Esperanza takes huge step in league race with win over Canyon

Esperanza's Isabel Dehakiz battles for a header against Canyon's Jaqueline Venckus during the Aztecs' 1-0 victory over the Comanche's in their Crestview League girls soccer game at El Modena's Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange, Calif. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Canyon Penelope Hocking, left, battles Esperanza's Isabel Dehakiz for the ball as Sydney Steinbeck helps defend, at right, during the Comanche's 1-0 loss to the Aztecs in their Crestview League girls soccer game at El Modena's Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange, Calif. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Canyon's Cassidy Briggs battles Esperanza's Ryanne Molenaar during the Comanche's 1-0 loss to the Aztecs in their Crestview League girls soccer game at El Modena's Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange, Calif. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Canyon's Penelope Hocking laments a missed opportunity during the Comanche's 1-0 loss to Esperanza in their Crestview League girls soccer game at El Modena's Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange, Calif. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Canyon's Gabriella Marchal, left, and goalkeeper Kamryn Tucker can only watch as Esperanza's Isabel Dehakiz, at right, scores on a corner kick during the Aztecs' 1-0 victory over Canyon in their Crestview League girls soccer game at El Moden's Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange, Calif. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Canyon's Cassidy Briggs passes the ball past Esperanza's Sydney Steinbeck during the Comanche's 1-0 loss to the Aztecs in their Crestview League girls soccer game at El Modena's Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange, Calif. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Canyon's Gabriella Marchal gets past Esperanza's Isabel Dehakiz during the Comanche's 1-0 loss to the Aztecs in their Crestview League girls soccer game at El Modena's Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange, Calif. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Canyon goalkeeper Kamryn Tucker makes a save on Esperanza's Tiffany Schennum during the Comanche's 1-0 loss to the Aztecs in their Crestview League girls soccer game at El Moden's Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange, Calif. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Canyon's Penelope Hocking lays injured during the Comanche's 1-0 loss to Esperanza in their Crestview League girls soccer game at El Modena's Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange, Calif. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Canyon coach Pedro Santos watches from the sidelines during the Comanche's 1-0 loss to Esperanza in their Crestview League girls soccer game at El Modena's Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange, Calif. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Esperanza coach John King gives instructions from the sidelines during the Aztecs' 1-0 victory over Canyon at El Modena High's Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange, Calif. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Canyon's Penelope Hocking passes the ball past Esperanza's Angelica Ortega, right, during the Comanche's 1-0 loss to Esperanza in their Crestview League girls soccer game at El Modena's Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange, Calif. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Esperanza's Sophie Saouma battles Canyon's Gabriella Marchal during the Aztecs' 1-0 victory over the Comanche's in their Crestview League girls soccer game at El Modena's Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange, Calif. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Esperanza celebrates Isabel Dehakiz's first half goal during the Aztecs' 1-0 victory over Canyon in their Crestview League girls soccer game at El Modena's Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange, Calif. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

February 2, 2017 at 9:49 p.m.

The margin in the Crestview League’s girls soccer race is razor thin.

Through the first round of league play, three of the league’s four teams – Esperanza, Canyon and No. 10 Foothill – were tied for first place.

Esperanza took its first step over that razor’s edge on Thursday.

The Aztecs capitalized on a corner kick in the first half, and Canyon couldn’t get the extra push it needed on offense as Esperanza won, 1-0, at El Modena High.

“It’s great, it’s competitive,” Esperanza coach John King said of the league title race. “Obviously, I’d like to be up there with no one behind me, but that’s not the way it worked out. This was a huge game.”

Esperanza (15-3-1, 3-1-0) was strong defensively and pounced on any opening it could find, which led to the decisive corner kick in the 21st minute. Ryanne Molenaar stepped up from the left corner and sent a ball to the far post where Isabel Dehakiz converted for the game’s only goal.

“I always try to bend it in so it gets within the six (yard box) and its an easy tap into the goal,” Molenaar said. “I just get in the zone, back up and bend it in.”

Canyon (7-9-2, 2-2-0) tried to push forward but had trouble without the injured Iliana Hocking up front. Canyon moved USC-committed Penelope Hocking around to compensate, but Penelope also got injured late as the Comanches made a late push.

“It’s a similar game to what we had at Esperanza,” Canyon coach Pedro Santos said. “Little details and one set piece and they score. I can’t ask for more today. We tried to play and find the spaces. When there are nine or 10 players behind the ball, it’s hard to find those spaces.”

Canyon plays host to Foothill on Monday, and Esperanza plays host to Foothill on Wednesday.

In the Freeway League:

No. 3 Sunny Hills 2, Sonora 0: Sierra Choeung and Emily Miramontes scored for the Lancers, who are alone in second place behind first-place Troy.

In the Sunset League:

Newport Harbor 2, No. 6 Edison 0: The Sailors scored once in each half to hand the Chargers their third straight league loss.

No. 6 Los Alamitos jumped over Edison into first place by one standings point with a win over Marina, 3-1.

In the Academy League:

St. Margaret’s 1, Crean Lutheran 1: The teams tied for the second time this season to remain unbeaten in league. First-place Crean Lutheran (8-0-2) has two league games remaining while second-place St. Margaret’s (7-0-2) has three.