HIGH SCHOOLS:Two Days are better than one

In search of a goalkeeper coach, Eugene Day turned to a familiar face, bringing his son, Louis, aboard to assist with his Costa Mesa High boys’ soccer team.

Two practices a week, Louis Day, 23, separates Saul Diaz and German Briseño from their teammates. The two Costa Mesa goalkeepers get the individual attention unavailable to previous players.

Louis Day graduated from Costa Mesa in 2001. His senior year for the Mustangs, he primarily played in the midfield, helping lead Costa Mesa to its first league title. But at 6-foot-3, he was a natural for goalkeeper, which Eugene Day said his son has received training for since he was 5 years old.

Now he is training Diaz and Briseño, firing shots at the two players, working on their lateral movement and angles a goalkeeper must take to cut off a shooter’s line of sight.

“He shows us how to be better goalies,” Diaz said. “He has given us tips, how if they come at an angle to try to cover the angle and stand them up and don’t give them time to shoot.”

Eugene Day said it was only natural for his son to join him in a coaching capacity, since he regularly plays soccer with his son. It was also natural because Eugene Day became the Costa Mesa varsity coach Louis Day’s senior year.

“He went through it. He was part of the program,” Eugene Day said. “He was a pretty good little keeper. He’s got all the weapons to be a good keeper. I’ve always wanted someone to do goalkeeping separately. Those days, I needed to spend more time with the field players.”

Lightning varsity coach Amy Ray has known her assistant coach, Chino Cid, for 10 years and Cid has been married to junior varsity coach Megan Cid for nearly four years. Megan Cid’s assistant is her brother-in-law Ignacio.

The coaches’ bond has helped the Lightning establish an equally conducive relationship between the junior varsity and varsity teams.

“We’re all really good friends,” said Ray who met Chino Cid on a co-ed soccer team. “We don’t necessarily practice together. Whenever we need a player, we can get them. If we’re doing a drill or they’re doing a drill, we share. The communication is great.”

Megan Cid, who played soccer at Vanguard University and was the girls’ junior varsity coach at Costa Mesa for four years, met Chino Cid playing indoor soccer in 2000.

“It’s nice because we can talk about players and share drills,” Megan Cid said. “I think it’s good because we are not afraid to say anything to each other. We pretty much know what players’ strengths and weaknesses are. It’s pretty open communication.”

Newport Harbor (9-6-3, 3-2-1 in theSunset League) has made a living and a strong record off thriving under the pressure as time is running out. And those coming up big in the clutch have rotated throughout the season.

Sailors Coach Ryan Hernandez said the team’s collective heart plays a major part in the trend.

Against league foe Marina, the Sailors scored two goals in the final 15 minutes of the game. Junior Will Reichenstein scored the equalizer.

The Sailors stormed back from two goals down against league opponent Los Alamitos to garner a tie. Senior Sergio Rodriguez scored the equalizer in the match’s final minute.

In the Trabuco Hills Tournament, sophomore Evan Walker scored with fewer than 10 minutes left to help the Sailors beat Capistrano Valley, 2-1.

Newport Harbor retained The Bell when Kyle Rohan scored in stoppage time to give the Sailors a tie with Back Bay rival Corona del Mar.

Reichenstein scored a goal with 15 minutes remaining against Irvine to give Newport Harbor a 2-1 victory in a game in which it trailed, 1-0.

Vega, a senior, scored with 12 minutes remaining against University to break a 1-1 tie and Newport Harbor left with a 2-1 victory.

The Lightning’s only loss came on the road to perennial power St. Margaret’s in overtime.

Sage posted an 8-0 win over Capistrano Valley Christian Saturday.

Junior Sara Montazami leads Sage Hill with seven goals. Sophomore Isa-Maria Taskinen and freshman Jackie Dion have five goals each.

“Isa is doing a great job, not that I’m surprised,” Lightning Coach Amy Ray said.

Senior Kara Percival leads the team with five assists.

“Both of them are doing a good job of laying the ball off to other players,” Ray said.

Freshman goalkeeper Hannah MacLeod had 54 saves through Friday.

“She’s very vocal and very positive,” Ray said.

On defense, Ray said senior Emily Webb, senior Rachel Blitzer and junior Jules McLaughlin have contributed to the Lightning’s four shutouts in five league games.

Ray added that senior midfielder Lauren Neal has been effective setting up her teammates with passes.