Vol.3, Issue 49, December 4-10, 2008
By Rebecca Nordquist
Here’s the lowdown on how the San Clemente High School soccer, basketball, girls water polo and wrestling teams are looking for the upcoming season
BOYS SOCCER
Coach Mike Pronier and his team are ready for a first-place finish in the South Coast League. And they’re due. For the past four years, they’ve walked away with second, and Pronier says they have as good a chance as anybody this year for first. “We’ve been steady,’ he says. “We want to step it up a notch.’ As for the competition, Aliso Niguel High School, he says, is a younger team, yet there’s improved play from Mission Viejo. “The other teams have stepped up,’ Pronier says. “That puts us in the hunt.’
It will be a hunt for a team who’s lost half of their players to graduation, including lead scorer Andy Martinez. “We’ll be a different type of team, more defensive,’ says Pronier. That means giving up fewer goals and finding ways to score, and Pronier has yet to see anyone shine as a goal scorer. “It well may be different people at different times who score,’ he says. That said, Pronier is sure about third-year letterman and senior Andrew Cuchessi, who will play a big role in a strong defense as goalie; sweeper Chris Behroozian (senior), a dominate factor in the back; Facundo Chena (senior), who will control transition as the defensive center midfielder; and Steve Palacios (sophomore), who’s currently injured but is showing signs of goal scoring as a center mid. “The spine of the team looks good,’ says Pronier.
BOYS SOCCER SCHEDULE
December
12: at Loara, 3:15 p.m.
17: vs. Foothill, 6 p.m.
19: vs. Laguna Beach, 6 p.m.
26-27, 29: Marina Tournament at Marina, TBA
January
3: at North Torrance, 10 p.m.
6: vs. Laguna Hills, 4:45 p.m.
9: at *Tesoro, 3:30 p.m.
14: vs. *Mission Viejo, 5 p.m.
16: vs. *Capo Valley, 3:30 p.m.
21: vs. *Aliso Niguel, 5 p.m.
23: at *Dana Hills, 3:30 p.m.
26: vs. *Tesoro, 3:30 p.m.
February
4: at *Mission Viejo, 5 p.m.
6: at *Capo Valley, 3:15 p.m.
10: at *Aliso Niguel, 5 p.m.
12: vs. *Dana Hills (Senior Night), 5 p.m.
*South Coast League game
GIRLS SOCCER
The girls squad returns to the pitch as South Coast League champions and CIF Southern Section co-champs-a title they share with Long Beach Wilson. With 10 returning seniors, coach Stacey Finnerty says they’ll lean on that experience and leadership to take league again and knock the “co’ off co-champ for CIF. It will be a challenge, even difficult, Finnerty adds, as she expects Mission Viejo, Tesoro and Aliso Niguel high schools to put up a fight. “You come off a championship and the first thing you have to do is remind the girls that they have to start over-earn it again,’ she says. “The other teams are going to put forth a stronger effort against us.’
First on the attack plan: get the team, which is ranked second in Division 1, cohesive and bonded. “We also need to make sure our work ethic and defense is there,’ says Finnerty, whose assistant coach, Shayla Sabin, played for SCHS 2001-’04. “Lastly, our goal is to score.’ With the loss of goalie Hannah Turpen and sweeper Justine Sauder, the defense will need some rebuilding, but Finnerty’s confident goalie Tiffany Corder (senior) and sweeper Zoe Jeffers (senior) will fill those shoes well. Seniors Camille Berg and Samantha Yackley are also key to filling in the defensive line. Helping with transition in the midfield are Francesca Coxe, Kelsey Wilson, Greer Zerboni, Barret Bestard, Jennifer Chrislip and Shelby Chambers-Garcia, and up top are Alexis Mahoney and Lauren Fryer. “The team has a good mix of leadership and standouts,’ says Finnerty. “At any one time, any of these girls could take on the role of leadership.’ schssoccer.com
GIRLS SOCCER SCHEDULE
December
4-6: Butch Lee Memorial Tourney at Cathedral Catholic High School, 3 p.m. (Dec. 4); 3 p.m. (Dec. 5); 10:30 a.m. (Dec. 6)
9: vs. Foothill, 4:45 p.m.
11: vs. Newport Harbor, 3:15 p.m.
16: at Edison, 5 p.m.
18-22: Mater Dei Tourney at Mater Dei, TBA
29-31: Excalibur Tourney at Foothill High School, TBA
January
8: at *Tesoro, 3:30 p.m.
13: vs. *Mission Viejo, 3:30 p.m.
15: vs. *Capistrano Valley, 3:30 p.m.
20: vs. *Aliso Niguel, 3:30 p.m.
24: at *Dana Hills, 10 a.m.
29 vs. *Tesoro, 3:30 p.m.
February
3: at *Mission Viejo, 3:30 p.m.
5: at *Capistrano Valley, 3:30 p.m.
9: at *Aliso Niguel, 3:30 p.m.
11: vs. *Dana Hills, 3:30 p.m.
*South Coast League game
GIRLS WATER POLO
South Coast League champions: that’s Coach Don Laster’s goal for the girls water polo team. It’s something the team is familiar with, as they nabbed first place last year, with only one loss in league. He also hopes to advance further into CIF.
For the most part, the team is starting fresh after losing nine players and returning five varsity players. “We do have the MVP of the league, Carly Ternasky, and goalie Madison Reardon,’ said Laster, who’s in his fourth season as head coach. “Those are our two key players.’
With a 14-girl squad, Laster says there’s a variety of skill levels, and they’ll start with practicing defense, then man-down defense and offense. “It’s a progression of learning,’ he says. The girls play Trabuco Hills today and Laster says they have a good chance against them. “We’re a stronger team.’ Laster plans to use scrimmages to find the holes and see where the weaknesses are. www.scwaterpolo.com
WATER POLO SCHEDULE
December
4: at Trabuco Hills, 4 p.m.
5: at Laguna Hills, 4 p.m.
8: vs. Tustin, 3:15 p.m.
10: vs. Edison, 4 p.m.
11-13: La Nina Cup Tourney at Heritage Park, TBA
19-20: San Clemente Tourney, TBA
23: at Laguna Beach, 3:15 p.m.
January
8: vs. *Dana Hills at Capo Valley, 8:15 p.m.
9: at El Toro, 4 p.m.
15: vs. *Tesoro, 4 p.m.
20: vs. Northwood, 3:15 p.m.
22: at *Mission Viejo, 4 p.m.
February
4: at *Capo Valley, 4 p.m.
5: at *Aliso Niguel, 4 p.m.
11-13: *League Tournament at Capo Valley, TBA
March
6-7: Masters Tournament, TBA
*South Coast League game
WRESTLING
Before coach Mark Calentino, aka Coach Cal, came to San Clemente High School in 1990, the wrestling team had only won one South Coast League championship. In the 19 years he’s been at the helm, the team’s clinched 14 titles, with back-to-back wins in 2007 and 2008. However, it may not come as easily to the boys this winter, as 12 seniors-10 of whom were CIF place winners-graduated last year. “It’s a mass exodus of real high-quality kids,’ says Calentino. “But some of the best teams I’ve had had lots of underclassmen. A lot of kids are fighting for spots, working extra hard, and they come up a lot quicker.’
Because of the inexperience, Calentino has focused on getting the boys fit-with lots of running. “A young team can win early if they’re in better shape. If you go, go, go and attack, the opponent can’t defend themselves,’ says Calentino. “There’s no program in the county-between spring, summer and fall-who outworked us. The kids really have progressed a ton since last spring.’
Calentino is leaning on his seniors, including Michael Castellini (132 pounds), Blake Pearson (147 pounds), Daniel Cespedes (154 pounds), Giovanni Zuniga (154 pounds), Mike Marble (162 pounds), Garik Hauer (173 pounds), Eric Andrade (191 pounds), Gabriel Riutcel (191 pounds) and Gilberto Ayala (heavyweight). “Garik hit the weights hard in the off-season,’ says Calentino. “He could really be a force. He could be one of the best in the South Coast League this year.’ www.schswrestling.com
WRESTLING SCHEDULE
December
5-6: Millikan Duals at Millikan High School, TBA
10: at Laguna Hills, 5:30 p.m.
12-13: at Bonanza High School, TBA
18: at *Aliso Niguel, 5:30p.m.
19-20: Brea “Ed Spring’ Invitational at Brea Olinda High School, 9 a.m.
January
8: vs. *Tesoro, 5:30 p.m.
9-10: Estancia Invitational at Estancia High School, 2 p.m./9 a.m.
15: at *Capistrano Valley, 5:30 p.m.
16-17: 5-Counties Invitational at Fountain Valley High School, 11 a.m./9 a.m.
17: San Clemente Rotary Tourney, 10 a.m.
22: vs. *Dana Hills, 5 p.m.
29: at *Mission Viejo, 5:30 p.m.
31: MIT and MIT Gold Invitational at Millikan High School, 9:30 a.m.
*South Coast League game
GIRLS BASKETBALL
This season coach Mary Mulligan-Crapo and her girls basketball team are shooting for No. 12: their 12th consecutive South Coast League championship, a feat few programs can claim. However, after graduating five out of the seven top players, Mulligan-Crapo considers it a rebuilding year. “But I still feel like we have the ability to keep our winning streak alive,’ she says. “Our team is going to be built around our two returning starters, Jacqui Marshall [a 6-foot-3 senior center] and Cassie Harberts [a 6-foot-3 junior forward].’ The other starters include sophomore forward Lauren Pluimer, senior guard Raven Jenkins and sophomore point guard Lacey Orgill.
The girls opened Monday against North Torrance in the Woodbridge Tournament, winning 69-52. Marshall, who has signed a letter of intent to the University of San Diego, and Harberts, who’s being recruited by 15 to 20 Division 1 schools, led the team in points and rebounds. “The main focus is the inside game with the two posts-Cassie and Jacqui playing inside,’ says Mulligan-Crapo, 23-year coach and SCHS class of 1981. sctritons-girlsbball.com
GIRLS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
December
1-6: Woodbridge Tourney at Woodbridge, TBA
6-12: University Tourney at University High School, TBA
16: vs. Villa Park, 7 p.m.
19-23: at Santa Barbara, TBA
January
8: at *Tesoro, 7 p.m.
10: at Woodbridge, 7 p.m.
13: vs. *Mission Viejo, 7 p.m.
15: vs. *Capo Valley, 7 p.m.
20: vs. *Aliso Niguel, 7 p.m.
22: vs. *Dana Hills, 7 p.m.
24: SD vs. OC Challenge at Santa Margarita, 3 p.m.
29: vs. *Tesoro, 7 p.m.
31: vs. Magnolia, 7 p.m.
February
3: at *Mission Viejo, 7 p.m.
5: at *Capo Valley, 7 p.m.
9: at *Aliso Niguel, 7 p.m.
11: vs. *Dana Hills, 7 p.m.
*South Coast League game
BOYS BASKETBALL
For the new season, coach Marc Popovich says the big thing for the boys basketball team is taking advantage of every opportunity. “Last year we let games slip through our fingers, and we need to learn from that,’ says Popovich, second-year head coach. “We’re also trying to make a trip back to the playoffs.’ Finishing tied for fourth in South Coast League, the team is returning several of their impact players. “Connor Kelso, Greg Walker, Jake Gustin and Nate Marsing got big minutes for us last year and were important to the success we had,’ says Popovich. “They’ll be a big part of what we’re doing this year.’ Walker is a Second Team All-League player, and Kelso earned honorable mention last season.
So far, Popovich says the squad is good with transition, running the court and finishing at the rim. “Our biggest strength is the way we’re pushing the basketball in offense,’ he says. He also notes that the boys are making the extra pass and not playing selfishly.
Tesoro and Capistrano Valley high schools pose the biggest threat in Popovich’s mind, but “our league is so balanced, anybody could beat anybody, any night. We made big strides last year, and now we’ll take it to the next level,’ he says. The boys meet Edison High School tonight in Huntington Beach. www.schshoops.com
BOYS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
December
4: at Edison, 7 p.m.
8-13: South Coast Classic at El Toro/ Tesoro High School, TBA
15-20: North OC Championships at Sonora HS, TBA
23: North/South County Challenge v. El Dorado at El Toro High School, 2 p.m.
26-30: Century Holiday Tourney at Century High School, TBA
January
3: vs. Woodbridge, 8 p.m. South Coast v. Sea View League Challenge
6: vs. Laguna Hills, 7 p.m.
9: at *Tesoro, 7 p.m.
14: vs. *Mission Viejo, 7 p.m.
16: vs. *Capo Valley, 7 p.m.
21: vs. *Aliso Niguel, 7 p.m.
23: at *Dana Hills, 7 p.m.
29: vs. *Tesoro, 7:30 p.m.
February
4: at *Mission Viejo, 7 p.m.
6: at *Capistrano Valley, 7 p.m.
10: at * Aliso Niguel, 7 p.m.
12: vs. *Dana Hills, 7 p.m.
*South Coast League game
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