MIDDLETOWN — The Middletown Mustangs are thrilled to be seeded No. 3 in this year”s North Coast Section Division III girls” soccer playoffs and even more thrilled not to be in the same half of the bracket as No. 1 seed Sonoma Academy.
“We faced them the last two years and that”s a tough way to end your season,” Middletown coach Louise Owens said of playoff losses to Sonoma Academy in last year”s semifinals and in the 2007 quarterfinals.
While No. 2 seed St. Vincent handed Middletown its only loss this season, 2-0 on Sept. 17 in Middletown, Owens said her squad is more familiar with the Mustangs, who face Middletown every year during North Central League I interlock play.
“St. Vincent is not much easier (than Sonoma Academy), but we”ve played them once already and we played pretty well against them,” Owens said.
Middletown and St. Vincent (14-1) would meet in this year”s semifinals if they both win quarterfinal-round games on Saturday. Middletown hosts St. Helena (10-8-3) at 7 p.m. at Middletown High School while St. Vincent plays Roseland Prep (12-4-2) at 7 p.m. at Rancho Cotate High School in Rohnert Park.
On the other side of the bracket, the quarterfinal round on Saturday features Sonoma Academy (16-2) against Calistoga (8-5-2) at 7 p.m. at 2 p.m. Sonoma Academy High School, and Clear Lake (10-10-3) against No. 4 Ferndale (7-7-1) at 7 p.m. at Fortuna High School. Clear Lake beat Fort Bragg in a first-round game on Wednesday night in Fort Bragg (see story below).
Quarterfinal winners advance to the semifinal round next Wednesday. The championship game is a week from Saturday.
Middletown”s No. 3 seeding is the school”s best ever in postseason competition, according to Owens, who guided the Mustangs to a school-best 16-1 regular-season record.
“We need to take care of business,” Owens said with an eye toward Saturday”s game against St. Helena. “Rain may be in the forecast, so we”ll have to deal with that.”
Sophomore midfielder Natalie Diaz is expected to return to the lineup Saturday, a big boost for the Mustangs.
“As much as we can have her on the field we will,” Owens said of Diaz, who is recovering from an injury. “She scored two goals in the first six minutes the last time she played. Psychologically just having her back is a boost for the team.”
Middletown won this year”s North Central League I North title with an 8-0 mark. Under Owens” direction, the Mustangs have claimed some share of three of the last four North championships, but they haven”t yet qualified for the NCS finals, something Owens hopes they can accomplish this season.
“Wouldn”t that be great?” she said.
