The top local teams to watch in the CIF-Southern Section girls soccer playoffs
The Oaks Christian girls soccer team reached sectional and regional finals a year ago.
It just completed one of the most dominant campaigns in Marmonte League soccer history.
But are the Lions ready for the new CIF-Southern Section Division 1 playoffs?
“It’s not even like Division 1,” Oaks Christian coach Sebastian Alvarado said. “It’s a whole new Open Division. … Every game is going to be a CIF final pretty much.”
The Southern Section has merged its top two soccer divisions this year. The top 16 teams in Divisions 1 and 2 were placed in the Division 1 bracket, with the remaining qualifiers placed in the 32-team Division 2 playoff.
Oaks Christian (17-2-1) will visit Long Beach-Millikan (16-3-4), the Moore League champion, in Wednesday's first round. The teams played to a scoreless draw in December.
More:The top local teams to watch in the CIF-Southern Section boys soccer playoffs
The Lions were 10-0 in the Marmonte League, outscoring opponents 39-1.
“It’s never easy to win a league championship,” Alvarado said. “We’ve had some really good teams here and none of those teams were undefeated (in the Marmonte League).”
Sophomore attacker Avery Oder, a member of the Under-16 women’s national team, has a team-high 17 goals and nine assists.
Senior midfielder Berkley Mape, an Ohio State commit, has 10 goals and seven assists. Junior striker Sarah Spears has nine goals and 13 assists. Attacker Kailey Supa, who returned this season after missing last year with a knee injury, has seven goals and seven assists.
“This can be one of the better teams that we’ve had,” Alvarado said. “Twelve girls contributed with goals. It just says a lot about our program.”
The backline led by goalkeeper Hannah Wieler and the defensive pairing of Abby Seawright and Isa Wieder has 14 shutouts in 20 matches.
“Mentally, we’re ready,” Alvarado said. “Our first goal was to take care of league. Our second goal is a whole new season, which starts next week.”
Oaks Christian suffered both its losses and conceded half the six goals it allowed this season on one day, Dec. 17, during the knockout stages of the top division of the Best of the West Winter Classic.
That experience served as a tune-up for the postseason.
“I know the girls are looking forward to it,” Alvarado said. “One of our goals was to be in our 16 and play against the very best in southern California. I think we can hang with all these teams.”
TEAMS TO WATCH
Westlake (12-2-3): Take powerhouse Oaks Christian off the schedule and the Marmonte League runner-up is undefeated, having outscored its opponents 46-5. Led by freshman attacker KK Chowena and playmaker Calista Banihashemi, Frank Marino’s Warriors could make a run in Division 2.
Moorpark (12-4): Tall and physical from front to back, Mike Alexander’s Musketeers came from behind to edge Camarillo in a dramatic Coastal Canyon League race. Brielle Bickham led the defense and winger Gianna Foss may be approaching full health in time for Division 3 play.
More:Foss' OT header lifts Moorpark to third straight Coastal Canyon League girls soccer title
Buena (12-5-1): It was shorthanded down the stretch in the Channel League race. But if the team is whole, the attacking line of Abby Wood, Amalia Nolan and Tatiana Padilla gives A.J. Tewes’ Bulldogs an opportunity to make some noise in Division 3.
More:Moore, Mobley lifts the Ventura High girls soccer team to Channel League title
Ventura (18-4-1): The Channel League champion has a rare blend of experienced seniors like playmaker Esja Moore and defender Caylin Mobley with exciting freshmen like 15-goal striker Kaitlyn Wright and cross country runners Melanie True and Aelo Curtis. Five years after reaching the Division 4 final, Todd Tackett’s Cougars should again be a real contender in Division 4.
Santa Paula (15-1-1): Senior striker Cynthia Ramos (24 goals) and senior midfielder Yahaira Ramirez (11 assists) have the Citrus Coast League champions, who have won playoff games in four of the past five years, positioned as a darkhorse in Division 4.
Foothill Tech (8-2-3): Led by senior striker Lily Shadden, the Tri-Valley League champion has not lost a match in 2023 ahead of the Division 5 playoffs.
THE FULL PAIRINGS
Division 1
Wednesday, first round
Oaks Christian at Long Beach-Millikan
Division 2
Wednesday, first round
Long Beach-Wilson at Westlake (12-2-3)
Oxnard (9-10-1) at Hart
Division 3
Wednesday, first round
Lakewood-St. Joseph at Moorpark (12-4)
Buena (12-5-1) at Los Angeles-Marshall
Division 4
Monday, wild-card round
Oak Park (9-6-2) at Agoura (8-6-3)
Pacifica (8-5-2) at Bishop Montgomery
Wednesday, first round
Canyon Country-Canyon or Knight at Ventura (18-4-1)
Cerritos-Valley Christian at Camarillo (9-4-1)
Agoura or Oak Park at Santa Paula (15-1-1)
Santa Clara (11-1-2) at Temescal Canyon
Division 5
Monday, wild-card round
Hueneme (8-6) at Campbell Hall
Laguna Blanca at Fillmore (11-7)
Thacher (9-5) at Burbank-Burroughs
Wednesday, first round
Fillmore or Laguna Blanca at Foothill Tech (8-2-3)
Fontana-Summit at Channel Islands (11-6)
Division 6
La Reina (8-3-1) at Anaheim
Joe Curley covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcspreps on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: The top local teams to watch in the CIF-SS girls soccer playoffs
