New outlook for Estancia girls

Bryce Alderton

If Jen Hutcheon has her way, the phrase “laid back” will not be heard

around the Estancia High girls soccer team this winter.

The Eagles’ first-year coach told someone at a recent practice

that she doesn’t like losing and the person responded, “So why did

you come to Estancia?”

Hutcheon, who played forward on Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s women’s

soccer team and was a junior varsity coach at Corona del Mar, had an

answer ready.

“I want to bring this team together and turn it around,” Hutcheon,

who played under her maiden name of Redmond while at Cal Poly, said.

“It has been laid back and, because of that, the girls haven’t had

hope in the program. I want to show them that if they try hard and

work together, they could potentially be a good team.”

Hutcheon becomes Estancia’s sixth coach in six years, but will

have Nadine Rajabi, last year’s head coach, along as an assistant.

The Eagles return a second-team All-Golden West League selection

in sophomore sweeper Marina “Coco” Abdul, along with junior forward

Elise Carroll, junior halfback Lauryn Cushing and junior forward

Rachel McMasters. Abdul played along the front line last season.

Junior halfback Sandra Lopez figures to lead the midfield,

Hutcheon said. Lopez will have help from junior Lauryn Donner, as

well as freshmen Avery Williams, Bridget Gleason, Jacqueline Johnston

and Traci Patton.

The front line will also feature sophomore forwards Susanna

Carmona and Haley Rosner while the defense includes freshman fullback

Taylor Brown and starting junior goalkeeper Marcie Kirchberg.

Estancia, entering its second season in the Golden West League,

has ample depth in goal with senior Stephanie Belize, as well as

freshmen Jaye Hellmich and Julia Tasedan, aiding Kirchberg. Returner

Melissa Willey might be ready to play by the mid-season after

recovering from injury, Hutcheon added.

The Eagles open their season at Garden Grove High today at 3:15

p.m.

“We are young, but we need to work together to create a more

serious team,” Hutcheon, who played for the So Cal Blues, a

semi-professional soccer team, said. “It is a good opportunity to

help the girls.”