Soccer

COSTA MESA - Coach Robert Castellano has told his players that they're all important and he needs each one of them to do their part. He's not kidding. Everyone on the team gets to play. With only 15 players, the Estancia High boys' soccer team is thin. The program began the season with 20 players, but three players have been lost to injuries and two players because they had to get jobs. At halftime of the Eagles' match on Friday, they lost another player. Castellano said Chris Gomez, the team's leading goal scorer last season, had to leave because of work.

The Orange Crush team from the Region 57 Corona del Mar girls' under-9 Recreation League capped off an undefeated regular and postseason run with a 3 -0 victory over South Irvine Region 144 in the Area Q championship Sunday evening at Tustin Sports Park. There are 50 girls' U9 teams in Area Q, which is comprised of regions from Corona del Mar, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Tustin, North and South Irvine, as well as Yorba Linda. The Orange Crush went 9 -0 during the regular fall season play in Region 57, with a 47-goals-for and 10-against ratio.

Police have arrested a former Irvine Unified School District soccer coach who is suspected of felony lewd conduct with a 15-year-old girl he met through a private sports league. Ian Matthew Ebert, 26, coached boys' soccer at two IUSD campuses between 2009 and 2012 and is suspected of having inappropriate contact with the girl last year. Police said Ebert and the alleged victim were around each other intermittently because of her participation in club soccer. Ebert, who played soccer at UC Berkeley, coached for the Strikers FC of Irvine, police said.

CYPRESS - The Sage Hill School girls' soccer team came into Friday afternoon's match at Oxford Academy hoping for some separation in the Academy League playoff race. But, after 100 minutes of soccer including overtime, the Lightning came away tied in more ways than one. They tied the Patriots, 1-1, on the pitch at Oxford Academy. And the teams remain tied for third place in league, as well. The top three teams in the six-team league make the CIF Southern Section Division 5 playoffs.

SANTA ANA - In football, it is sometimes said that a tie game is like kissing your sister. But the depleted Estancia High girls' soccer team found Tuesday afternoon's 1-1 Orange Coast League draw against Godinez to be a more enjoyable experience. Ties are nothing new to the Eagles (5-2-8, 1-0-2 in league). Eight of their 15 matches have ended that way. "We're good at that," Coach Jessica Perry said before Tuesday's match at Centennial Park. But tying a team that came in leading the league was a good result for Estancia, which was playing without six players.

IRVINE - It was little less than a month ago when sophomore Evan Schwartz said he was just having fun and playing on the junior varsity team. But these days, soccer is much more competitive and intense on the Corona del Mar High varsity team. At first that made Schwartz nervous. But the new team didn't appear to totally intimidate him. He was excited for his opportunity. Schwartz stepped up with his first varsity goal in his second game to help the Sea Kings beat Northwood, 2-0, in a Pacific Coast League game at Meadowood Park on Friday.

IRVINE - The Corona del Mar High girls' soccer team had to take the bad with the good Thursday afternoon in its Pacific Coast League opener. It was sunny at Northwood High, but it was also quite cold and windy at times. And, though the Sea Kings opened league with a 2-0 victory over the Timberwolves, they also lost arguably one of their most important players. Sophomore Brianna Westrup, the CdM center back, exited with a potentially serious right knee injury in the second half.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY - Newport Harbor High freshman Peyton Groves scored the game-winning goal in overtime, lifting the Newport Harbor High girls' soccer team to a 3-2 victory over Fountain Valley in Tuesday's Sunset League match. Sophomore Gema Sanchez and senior Courtney Buck each scored in regulation for Newport Harbor (3-10-2, 1-1 in league), which plays host to Huntington Beach at 4:45 p.m. Thursday. * BOYS' SOCCER Newport Harbor 1, Fountain Valley 0 NEWPORT BEACH - Senior True Tamplin scored in the 77th minute for the Sailors in Wednesday's Sunset League match at Newport Harbor High.

COSTA MESA - Costa Mesa High senior Franco Ramirez felt like he needed to say something before the game. Ramirez is a co-captain for the Mustangs boys' soccer team. He was fired up for Wednesday's Orange Coast League opener against rival Estancia, the first Battle for the Bell game. It's rare that the Mustangs beat their crosstown rivals. But Ramirez said he gave his teammates a speech so emotional that a couple of them cried, as did he. "I told them that the only way we're going to win this game is if we play with our hearts, play for our school," Ramirez said.

COSTA MESA - There was another half left on Tuesday night, but Gianna Guyot took her gloves off. At halftime, the Estancia High goalkeeper jogged off the field, leaving her team. Her work against Costa Mesa on the soccer field was done with. She had to go get ready to play the Mustangs in basketball in about an hour. The Eagles didn't really need Guyot's services on the field. The Mustangs never posed a threat as Estancia opened Orange Coast League play with a 2-0 win at home.