The Newport Harbor girls lacrosse team has come a long way in a short time.
The Sailors captured a share of their league title this season and are hopeful they can pick up a few more wins in the U.S. Lacrosse Southern Section South Division playoffs.
The Sailors went 7-2 in the CSE League (comprised of teams from the Century, Sunset and Empire leagues).
“We had a breakout season last year,” Newport Harbor coach Matt Armstrong said. “This season we have a similar season. This season we’re more tighter (as a team) and more of a unit. There is a really strong positive feeling on the team.”
To fully appreciate how far the Sailors have come, you need to look back to just a couple of years ago.
In 2012, the Sailors went 0-12. The following year they were 4-12. Last year, the Sailors secured the sixth seed in the playoffs.
“We have a group of dedicated players that wanted to work and play together,” Armstrong said.
Armstrong singled out a couple of his team’s players for special praise.
“Daniela Vazquez is a great, natural athlete,” Armstrong said. “Mia Bagiu is an amazing defender, and Kylie Siegfried and Katie Hendricks are outstanding in the midfield.”
The pairings for the girls and boys playoffs will be released today.
NOTES
Teams on the boys side that have a strong case for being awarded at-large spots for the playoffs: Esperanza (10-5-1), Huntington Beach (9-8), Northwood (13-4), Dana Hills (9-8) and Servite (6-11). The Friars played a tough schedule and own victories over Huntington Beach and Great Oak of Temecula. …The battle for the overall No. 1 seed in the boys playoffs will likely come down to Corona del Mar and Foothill. CdM is undefeated (15-0), while Foothill is 17-1, with its only loss to a team in Boston.
Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com
