CIF-SOUTHERN SECTION GIRLS

The Team to Beat: Beckman

The Patriots suffered a shocking and heartbreaking end to the 2009 season when they were forced to forfeit their Southern Division semifinal against Foothill-Orange County, because they had scheduled too many games. It went down as the third loss in a 15-3 season.

Now, for the 11 varsity players and nine starters who will be back from that squad, the theme for the 2010 season will be all about unfinished business. Beckman graduated just six seniors, and the Patriots return two first-team All-County players and one second-team All County player.

UC Davis-bound senior attack Ashley Miller was the Pacific Coast League’s MVP last season after she registered 105 points on 55 goals and 50 assists, on top of picking up 92 ground balls. She’ll be joined by junior middie Abby Messmer, who finished the season with 83 points on 48 goals and 35 assists and 65 ground balls. Junior middie Allie Lehner is another impact player.

Contenders: Los Alamitos, El Toro, Foothill-Orange County, Cate School

Los Alamitos enters the season on a 19-game winning streak after it ran the table en route to the Southern Section title last year. The Griffins may have been the most talented girls team in Orange County history last season, and they lost some key contributors. But there is certainly enough returning to make another run at the title.

Los Alamitos graduated four seniors, brings back eight starters and will be led by Vermont-bound senior middie Ashley Actkinson. Senior middie Shaina Denny, a first-team All-County selection who scored 51 goals as a junior, will also be a major contributor, as will senior goalie Natalie Richards, senior attack Tracy Paulson, senior defender Kristin Robbins and junior middie Melissa Hastie.

El Toro brings back half its starting lineup from the team that gave Los Alamitos all it could handle in last year’s Southern Division semifinals. The Chargers will be strongest on offense, but they will need to improve their defense to take the pressure off first-team All-County junior goalie Danica Kristiansen. Senior middie Jacky Craycraft is another returning first-team All-County player.

Foothill-Orange County returns six starters from the team that advanced to the Southern Division championship game before falling to Los Alamitos. Although the Knights graduated two first-team All-County selections, they return two second-team All-County picks in senior defender Kaylee Navarette and senior middie Danielle Peralta. Senior middie Allison Langis and sophomore attack Courtney Valdez are two other names to watch.

This will most likely be a down season for Cate School, the defending champion from the much weaker Northern Division. The Rams traditionally have dominated their local rivals, but they have a little adversity to overcome this season after graduating two U.S. Lacrosse High School All-Americans. Still, with the level of competition being what it is in the Northern Division, it’s hard to envision anyone else coming out of it.

Sleeper: Newport Harbor

The Sailors graduated just three seniors off their 24-player varsity roster. Although Newport Harbor did lose its top scorer and two captains, the Sailors have more than enough coming back to be very competitive in 2010. Newport Harbor will be led by junior attack-middie Sierra Michaelsen, who was second on the team in scoring and led the team in ground balls. Senior goalie Paige More, meanwhile, saved 60 percent of the shots she faced as a junior.

NCAA Division I Recruits: Ashley Actkinson, MF, Los Alamitos (Vermont); Ashley Miller, Att., Beckman (UC Davis).

It's easy to underestimate the diminutive Actkinson because of her size, but teams have quickly learned that is a big mistake. As a junior, the 5-foot-2 Actkinson compiled 61 points on 36 goals and 25 assists to help lead the Griffins to a 19-0 record and their first Orange County and Southern Section title.

Other Top Players: Megan Armes, Att., Mission Viejo; Jessica Blinkinsop, Att., Great Oak (Elmira); Emily Boone, MF-Att., St. Margaret’s Episcopal; Hillary Bush, Att., Corona del Mar; Jacky Craycraft, MF, El Toro; Shaina Denny, MF, Los Alamitos; Hayden Furey, MF, Sage Hill; Kylie Gilmour, MF, El Toro; Megan Guilfoyle, MF, El Toro; Melissa Hastie, MF, Los Alamitos; Kara Hericks, MF, Woodbridge; Madeleine Horton, G, University-Irvine; Danica Kristiansen, G, El Toro; Allison Langis, MF, Foothill-Orange County; Allie Lehner, MF, Beckman; Marcy Levatino, MF, Laguna Hills; Madison McHam, MF, Corona del Mar; Makenzi McHam, MF-Att., Corona del Mar; Abby Messmer, MF, Beckman; Sierra Michaelsen, Att.-MF, Newport Harbor; Sarah “Lizzie” Moore, MF, Trabuco Hills; Paige More, G, Newport Harbor; Kaylee Navarette, Def., Foothill-Orange County; Tracy Paulson, Att., Los Alamitos; Danielle Peralta, MF, Foothill-Orange County; Veigh Redwine, Att., Trabuco Hills; Natalie Richards, G, Los Alamitos; Kristin Robbins, Def., Los Alamitos; Zoe Salaam, G, Corona del Mar; Katherine Schultz, MF, Thacher School (Swarthmore); Jaycee Slack, Att., El Toro; Jessica Smith, Def., Corona del Mar; Candice Taggart, Att., J-Serra Catholic; Brooke Thornton, Att., Beckman; Courtney Valdez, Att., Foothill-Orange County; Kylie Wong, MF, Beckman.

Preseason Top 10: 1. Beckman, 2. Los Alamitos, 3. El Toro, 4. Foothill-Orange County, 5. Cate School, 6. Newport Harbor, 7. Corona del Mar, 8. Mission Viejo, 9. J-Serra Catholic, 10. Trabuco Hills.

Notes: Corona del Mar will be a team poised to make a leap forward this season. The Sea Kings, who graduated seven seniors off their 23-player roster, will be led by senior middie Hillary Bush, senior defender Jessica Smith and senior goalie Zoe Salaam, who was a second-team All-County selection as a junior. Twins Madison and Makenzi McHam will also be impact players....Mission Viejo is another team that could take a big step in the standings. The Diablos graduated six seniors off a varsity roster of 29, and they return a sensational second-team All-County player in junior attack Megan Armes, who is a menace to opposing teams all over the field. Last season, Armes scored 69 goals and picked up 75 ground balls, good for tops on her team by a huge margin in both categories....J-Serra Catholic is another team that should profit this season from a youth movement. The Lions had six underclassmen receive All-Trinity League honors in 2009, with three making the first team and three making the second team. Senior Candice Taggart, junior Shannon Brady and junior Haleigh Cummings all received first-team honors....70 percent of Trabaco Hills’ roster consisted of underclassmen last season. Two first-team All-Sea View League players will be back in senior middie Morgan Chaney and senior attack Veigh Redwine. Chaney scored 52 goals last season, and Redwine scored 50....St. Margaret’s Episcopal senior Ashley Bean and Santa Margarita Catholic junior Kelsey Taber were first-team All-Trinity League selections last season....Northwood sophomore Jill Reasor and Woodbridge junior Kara Hericks were first-team All-Sea View League selections last season.