Chuck Morales and the Santa Margarita girls soccer program will start the season where it finished the last one – on top of the mountain.
In the CIF-SS preseason poll, the Eagles were ranked atop Division 1, just ahead of Edison, the team it defeated, 3-0, in last March’s championship game.
“It comes with the territory,” Morales said of the ranking. “It’s kind of like a tough crown to wear though. Division 1 is where everybody knocks it around. We’re going to see what we have. … We’ll give away some losses early. It’s all part of the process though. I don’t get my nose out of joint about it.”
Santa Margarita graduated eight starters from last season’s squad, and returns only three starters — goalkeeper Christina Kosmala and juniors Machaela George and Natalie Kennedy.
The Eagles should have the depth and skill throughout their roster to be one of the county’s top teams, athough 10 of their players are freshmen or sophomores.
“The maturity factor does come in,” Morales said. “But you got to feed the little ones. We have a good nucleus to build off of.”
The Eagles have again challenged themselves by constructing one of the county’s more difficult schedules.
Santa Margarita will travel to Bakersfield in mid-December for the Garces Soccer Festival before flying to Fort Worth, Texas, for the National Elite Showcase.
“We’ll play some tough teams that we don’t know,” Morales added. “But we’re just throwing it up against the wall and seeing what sticks.”
CANYON’S KEEPER QUESTION
Canyon’s Mia Hummel was the only goalkeeper selected to the All-CIF Division 1 team last season. A hot commodity in the recruiting world, Hummel chose to graduate from Canyon a semester early so that she could start her career at Texas A&M.
Her departure at Canyon has opened the door for two talented keepers on Coach Tino Ray Younger’s squad.
Senior Lauren Cooper and junior Gillian Kliss are competing for the starting spot.
“Relative to everyone else,” Younger said, “I like the two that we got. It’s nice to have that at such a key position.”
ST. MARGARET’S STILL LOADED
St. Margaret’s went from a wild-card entrant in the Division 5 playoffs to the champion of the division last season.
The starting squad the Tartans will trot out onto the pitch this season isn’t much different from the one that won it all this past March.
Coach Johnny Marmelstein returns nine starters, including All-CIF performer Grace Chalmers and skillful sophomore midfillder Blake Crawley.
The one question mark for the defending champs will be in goal. Hillary Beall, last season’s starting goalkeeper, transferred to Crean Lutheran, the Tartans’ Academy League foe.
Contact the writer: kconnolly@ocregister.com
