championship game will be held at either Cal State Fullerton or La

Mirada High, at a time to be determined.