‘Dogs out to defend crown

Nick Christensen

Friday, Dec. 5, 2003 | 10:32 a.m.

Last month, Centennial's boys' soccer team lost in the 4A State Championship to South Tahoe from the North.

This winter, the Centennial girls' soccer team appears to be the favorite to win the South again -- and this time, no Northern region team stands in their way.

With the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association running girls' soccer under a split-season format, McQueen won the northern championship in September, and the southern teams fight for their championship in January. Both teams are recognized as the state champions.

The Bulldogs, who won the southern championship last year in overtime against Green Valley, bring back Rachel Gordon and Amanda Olsen to make them the common pick to win the South.

"Centennial, Cimarron and Palo Verde," are the top teams out of the Sunset Region, according to longtime Bishop Gorman coach Victor Arbelaez. "I imagine Green Valley will probably be the team to beat (from the Sunrise Region)."

Chaparral, Coronado and Silverado also will field strong teams in the Sunrise this season.

Palo Verde coach Marc Hechter said that his team has make it a goal to win the championship this year, something he's a little weary of doing.

"My personal goals are to take it one step at a time. The kids really want to make it into the state finals," Hechter said.

He said with so many strong teams in the Northwest Division, parity is a problem through the regular season.

"We end up beating each other up," Hechter said. "It's really who's left standing when you get to the playoffs."

And a lot of who's left standing has to do with health. Silverado coach Vicki Mangione said that the winter season is rough on her girls, in part because the cold, hard ground isn't as forgiving as warm turf in the summer.

A tandem of goalkeepers, Rachelle Goulet and Keri Krusyna, leads Silverado. Other standout performers in the Valley include Palo Verde's Cobi Fields, Marissa Lucero, Bonanza's Mia Tofano and Chaparral's Jessica Torres.