Girls soccer: Mustangs ready to score

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - There is a big “if” that could make the difference for

the Costa Mesa High girls soccer team. If the Mustangs duplicate last

year’s defensive prowess, this year’s Mesa squad will be better than the

team that finished second in the Pacific Coast League with a first round

appearance in the CIF Southern Section Division IV playoffs last year.

“Last year, we had one of the strongest defenses around,” Costa Mesa

Coach Dan Johnston said. “We have the potential to do that. The kids are

game to learn. When we gel as a team, we’ll be fine. We’re smaller and

faster, but we’re not experienced. I think this team has the potential to

be very good. We have more shooters than we ever had. We have the

potential to win slugfests.”

The Mustangs allowed 22 goals and posted 10 shutouts last year, when

they depended on a senior trio of sweeper Katie Roche, the PCL co-Most

Valuable Player and second team All-CIF member, and PCL first-teamers

Fernanda Velasco and Mae Powers.

The scoring threat that remains for Mesa is junior speedster Sharon

Day, a team captain who also earned PCL first-team status and is anxious

to supply the school with its first-ever playoff win. But she’s not the

only scoring threat as evidenced in the Mustangs’ 12-0 nonleague win over

Santa Ana Valley Nov. 22.

Junior Devin Denman, a team captain, and the Ronquillo sisters, senior

Sarah and freshman Rachel, scored two goals apiece.

“I really like our offensive potential,” Johnston said. “I think we

have good defensive potential, too. They are a fun group. They have a

certain special character. I like being with them.”

Yet with their speed and scoring, the Mustangs lack size.

“We are considerably smaller than other teams, but we have surprising

speed,” Johnston said. “The defense we had took years to grow into, and

this group is ahead of schedule. The only thing I’m worried about is that

we’re not that big.”

Johnston said the favorites of the PCL are Northwood and Corona del

Mar, while the Mustangs and Laguna Beach will battle for third place.

However, Costa Mesa could possibly contend for the title with the likes

of senior Lisa Dunn, a versatile player who’s mainly at fullback, and

senior Natalie Masciale.

Also freshmen Nilani Duarte and Jenny Sparks provide much optimism for

the future.

“She’s going to be one of the best ever, I think,” Johnston said of

Duarte.

Sophomore Kaitlyn Gentling will take over the goalkeeping duties as

the Mustangs took a hard hit because of a knee injury to senior goalie

Chelsea Soria.

COSTA MESA HIGH GIRLS SOCCER

Kristen Bagwell Jr.

Sharon Day Jr.

Devin Denman Jr.

Nilani Duarte Fr.

Lisa Dunn Sr.

Kaitlyn Gentling So.

Cheryl Hack Jr.

Rachel Hughes So.

Nichelle Janti Sr.

Kara Jenkins So.

Stacy Krikorian So.

Natalie Masciale Sr.

Julie Nomura So.

Rachel Ronquillo Fr.

Sarah Ronquillo Sr.

Ashley Schaefer Jr.

Natalee Schoetler Sr.

Chelsea Soria Sr.

Jenny Sparks Fr.

Coach: Dan Johnston