Corona del Mar shows offensive firepower in girls’ soccer scrimmage at Estancia

Corona del Mar High sophomore Megan Chelf has been playing defense for the last several months for her girls’ club soccer team, the SoCal Blues.

For the Sea Kings, though, Chelf plays forward. And she was a frustrated forward in the first half of CdM’s scrimmage at Estancia on Tuesday night.

Chelf had a couple of near-miss chances, and she was called offside four times.

“I’ve got to get back in my offensive state of mind,” Chelf said after the game.

Chelf seemed to do so in the second half. She scored two goals as CdM unofficially won the scrimmage 5-1.

Chelf, a University of Arizona commit, tied for the CdM team lead with 14 goals last season. The other 14-goal scorer was Chelf’s good friend Trinity Rodman, who transferred to JSerra.

But the Sea Kings showed Tuesday that they still have plenty of offensive firepower.

They needed it. Despite them dominating the first half of the 80-minute scrimmage, the Sea Kings came up scoreless.

Estancia actually took a 1-0 lead in the 55th minute. Senior forward Lexi Osso scored a quick counterattack goal assisted by sophomore Desiree Mendoza.

Estancia coach Josh Juarez said he saw his team relax. With 12 combined freshmen and sophomores, the Eagles showed their inexperience.

“We have young girls that need to learn that we need to be able to withstand and work for the entire game,” Juarez said. “We scored that goal, and I think emotionally and mentally we weren’t prepared.”

In the 56th minute, CdM senior forward Kate Briggs was fouled on the left side. Junior center back Alyssa McKenzie nailed the free kick from 32 yards away, angling it into the upper-right corner and tying the score.

Five minutes later, Chelf gave the Sea Kings the lead. On the dead run, she fired a shot from 25 yards out that found the upper-left corner. She almost added another goal in the 68th minute, but Estancia senior goalie Annie Mitchell made one of her eight saves on Chelf’s penalty-shot attempt.

The Sea Kings still weren’t done. Chelf caught Mitchell too far out of the goal, and she shot a long one from more than 40 yards out that went in. Then, in the 77th minute, sophomore junior varsity call-up Cerise Cornman added another goal for the Sea Kings.

Senior midfielder Ashley Maloney scored the final goal in the final minute, assisted by junior forward Celeste Wayne. Sophomore goalie Giovanna Broderick made four saves for CdM, which also benefited from the defense of Alex Ianni, Avery Doherty, Emily Mickelsen and Kelly Kobayashi.

Estancia had a young defense, especially with two seniors — goalie Monique Mendoza and center back Annalysa Cowie — out. Juarez said Mendoza missed the scrimmage because of a concussion and Cowie with a medial collateral ligament injury. The back line of sophomores Ana Ruiz and Wendy Milan, as well as freshmen Jessica Marroquin and Crystal Arellano, did stave off CdM for much of the game.

Juarez said he expects Mendoza and Cowie back in time for the Eagles’ first game, Dec. 7 at home against Sonora.

CdM opens the season Dec. 1 at Newport Harbor High with a match against Kingsburg, from Fresno County. Expect Chelf to be ready to go.

“Coming from playing the last four or five months playing defense and transitioning to forward, it’s going to take some time,” CdM coach Bryan Middleton said of Chelf. “She’s powerful, and when she gets really determined, she makes things happen.”

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