Kodama Grooms Crespi for Opener

Pressure usually builds as a season progresses, but Crespi High gets a stiff dose of it in its opening boys’ soccer game today.

The Celts, who play defending Golden League champion Palmdale in the Burroughs tournament, must win to avoid having to play their second-round game on the wedding date of Coach Rob Kodama.

If Crespi wins today, it plays again Friday. If the Celts lose, they are scheduled to play at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Kodama’s wedding commences at 11 a.m. Saturday in Granada Hills.

Kodama, 27, is the brother of Mike Kodama, the Burroughs boys’ soccer coach and the tournament director. Mike will have no conflict since his team plays Westlake at 6 p.m. Saturday.

“I figured since my brother’s running the tournament, he’d pull some strings,” Kodama said with a laugh. “It’s just one of those things you deal with.”

Kodama said the nine seniors on Crespi’s team will be among 200 guests at the wedding if the Celts win today. If they lose, no dice.

“My guys have been really good about it,” Kodama said. “This is a real special group. They were freshmen my first year at Crespi and we have a special bond. I don’t know that I’d be comfortable leaving another group alone.”

Goalkeeper Chris Merritt, a four-year starter, said the Celts are determined to win today.

“For a lot of us, Coach Kodama is like a second father,” Merritt said. “He teaches us a lot about soccer, but just as much about life. He really dedicates himself to us.”

Kodama said his fiancee, Cami Tubbs, 25, has been understanding of the situation. Tubbs played soccer at Alemany High, Occidental, Moorpark College and Cal State Northridge.

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Chris James, the Hart senior who was critically burned last week during a school science project, was expected to be one of the Indians’ top players this season.

Robert Benevidez, who was not rehired as coach after last season, said James has the inner strength to make a full recovery.

“I expect Chris to overcome this,” said Benevidez, a former Hart player who became coach in 1989. “He’s a tough kid, physically and mentally. If things weren’t going his way, he’d continue to battle.”

James scored several crucial goals last season to help Hart return to the playoffs after a two-year absence.

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At Palmdale, former boys’ coach Claudia Cline has taken over the girls’ program, in which her daughter, April Cline, is a freshman goalkeeper.

Cline coached the boys’ team to three Golden League titles in her four seasons.

She said leaving the program was gut-wrenching.

“It was a terrible decision and if I could have done both, I would have,” Cline said. “I watch [the boys] all the time and worry about them.”

Cline said she was concerned how her regimented style would be received by the girls. But the players seem to have made the adjustment.

“People said, ‘Oh, those girls will cry the minute you get on them,’ but they actually seem to welcome it,” Cline said.

“They weren’t used to someone telling them they had to show up for conditioning and practices.”

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The Chaminade girls’ team will be down to its fourth-string goalkeeper today when the Eagles host Monrovia in their opener, Coach Mike Evans said.

Evans, whose team is two-time defending Division III champion, said goalkeepers Sara Leibowitz and Katie Thomas are out because of injuries.

Leibowitz hurt her ankle last weekend in a club tournament and Thomas has been out nearly a month because of a knee injury.

Jennifer Speer, the junior varsity goalkeeper, is recovering from an illness, leaving freshman Candice Rodello in goal for Chaminade.

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The Top 5

Rankings of soccer teams from the region

BOYS

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RK School (League) 1 Reseda (Valley Pac-8) 2 Royal (Marmonte) 3 Harvard-Westlake (Mission) 4 El Camino Real (Northwest Valley) 5 Birmingham (Northwest Valley)

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GIRLS

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RK School (League) 1 Chaminade (Mission) 2 Westlake (Marmonte) 3 Buena (Channel) 4 Hart (Foothill) 5 Chatsworth (Coast/Valley)

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