La Costa Canyon Mavericks

Record: 28-3

2005 Finish: Division I champions

Caitlin Saxton, Katie Fuller, Sam Slavinsky, Kelly Huston, Jaz Machado, Jace Williams, Julia Wehsener…yeah, No. 1 ranked LCC is once again good.

The thing is, as good as they’ve been for the past, oh, let’s guesstimate and say forever, the 2006 version of the Mavericks may just be the best ever. They haven’t lost to a Palomar opponent, a San Diego County opponent, they haven’t even lost in the state of California this season. Does anyone think they’re actually going to be defeated in the D-I tournament?



Torrey Pines Falcons

Record: 20-10

2005 Finish: Division I runner-up

Here’s what’s going to happen for the No. 2 ranked Torrey Pines Falcons: another fantastic season is going to end with a loss to rival LCC in the D-I finals. And you thought Groundhog Day was only a movie.

Not helping the Falcons’ case, either, is the fact that they’re entering the playoffs having won just three of their last nine matches, including two embarrassing losses, in which they took only a single game, to Palomar foe Westview.

Still, Torrey has the talent, it has the coaching and it has the experience to get back to the Division I finals. But, as usual, that’s as far as Torrey is going to go.



San Dieguito Academy Mustangs

Record: 25-6

2005 Finish: lost in quarterfinals to Cathedral Catholic

This is not the same SDA squad that limped into last year’s playoffs and was easily dismissed by eventual runner-up Cathedral Catholic. This is now a team loaded with seasoned seniors poised for a Division III title run.

Led by Leanne Stenett, Gia Kobra, Felicia Gualda, Kambria Tiano, Vanessa Beach and junior setter MacKenzie Aries, the Mustangs won the Coastal North League title and exceeded everyone’s expectations, including their own. Potent at all positions, but especially at the net, a matchup in the finals with No. 1-ranked Cathedral Catholic, a young team that ran through its league with ease, is practically inevitable for the No. 2 seed Mustangs.



Santa Fe Christian Eagles

Record: 23-10

2005 Finish: Division V champions

A jump to Division IV may not have been what Santa Fe wanted, but it’s what it got at the beginning of this season.

The only team that would have been on the Eagles’ radar had they stayed in Division V would’ve been rival Tri-City Christian, the team they beat to win the section title last year. But now, as the No. 3

seed, they have to contend with powerhouses Francis Parker and Bishop’s, teams they had trouble with this season.

Santa Fe does have talent, loads of it, in Sami Miller, Maile Miller, Kristin Miller (all not related), Karly Shoemaker, Leslie Lambert and Antonia Castagnola.

Still, to take out Bishop’s and then Parker consecutively in the semis and finals if all goes according to plan, they’ll have to rely on the experience they’ve gained in being the top team in Division V for most of this decade.



Tri-City Christian Eagles

Record: 22-9

2005 Finish: Division V runner-up

Tri-City Christian only has to win two games to become the Division V champs, and if they don’t, they have nobody to blame but themselves.

With defending champion Santa Fe Christian elevated to Division IV, Tri-City Christian is now the clear-cut favorite and No. 1 seed, even if they have a first-year coach in Kristen Wright. Wright coached at Santa Fe before this year, so she knows how to win big. And after defeating Santa Fe in Solana Beach Oct. 25, so does her team.

As they have been all season, Ashlie Pace, Alysia Baker and Kelly Clausen will be relied on to lead the Eagles to victory, something no team in the Division V tournament should be able to take from them.