By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor The Flintridge Prep boys and girls soccer teams head into the playoffs this week not only on a high note, but with heavy expectations. ** The Rebels girls (19-3-3) easily won the Prep League and are on a 5-game win streak. They will host Paramount on Thursday at 3. Julia […]
By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor
The Flintridge Prep boys and girls soccer teams head into the playoffs this week not only on a high note, but with heavy expectations.
** The Rebels girls (19-3-3) easily won the Prep League and are on a 5-game win streak. They will host Paramount on Thursday at 3.
Julia Gonzalez had 27 goals, Helen Schaefer scored 25 and Mikaela Celeste 20 for a very offensive-minded Rebels program.
Paramount (11-8-1) finished third in the San Gabriel Valley League with a 6-3-1 record in league.
“The way the girls finished off the season, I feel really confident that the team will play well going into the playoffs,” Prep coach Esteban Chavez said. “Division 3 is very difficult, but I do think if the team plays at the level they have been playing on both sides of the field, we can make a respectful run.”
** The Rebels boys (10-1-1) lost just once all season. It was an early January showdown in the Prep League with Firebaugh that Prep lost, 3-1.
Just 18 days later, Prep defeated Firebaugh, 1-0, and eventually won the Prep League outright.
The offense is led by Garrett Gaines’ (10) goals, Tim Treinen’s 7, Simon Siskel and Ramzi Beshir each have 6 goals, and Andrew Lathrop has 4 goals and a team-high 9 assists.
Aidan Schrader has blocked 55 shots in goal for Prep.
“We’ve been playing well all season,” Prep coach AJ Yates said. “We had two goals. The first was to win league, and we did that. The second was to make a deep run in the playoffs. I haven’t really looked at the bracket, because every team in the playoffs is good.”
The Rebels will host the Azusa-Hawthorne wild card winner on Friday at 3.
“We’re feeling really excited and confident,” Lathrop said. “We took league this season to be a kind of ‘warm up’ for the CIF playoffs, so basically this is where our ‘real league’ begins. We’re hoping to make a good run this year, especially after out successes last year. The overall team confidence is very high and we’re just excited to play.”
** Mayfield finished second in the Prep League after a banner season for the Cubs, but somehow were put in a wild card game today (Tuesday) when they play Burbank at Occidental College at 3.
The Cubs (8-6-5) finished the regular season 5-1-1, including a mad dash to a second-place finish in league.
“We head into playoffs clearly on form off the back of our w’s (wins) against Poly and Firebaugh,” Mayfield coach Calum Torrie said. “We have had 2 good sessions at Occidental (ahead of the playoff game) College. We’re getting some injured players back. We were surprised to get a wild card game after finishing second in the Prep League. However, I am sure it will take a while for this new format to work out and we take what is in front of us head on!”
** Also playing Tuesday wild card game are Westridge at Nipomo at 4, Wildwood versus St. Monica Academy at the Glendale Sports Complex at 2, and Capistrano Valley Christian at Ramona Convent at 3.
The Muir boys earned a Wednesday wild card match up when they host Littlerock at 3.
La Salle’s girls will travel to San Marcos on Thursday, while the Lancers’ boys go to La Canada High on Friday.
Finally, St. Francis travel to Paramount on Friday.
Soccer Playoff Schedule:
Tuesday:
Girls Soccer Division 4 Wild Card: Westridge at Nipomo at 4
Girls Soccer Division 4 Wild Card: Burbank vs Mayfield at Occidental College at 3
Girls Soccer Division 7 Wild Card: Wildwood vs St. Monica Academy at Glendale Sports Complex at 2
Girls Soccer Division 7 Wild Card: Capistrano Valley Christian at Ramona Convent at 3
Wednesday:
Boys Soccer: Division 4 Wild Card: Littlerock at Muir at 3
Thursday:
Girls Soccer Division 3: Paramount at Flintridge Prep at 3
Girls Soccer Division 3: La Salle at San Marcos at 3
Friday:
Boys Soccer: Division 1: St. Francis at Paramount at 3
Boys Soccer: Division 6: La Salle at La Canada at 3
Boys Soccer: Division 6: Azusa-Hawthorne Winner at Flintridge Prep at 3
