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Girls Soccer Clinches Back-to-Back South Coast League Titles
The San Clemente girls soccer team put its destiny in its own hands on Saturday, Jan. 28, and the Tritons finished the job on Tuesday, Jan. 31.
The Tritons finished chances early at San Juan Hills on Saturday, 3-0, to leapfrog into first place in the South Coast League, and San Clemente posted another shutout in a dominant showing over Tesoro on this past Tuesday, 4-0, to clinch its second consecutive league championship.
San Clemente (14-1-6, 4-0-3) can finish unbeaten in league play for a second straight season with a win or draw at Capistrano Valley on Thursday, Feb. 2. CIF-SS playoff brackets will be released on Saturday, Feb. 4. The Tritons, ranked No. 8 in CIF-SS Division 1, will open the playoffs on Wednesday, Feb. 8.
At home against Tesoro on Tuesday, the Tritons spread around the scoring with goals from Maddie Finnerty, Lizzy Martin, Mia Owens and Rachel Millard to support another shutout effort to clinch the South Coast League championship.
Girls Basketball Set Up for South Coast League Championship Game
The South Coast League championship will come down to a season-finale showdown when San Juan Hills hosts San Clemente on Thursday, Feb. 2., at 7 p.m.
Look for coverage of San Clemente at San Juan Hills on the South OC Sports social channels and sanclementetimes.com.
The Tritons (21-6, 6-1) had taken control of the league title race with a fourth-quarter surge to defend home court against the Stallions (22-5, 6-1) on Jan. 21. However, a shocking defeat at Aliso Niguel (8-17, 3-4) on Jan. 24 brought the two title contenders back to level.
San Clemente had doubled up Aliso Niguel at home, 62-31, on Jan. 10, but the suddenly hot Wolverines knocked off the league leaders at Aliso Niguel, 67-62.
The Tritons followed up with big home wins over Trabuco Hills, 58-40, last Friday, Jan. 27, and over Tesoro, 65-46, on Tuesday, Jan. 31. Gianna Melton led San Clemente over Trabuco Hills with 15 points on five 3-pointers, and Kiley Quillin scored 22 points over Tesoro.
Now, San Juan Hills hosts San Clemente on the final day of the regular season in a game that will determine the South Coast League champion and a top-four seed in the CIF-SS Division 2AA playoffs. San Clemente is ranked No. 3 in the division, and San Juan Hills is ranked No. 4.
CIF-SS playoff brackets will be released on Sunday, Feb. 5 with the first round next Thursday, Feb. 9.
Boys Soccer Sits Second in South Coast League
San Clemente boys soccer got the edge on second place in the South Coast League with a shutout of Mission Viejo, 2-0, on Monday, Jan. 30. Kai Trager and Jonah Levandofsky scored for the Tritons to support another clean sheet from goalkeeper Ryan Savoie, San Clemente’s sixth of the season.
The Tritons still had a shot at taking the South Coast League championship entering Monday, but Aliso Niguel (11-1-1, 6-1-1, 13 points) took care of Capistrano Valley, 5-1, in its season finale to clinch the league title.
San Clemente held a slim one-point lead over Mission Viejo in the league standings with one game to play. The Tritons played to a scoreless draw at San Juan Hills on Wednesday, Feb. 1, and Mission Viejo beat Capistrano Valley, 2-0.
San Clemente (8-3-8, 4-1-3, 11 points) and Mission Viejo (10-3-3, 5-2-1, 11 points) tied for second in the South Coast League. The Tritons own the tiebreaker edge thanks to Monday’s win over the Diablos.
CIF-SS playoff brackets will be released on Saturday, Feb. 4. The Tritons will open the playoffs on Thursday, Feb. 9.
Girls Water Polo Clinches Another League Championship
San Clemente girls water polo cemented its seventh season of domination on top of the South Coast League.
The Tritons haven’t lost a league game since 2016 and have at least a share of the South Coast League championship locked down with two games to play. San Clemente hosted Dana Hills on Wednesday, Feb. 1 and won, 13-17. The Tritons close the regular season at Trabuco Hills on Thursday, Feb. 2.
CIF-SS playoff brackets will be released on Saturday, Feb. 4. San Clemente, which has blown away its league competition but is unranked in Division 1, will likely open the CIF-SS playoffs on Wednesday, Feb. 8.
Boys Wrestling Hosts Division 3 Dual Tournament, Falls on Ninth Tiebreaker in Second Round
The San Clemente boys wrestling team put forth a scrappy performance on Saturday, Jan. 28, but the defending three-time CIF-SS dual meet champions couldn’t get through on their home floor.
The Tritons, hosting the Division 3 dual meet tournament, edged out a win over Laguna Hills, 40-33, in the first round, but San Clemente fell to No. 1 seed Trabuco Hills on the ninth tiebreaker following a 36-36 draw.
The ninth tiebreaker is the greater number of first-points scored, following tiebreakers relating to unsportsmanlike conduct, total number of matches won and total number of forfeits, falls or decisions.
The Triton boys will next wrestle in the CIF-SS Eastern Division individual tournament on Feb. 10-11 at Capistrano Valley High School.
The San Clemente girls wrestling program will grapple at the CIF-SS Southern Division individual tournament on Feb. 10-11 at Corona High School.
