Breakers face challenge

Mike Sciacca

Mike Thomas says that the 2003-04 season could be a challenging one

for his Laguna Beach High girls’ soccer team.

Thomas is in his sixth year as head coach of the program, one that

he continues to build a step at a time, into title-contending form.

His current team is loaded with several seniors and other players

with varsity experience but no All-Pacific Coast League player who

earned honors last year returns.

“We have experience from last year, which will be needed in an

exceptionally tough league,” he said. “We have no all-league players

coming back, as they graduated.”

Thomas will add to the mix six new players, among them, one

freshman.

“We will really have to work very hard, get in great shape, to

achieve success this year,” he said. “It is a challenging year and I

will continue to try to build a girls’ soccer program at Laguna.

“I will once again try to put out some club teams, along with my

junior varsity coach, Natalie Bolden, as I still insist that is the

only way to build a program that will be able to compete at the high

school level, as girls’ soccer is continuing to explode.”

Thomas noted that Laguna’s Pacific Coast League foes -- Tesoro,

University, Northwood and Corona del Mar -- each pull players from

strong club programs in their respective areas.

“I believe that our team will be fighting for one of the three CIF

places for the playoffs,” he said.

Thomas will get senior leadership from Kayleigh Dawe, Nicole

Lengacher, Amelia Moore, Nikki Chesley, Maura McManus, Lauren Conrad,

Cassie Caputo and Annie Sukhov.

Other returners from last year’s team include Courtney Hamchuk,

Anna Hopper, Ana Velasquez, Jessica Heitel, Jessica Sganga, Laura

Yale and Emily Rolfing.

New players to the team are Ceara Ross, Stephanie Morgan, Jamie

Hancock, Alex Bernard, Cambria Steele and Avery Zoellner, the only

freshman on the squad.