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Division II San Diego Section quarterfinal playoffs

Western League flexes its muscles

Bishop's, Scripps Ranch, La Jolla and Coronado collect quarterfinal wins

San Diego Section Division I quarterfinals recap

By Phillip Brents

LA JOLLA, Nov. 16, 2002 -- The City Conference's Western League showed why it is the San Diego Section's premier circuit after placing all six of its teams in this year's eight-team Division II quarterfinals and filling all four slots for Tuesday's division semifinals at La Jolla High School.

In the opening semifinal contest, to be played at 5 p.m., top-seeded Bishop's (29-2) will take on fifth-seeded Scripps Ranch (18-11) while second-seeded Coronado (15-12) will battle third-seeded La Jolla (19-7) at 6:45 p.m.

Semifinal winners advance to the Division II championship game on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7:15 p.m. at UC-San Diego's Canyonview pool.

Bishop's finished Western League play with a perfect 10-0 record, followed by Coronado at 8-2, La Jolla at 5-5, University of San Diego High at 4-6, Scripps Ranch at 3-7 and University City at 0-10.

In first round play on Nov. 13, Scripps Ranch defeated 12th-seeded Serra (third in City Conference Eastern League) by a 20-10 score while ninth-seeded University City, despite entering the playoffs with a 5-17 overall record, upended Valley League co-champion Ramona, seeded eighth, by a 9-8 score.

Receiving first-round byes were Bishop's (first), Coronado (second), La Jolla (third) and USDHS (fourth).

Bishop's was the first Western League team to earn a spot in this year's semifinals following the Knights' 26-9 quarterfinal round win against league rival University City at La Jolla High. Senior co-captains Tyler Kandel and Julian Arthur both had five goals to lead Bishop's while senior Danny Kimmich scored four goals. The Knights received goals from 11 players, including two goals each from freshman Nico Sardo, senior co-captain Reid Joseph, senior Russell Laub and junior Xavier Feune De Colombi. Scoring single goals from Bishop's were junior Anderson Clendeninn, sophomore Tyler Jemmett, junior Jason Diggs and freshman Travis Hill. Senior Jeff Hunt led the Centurions (6-18) with five goals, followed by sophomore teammate Miguel Cidoncha-Simms with three goals and junior Alex Obledo with one goal.

The second quarterfinal game of the day was quite a bit closer -- in fact, coming down to the final minute of play as senior Matt Mitchell scored with 27 seconds left on the scoreboard clock to break a 5-all tie and send Scripps Ranch into the semifinals with a hard-earned 6-5 win against USDHS (12-14). The two Western League rivals had split their two games in regular season play.

The key in the playoff rematch, according to Falcons coach Marcus Gregory, was containing USDHS star junior scorer Jordan Van Norman, who had nine of 11 Dons goals in a previous league win against Scripps Ranch. In the quarterfinal matchup, the Falcons defense held Van Norman to two goals on seven shots.

With Van Norman held to two goals, the remainder of the USDHS offense was limited to single goals from juniors Spencer Valentine, Steve Penney and Nick Devries..

The Falcons offense was spread around as well, with senior Cary Allen leading Scripps with two goals and the Falcons receiving single goals from junior David Jacobs, senior Matt Jackson and junior Jimmy Donahue besides Mitchell's game-winner. Senior goalie Stephen Sampson had eight saves.

In the opening round win against Serra (17-10), Jacobs led Scripps Ranch with four goals, five assists and four steals, followed by Jackson with four goals and two assists and Allen with three goals and two assists. Donahue had three goals and four steals while Sampson (eight saves) and senior Derek Gruter each contributed four steals.

Bishop's defeated Scripps Ranch in both league matchups.

Santana had its season ended once again by La Jolla. The Grossmont North League champion Sultans were riding the momentum of a 13-5 first-round playoff victory against Clairemont (18-7, second City Conference Eastern League). However, it was La Jolla that initiated the momentum in the quarterfinal matchup against Santana (19-8).

"We played hard. La Jolla just came out a little more focused and got their counter-attack working," said Sultans coach Rod Bowen. "We tried hard. We just couldn't match them."

Junior two-meter set Nick Eddy led the Vikings with six goals while La Jolla received four goals from senior driver Brady Botkin and three goals from senior driver Grayson LaFrenz. Senior Brady Dinnsen scored twice while senior Matt Marinkovich and junior goalie Marc Vaquier each contributed one goal.

A trio of Sultans each scored two goals -- seniors Andrew McPartland and Kyle Lajoie and junior Brian Tippin.

Viking coach Tom Atwell credited his team -- keyed by seniors Marinkovich, LaFrenz, Botkin and Dinnsen -- with the poise and focus that is needed to win at the next level.

"I was pleased with the fact that we came out strong and established ourselves in the game. The last time we played them, it was closer in the end," said Atwell, who credited standout performances in the win against Santana to Eddy, LaFrenz and Botkin.

La Jolla advanced to last year's semifinals before falling to eventual division champion Coronado. The same teams rematch with the Islanders holding a 3-0 edge in games this season, though the latter two -- 4-3 and 7-6 in league play -- were both by one-goal margins.

With a La Jolla win on Tuesday, Atwell would gain entry into his second championship game appearance as a head coach after leading Scripps Ranch to the 1999 Division I title against Valhalla.

Coronado became the fourth Western League team to reach the semifinals with a 15-5 win against Valley League co-champion Valley Center (17-10). The Islanders, who have won a section record 15 division titles, led 8-2 at halftime.

Junior Tommy Corcoran scored four goals to pace Coronado, which received goals from seven players, including three goals each from senior Connor Herron and junior John Arnold, two goals from junior Joey Jankiewicz and single goals from senior Ryan Moran and juniors Matt Landon and Matt Digges.

Sophomore Luke Johnson had four goals and four steals to lead the Jaguars, who were making their first ever trip to the quarterfinals in the program's five-year existence. Valley Center, which has either shared or owned outright possession to the last three Valley League championships, also received a goal and two assists from junior Alex Smith, two assists from junior Kevin Smith and 12 saves from junior goalie Lydon Miniter, who continually came up big throughout the game to prevent an even more lopsided result on the part of the victorious Islanders.

The Jags' co-championship with Ramona was set up this year with a key 13-11 win in the second game between the two teams. The Bulldogs had taken the league lead with a 12-10 win in opening round play. Johnson, Alex Smith and senior Jeremy Robertson each had four goals each in the rematch while Valley Center received one goal from senior Ben Wickham and 11 saves from Miniter.

Valley Center got past Grossmont, 16-12, in the opening playoff round behind five goals by Alex Smith, four goals by Johnson, three goals by Kevin Smith, two goals by Robertson and single goals by Wickham and senior Kevin Bennett. Billy DeRidder led Grossmont (13-11) with eight goals.

Valley League co-champion Valley Center Jaguars