Estancia girls’ soccer stuns five-time defending league champion Costa Mesa
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None of the players on the Estancia High girls’ soccer team had ever beaten rival Costa Mesa in a varsity match.
That changed quickly Thursday night, as a heady play by Eagles sophomore Jana Akins helped lift her team to a big road victory.
Akins stole a centering pass in the Costa Mesa zone in the 48th minute, before angling past a defender and the goalkeeper and sticking the ball in the net.
The goal held up as Estancia earned a 1-0 victory at Costa Mesa High, its first against the five-time defending league champion Mustangs since Jan. 30, 2019.
“I’ve been trying to be really good at stepping to those balls and being alert to where the center backs are going,” Akins said after scoring her third goal of the season. “It feels really nice. This is the first time our whole team has won the Battle for the Bell. We’ve really stepped it up. Last year, we thought our team was really good, and this year our team has really stepped it up and can be really successful this year.”
First-place Estancia improved to 6-2 overall and 2-0 early in the Orange Coast League campaign. Costa Mesa, the five-time defending league champion, fell to 5-4-1 overall and 1-1 in league.
The Eagles earned their second straight shutout victory to open league. Coach Josh Juarez said he has an all-senior back line consisting of co-captains Ava Johner and Ana Pacheco, as well as Sarah Hernandez. The team’s other senior, Arleth Flores, is a starting forward.
“All four are playing heavy minutes,” Juarez said. “All four are four-year varsity players, and they set the tone when you have seniors that are able to lead on the field.”
Costa Mesa sophomore co-captain Emiley Davis posed a tough challenge to the Estancia defense throughout, but Eagles goalkeeper Abigail McIntyre wasn’t taxed too much in preserving the shutout.
Late in the first half, Costa Mesa sophomore Marina Trepas had a free kick from the right that provided the Mustangs with one of their best scoring chances. But the ball rolled through the box untouched, and it was that kind of night for the home team.
“It’s just a matter of who wants it more, and [Estancia] wanted it more,” Costa Mesa coach Jason Boyce said. “We give up a lot of our goals by mistakes ... We gave them the goal. Jana did great with it. She tucked it away and did what she was supposed to do with a mistake. Credit to her for finishing. They had mistakes as well, and we didn’t finish.”
Since losing the match to Estancia in January 2019, Costa Mesa had just two losses in the next four league seasons combined before Thursday’s setback.
“We’ll have to play catch up,” Boyce said of trying for a sixth straight league title. “Hopefully this leaves a bad taste in the girls’ mouths to where they feel like they need to respond. It’s going to take a lot of soul searching.”
Estancia, meanwhile, is feeling the good vibes. Juarez said he’s had balanced scoring to open the season.
He also has three program alumni who have joined the staff this year in assistants Desiree Mendoza and Jocelyn Pacheco, as well as junior varsity coach Marilyn Serpas. All have been playing college soccer; Mendoza has helped lead the UC Irvine women to three straight Big West Conference titles.
“They were very hard workers in our program, and they’re a good example for this group here,” Juarez said. “They all bring something different to the group.”
Both Estancia and Costa Mesa conclude play in the Best in the West Winter Soccer Classic tournament on Saturday, before returning to league play next week. The Eagles host Orange on Tuesday, while Costa Mesa plays host to Santa Ana on Thursday.
Estancia is seeking its first league title since 2015-16, which was Juarez’s first year as head coach.
“I think this is the best team we’ve seen so far,” Johner said of her varsity career. “I think we’re going to go far.”
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