LAS FLORES – Tesoro’s girls soccer team built quite the collection of silver last season, but not in the traditional, world-soccer sense of trophies.
Silver as in second place – the runner-up, the bridesmaid, never the bride.
Tesoro finished second in the Sea View League a year ago to El Toro. The Titans then fell as a runner-up to Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 1 Final, 3-1, and again to the Eagles in the CIF Southern California Regional Division 1 Final, 5-0.
This season, when the preseason state rankings were unveiled by TopDrawerSoccer.com, Tesoro was, lo and behold, second to its rival, Santa Margarita.
“A lot of the girls at Santa Margarita play with girls here,” Tesoro coach George Deverrick said. “So there’s been a little bit of rivalry for a long time now, and a little bit of trash talking, I’d imagine. I think our motivation is to improve on last year … (We) know that in order for us to improve, we better win (CIF).”
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GIRLS SOCCER PREVIEW
- Preview: Preseason top 10
- Preview: Tesoro determined to get division title
- Preview: Top 5 players to watch
- Preview: Other players to watch
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Now in the South Coast League with state-ranked Aliso Niguel (third) and San Clemente (11th), Tesoro is now experienced and poised to make another strong run at things with seven of its starting 11 from the CIF-SS Final returning.
The Titans bring back two captains and four-year varsity players with midfielders Madi Cook and Kate O’Connor and a player coming off an outstanding sophomore campaign, Skylar Smith.
Smith, now a junior who is currently at the U.S. Soccer Under-16 camp, scored 18 goals last season and will be one of many counted on to fill in the production of last year’s leading scorer, Ally Cook.
Cook, who scored 21 goals as a freshman last season, tore her ACL in a club match last month.
“In our first team meeting, I looked around and asked, ‘Who’s going to get me 21 goals?’” Deverrick said. “I think some of them laughed and joked and put their hands up. That’s a player you just can’t replace. It would be unfair expectations on anybody that plays in her spot.”
Deverrick was confident that the team has plenty of areas can score goals with their possession and passing philosophy.
EAGLES CONTINUE TO TURN WHEEL
Santa Margarita and Tesoro will clash in a nonleague game at Tesoro on Thursday as the Eagles continue their tradition of seeking out the toughest competition before league play begins.
“It’s good to have competition,” Santa Margarita coach Chuck Morales said. “To have Tesoro basically in our back yard, it’s good. Two weeks after our regional final, we set up this game. We know if we’re going to be successful, we’re going to play tough teams.”
It’s a philosophy that has worked for the reigning NSCAA National Champion Eagles who look to keep the wheel turning with young talent and prep for a tough Trinity League.
Mater Dei is ranked fifth is the state, and JSerra is No. 11.
DIVISION 1 IS LOADED
As a result of the new playoff system, Division 1 is stacked with top-tier teams.
The division includes these state-ranked teams from the county: Tesoro, El Toro, Aliso Niguel, San Clemente, Santa Margarita, Mater Dei and JSerra. The division also includes the top teams from the Sunset League, Los Alamitos, Edison and Huntington Beach, the Division 2 runner-up last year, Northwood, and last year’s Division 3 runner-up, Yorba Linda.
