Johnston

Greer Wylder With his tattoo running from his wrist to his shoulder, his short spiky brown hair and his just-rolled-out-of-bed surfer look, Todd Johnston, 30, can fool you. His head stocks an encyclopedic knowledge of fine cheeses and wines, in addition to tiki carving techniques, the latest surfing moves and guitar licks. "My lactophile friends and I like to dork out about cheese," Johnston says. A Newport Beach native, Johnston was raised by "food-o-phile" parents of European descent.

When Jasmin Day and Kyla Flores graduated from Costa Mesa High last spring they took a 48-0-0 record in league games for the soccer team with them. The two forwards were both All-CIF Division III selections, with Day on the first team and Flores on the second team. "Jasmin Day and Kyla Flores, that was a lot of our firepower," said Costa Mesa Coach Dan Johnston, who is in 14th year. "Jasmin was the state high jump champ. Kyla, she was a hustler. She never played a game where she didn't hit the floor less than 10 times.

COSTA MESA - An offensive onslaught by the Costa Mesa High girls soccer team made visiting La Quinta goalie Lilliana Cabrera thankful for the upcoming holiday break, while also producing a 4-0 nonleague win Thursday. Cabrera, whom Costa Mesa Coach Dan Johnston said "was terrific," had 21 saves, 21 more than two Mesa keepers, as the Mustangs improved to 6-2-2 to close out their preleague campaign. Sophomore Sharon Day had a goal and two assits, while Devin Denman, Natalie Masciale and Chelsea Soria accounted for the other Mesa goals.

Chris Yemma The Costa Mesa High girls soccer team lost almost its entire defense from the 2003-04 season to graduation. So, naturally Coach Dan Johnston was a little concerned for this season. But after eight games this season, the Mustangs were 7-2 after Thursday's 4-0 victory over Santa Ana, Johnston rests a little easier. The Mustangs had four shutouts in their first four games on their way to a 4-0 record. One of their losses was to traditional stronghold Aliso Niguel, 4-1, but Johnston said it wasn't a big concern.

Barry Faulkner It's a time-honored sports truth that teams take on the personality of their coach. The Costa Mesa High girls soccer team, however, appears more intent, this postseason, on mimicking Coach Dan Johnston's requirement for medical attention. Johnston, recovering from recent surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon, has guided the Mustangs to an unprecedented four CIF Southern Section Division III playoff victories from a wheelchair, his injured right leg elevated to help reduce swelling.

SCORE BY QUARTERS -- Saddleback 7 0 3 14 - 24 Estancia 3 0 13 0 - 16 -- FIRST QUARTER Sad - Chavez 4 run (Pena kick), 5:56. Est - Macia 33 FG, 1:42. THIRD QUARTER Est - Johnston 47 pass from Young (Macias kick), 10:18. Sad - Pena 35 FG, 3:54. Est - Johnston 54 pass from Young (pass failed), 1:19. FOURTH QUARTER Sad - Camacho 31 pass from G. Garcia (Pena kick), 11:23. Sad - A. Garcia 38 pass from G. Garcia (Pena kick)

Barry Faulkner The chances of scoring goals for most soccer teams, let alone one player, usually fall somewhere between slim and nil. But, backed by some talented, unselfish and cohesive teammates, Costa Mesa High girls standout Jenny Sparks is making a mockery of those odds this season. The sophomore forward has turned 13 of her 28 shots into goals, an eye-popping 46%, to help the Mustangs forge a 7-1-2 record, including a pair of wins to open their inaugural Golden West League season last week.

COSTA MESA — Inevitably it was the way the ball bounced that proved deleterious to the Costa Mesa High girls’ soccer team Thursday afternoon. But the speed with which it caromed off a Cypress attacker, back onto her body, then her feet as she bypassed a challenging defender, might have had more to do with the Mustangs’ 2-1 overtime loss in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division III playoffs at Estancia High. The rapid-fire ricochet, which Costa Mesa Coach Dan Johnston — and the Mustangs defender directly in front of Cypress senior Emily Mizarhi — said struck Mizarhi’s hand or arm, making it an illegal hand ball, went undetected by the referee.

Tony Altobelli COSTA MESA - Practice makes perfect for the Costa Mesa High girls soccer team. Sophomore standout Sharon Day scored the game-winning goal with two minutes left off a free kick to give the Mustangs a 2-1 Pacific Coast League comeback win over visiting University Tuesday. "We've worked on that free kick play over and over again in practice and Sharon scores over and over again off that play," Mesa Coach Dan Johnston said. "If she's on her mark, it's really hard to defend."

For a photo gallery, click here. For a video, click here. COSTA MESA — Bo St. Geme ran all around the field Wednesday at the Daily Pilot Cup, and Andersen Elementary Coach Jon Johnston didn’t raise an eyebrow. “He can run forever,” Johnston said. “It goes in his family.” On a soccer field, you’re not usually running in a circle like track and field, but St. Geme does boast a pair of decorated track family members in mother Ceci St. Geme and older sister Annie St. Geme, formerly a Corona del Mar High standout and now at Stanford.

Costa Mesa High has hired Tamiko Davila as its girls' soccer coach, the school announced Wednesday. Davila will be a walk-on coach. The Costa Mesa resident is no stranger to local soccer, as he is the director of soccer for the Newport Mesa Soccer Club. At Costa Mesa he will take over for Dan Johnston, who resigned in March after 20 seasons, citing health issues. "I'm real excited," said Davila, 34. "It's the first time that I'll be the high school coach of the community that I live in. There's a real sense of community and personal pride.

Jeff Johnston said his father, Jon, played point guard at Estancia High in the 1980s. "I think they had a really good team back then, at least from what he tells me," said Johnston, whose father led the Eagles to the CIF Southern Section Division 3-A title game in 1984. Twelve years later, Jon's son was born. Somehow, Jon raised a shooting guard. Growing up, Johnston was more of a slasher on the court. His style of play had to change before his sophomore season at Corona del Mar. Johnston had to learn how to play his father's old position.

COSTA MESA — Inevitably it was the way the ball bounced that proved deleterious to the Costa Mesa High girls’ soccer team Thursday afternoon. But the speed with which it caromed off a Cypress attacker, back onto her body, then her feet as she bypassed a challenging defender, might have had more to do with the Mustangs’ 2-1 overtime loss in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division III playoffs at Estancia High. The rapid-fire ricochet, which Costa Mesa Coach Dan Johnston — and the Mustangs defender directly in front of Cypress senior Emily Mizarhi — said struck Mizarhi’s hand or arm, making it an illegal hand ball, went undetected by the referee.

For a photo gallery, click here. For a video, click here. COSTA MESA — Bo St. Geme ran all around the field Wednesday at the Daily Pilot Cup, and Andersen Elementary Coach Jon Johnston didn’t raise an eyebrow. “He can run forever,” Johnston said. “It goes in his family.” On a soccer field, you’re not usually running in a circle like track and field, but St. Geme does boast a pair of decorated track family members in mother Ceci St. Geme and older sister Annie St. Geme, formerly a Corona del Mar High standout and now at Stanford.

For a photo gallery of this game, click here. COSTA MESA — For the sixth straight year, the Costa Mesa High girls’ soccer team found itself with a big reason to celebrate. The Mustangs won the Orange Coast League title, making them league champs for the sixth year in a row after a 3-1 win over Calvary Chapel Thursday afternoon. The Mustangs (11-8-5, 5-1-3 in league) had an early scare when Calvary Chapel struck in the fifth minute to take a 1-0 lead. An unmarked sophomore forward Makenna Sanislo scored on a pass from sophomore midfielder Natalie Nick when several Mustangs read the ball incorrectly.

COSTA MESA — Todd Johnston got to be the star at his own party Sunday. The wine bar manager at Hi-Time Wine Cellars was among more than a dozen contestants entering the store’s 50th anniversary charity chili cook-off. At the end of the day, after six hours of chili, live music and celebration, the judges announced the winners of the contest, and Johnston nabbed the top prize — a sterling silver cup that he planned to use for tips at the wine bar. So what did Johnston put in his award-winning pot?

COSTA MESA — The thrill of winning has not worn off, the Costa Mesa High girls' soccer team just has its sights set higher. The Mustangs won their fifth consecutive league title, claiming the Orange Coast League crown, after four years of dominance of the Golden West League, with a 2-1 victory over Calvary Chapel Tuesday. The demeanor of the Mustangs following the victory was of a team familiar with being in that position. The post-game cheer was like any other win, with a couple players skirting off quickly afterward.

Cross-town rivalry has likely doomed the Newport-Mesa Cup, which featured all four of the district boys' and girls' soccer teams. In its first incarnation this season, the tournament has led to problems. On the girls' side, Costa Mesa and Estancia will finish the regular season having played each other five times. "I'm not very interested in playing in it for that reason," Costa Mesa Coach Dan Johnston said. "It's crazy to have to play that team five times. It could obviously be only four times, but three is enough.

Ayla Medina went from coy to goofy to now feared striker. She never figured the change would kick in so soon on the soccer field. Two matches is all it took for Costa Mesa High Coach Dan Johnston to notice the transformation. "She's still playful. Sometimes she's too much fun to be around," said Johnston before delving into what's turned Medina into a dynamic player. "Continued hustle. She's always been on the ball and she's made good decisions. "She keeps her brain turned on when she's playing out there, unlike some of these [other players]

When Jasmin Day and Kyla Flores graduated from Costa Mesa High last spring they took a 48-0-0 record in league games for the soccer team with them. The two forwards were both All-CIF Division III selections, with Day on the first team and Flores on the second team. "Jasmin Day and Kyla Flores, that was a lot of our firepower," said Costa Mesa Coach Dan Johnston, who is in 14th year. "Jasmin was the state high jump champ. Kyla, she was a hustler. She never played a game where she didn't hit the floor less than 10 times.