CIF playoffs: CdM girls vie in soccer, water polo

A pair of Corona del Mar High girls teams, weather permitting, will

continue CIF Southern Section playoff action in water polo and soccer

today.

Coach John Vargas’ water polo team (18-11), tri-champion of the Pacific

Coast League, hosts Rosary (19-9), in a 3 p.m. Division IV quarterfinal.

The Sea Kings, in their first postseason for the sport sanctioned by CIF

only three years ago, are coming off an 11-4 victory over Orange League

champion Brea Olinda Saturday. CdM defeated Katella, 16-2, in a wild-card

game Wednesday.

Senior Melinda Tucker scored four goals to pace CdM Saturday, after

freshman Danielle Carlson tallied six goals against Katella.

Rosary blanked Troy, 10-0, in its first-round game Saturday.

The two teams have not met this season.

Today’s winner will advance to Friday’s semifinal against either Santa

Monica or No. 2-seeded El Dorado.

Meanwhile, on the soccer field, Coach Ron Evans’ PCL champions (15-4-4),

the No. 2 seed in Division IV, visit St. Paul (15-10-2) for a 3 p.m.

second-round game.

CdM trounced Orange Lutheran, 5-0, in Saturday’s first round, but St.

Paul was equally sharp, pounding Bishop Conaty Loretto, 9-0, to advance.

CdM enters on a 10-game unbeaten streak (8-0-2), which has included eight

shutouts.

Junior goalie Britta Vogele anchors a defense which has blanked 11

opponents this season.

Sophomore Allison Harvey is the leading scorer for the Sea Kings, whose

last trip to the playoffs came in 1992.

St. Paul, the No. 2 team from the Del Rey League, had posted eight

shutouts through 22 regular-season games. The Swordsmen had outscored

opponents, 61-39, with four regular-season games remaining.

CdM has outscored foes, 55-18, and has not given up more than three goals

to any opponent.

Today’s winner moves on to Thursday’s quarterfinals against either

Beaumont (19-0-2) or La Canada (5-8-3).

-- by Barry Faulkner