The Eastlake High School girls soccer team wrapped up this year’s Mesa League championship with a 2-0 win over east side rival Bonita Vista on Feb. 9. The host Lady Titans scored two second-half goals — both by junior Leyla McFarland — to improve to 8-1-1 in league play.
Goalkeeper Gloriana Hinojosa recorded three saves to record the shutout win.
Eastlake could be contending for a Division I San Diego Section championship this season. The Lady Titans won the division title in 2013 after winning a league title in 2012.
However, the Lady Titans proved they are not invincible after dropping a 1-0 decision at Hilltop on Tuesday. Eastlake dropped to 8-2-1 in league play, 13-6-2 overall, to rank 10th in the Division I power rankings.
Nonetheless, it should be an exciting postseason.
“It’s a lot of seniors who have never won a league title,” EHS head coach Mark Coziahr noted in regard to his team’s success. “We have nine seniors on our team — they’ve been the bridesmaids for far few too many years.
“They wanted to work together to win a league title and maybe a few more games in the CIF playoffs. We have great team chemistry.”
Coziahr pointed out that none of the girls currently on the team has won any type of banner, whether it be a league or division championship banner.
“Now we have one banner and we’ll see how the chips fall in the CIF playoffs,” Coziahr said.
Eastlake swept its two games against Mesa League runner-up Bonita Vista by scores of 1-0 and 2-0 this season. The Lady Titans swept third place Chula Vista by scores of 3-0 and 4-1 and also swept Otay Ranch in league play by scores of 1-0 and 3-1.
Natalie Polan, MacKenzie Kimmel, McFarland and Veronica Avalos each scored goals for Eastlake in the 4-1 win over the Lady Spartans on Feb. 7.
However, the Lady Titans could not defeat Olympian this season in league play. The teams played to a scoreless tie in first-round play before the Lady Eagles handed Eastlake a 1-0 loss in second-round play.
The Lady Titans were scheduled to close out regular season play Thursday with a home match against Southwest.
The section playoffs are scheduled to kick off Monday, Feb. 20, with play-in games. First-round games are scheduled Wednesday, Feb. 22, followed by quarterfinal matches on Saturday, Feb. 25, and semifinals on March 1.
Championship games are scheduled March 3 (Open Division at Mesa College; Division V at Mission Bay High School) and March 4 (Division I and Division III at Mesa College; Division II and Division IV at Mission Bay High School).
Cornerkicks
•Jovanna Bernal scored in the 18th minute to deliver the game-winning goal for Hilltop in Tuesday’s game against visiting Eastlake. She sped past a defender on the right flank and then deposited a shot to the open far post.
•Montgomery’s bid for an undefeated regular season schedule came down to Thursday’s scheduled South Bay League match at Sweetwater. The Lady Aztecs carried a 16-0-6 overall record, 6-0-3 league record, into the teams’ regular season finale.
Sweetwater was 0-8-1 in league play.
•Mar Vista carried a 7-1-1 South Bay League record into Thursday’s match at Castle Park. The Lady Mariners entered their final regular season game leading the league standings by one point over Montgomery. Mar Vista had 22 standings points to the Lady Aztecs’ 21 standing points.
•Bonita Vista has clinched this year’s Mesa League boys championship with an 8-0-1 league record. The Barons defeated visiting Castle Park, 3-0, on Feb. 9, then shut out visiting Sweetwater, 1-0, on Monday before topping host Sweetwater, 4-1, on Tuesday.
Bonita Vista improved to 11-3-4 overall by virtue of its latest wins.
•Southwest has clinched the South Bay League boys championship with an 8-0-4 league record. The Raiders battled to a 1-1 tie at San Ysidro on Tuesday to remain undefeated in league play.
Southwest improved to 10-4-6 overall in advance of Thursday’s scheduled match against visiting Eastlake.
San Diego Section Power Rankings
GIRLS SOCCER
(Through Feb. 14)
Division I: 10. Eastlake (13-6-2); 19. Bonita Vista (6-8-6)
Division II: 13. Chula Vista (8-10-2); 15. Olympian (5-12-5); 19. Hilltop (4-12-3); 20. High Tech High Chula Vista (2-9-0)
Division III: 3. Otay Ranch (11-8-1); 11. Southwest (8-10-2); 15. Castle Park (6-10-2); 20. San Ysidro (3-11-1)
Division IV: 3. Montgomery (16-0-6); 6. Mar Vista (17-4-3); 13. Mater Dei Catholic (6-6-6); 22. Chula Vista Learning Community Charter (3-11-0)
Division V: 11. Sweetwater (3-12-3)
BOYS SOCCER
(Through Feb. 14)
Division I: 14. Southwest (10-4-6); 20. Chula Vista (5-14-1)
Division II: 6. Otay Ranch (6-8-5); 8. Montgomery (11-3-4); 12. San Ysidro (7-9-4); 13. Eastlake (10-8-2); 14. Hilltop (7-8-5); 20. Mater Dei Catholic (4-13-3)
Division III: 2. Bonita Vista (11-3-4); 6. Castle Park (5-7-5); 7. Olympian (9-7-3)
Division IV: 10. Chula Vista Learning Community Charter (7-5-3); 15. Sweetwater (8-13-2); 23. High Tech High Chula Vista (3-12-0)
Division V: 4. Mar Vista (6-8-2); 15. Ocean View Christian Academy (8-3-2); 16. Bayfront Charter (5-5-1); 29. Chula Vista Calvary Christian Academy (3-11-2); 33. San Diego Academy (0-9-0)
