Knocking at the goal

Bryce Alderton

It may be too soon to worry, Newport Beach faithful.

The Newport Harbor High girls soccer team is off to an 0-4-1 start

this season, scoring only three goals. But beginnings can be

deceiving.

Last season, the Sailors began 0-4-1 and finished 13-7-4 en route

to the best postseason in the program’s history -- reaching the CIF

Southern Section Division II quarterfinals before losing to Crescenta

Valley, 1-0.

Gone are first-team All-Sea View League selections Tory Manchester

and Amy Ross and second-team choices Kristin Nahin and Lauren

Birchfield but sixth-year Newport Coach Jason Sorrell has 12

returners (eight seniors) to make another Sea View League run.

“We’ve been playing quite well but haven’t scored many goals yet,”

Sorrell said.

Newport had scored just once in its first four games, before a 3-2

loss to El Toro Thursday.

But Sorrell predicts the goals will soon come from a front line

that includes last year’s Parade Magazine All-American and Sea View

League Most Valuable Player Amy Burlingham, a senior forward. Last

month, Burlingham committed to Texas.

Joining Burlingham as forwards will be seniors Kate Younglove, a

second-team All-Sea View League selection last season, and Nichelle

McRorie, along with sophomore newcomer Jenny Taylor. Forward Amy

Klippert will join Newport’s front row as one of Sorrell’s three

freshmen.

Harbor’s defense features a wealth of talent, including sophomore

Erin Hardy a first-team all-league pick last season, senior Taryn

Flamson, a second-team all-leaguer, senior returner Andi Sarris,

senior goalkeeper Kara DeMille, junior returners Barbara Julian and

Haley Miller, as well as newcomers Shay Barton (junior) and sophomore

goalkeeper Lilja Addeman.

The midfield is stacked with talent as well, featuring senior

returners Trisha Orth and Sabrina Couch, junior newcomer Kerrie

Gates, who spent the fall helping the Sailors’ field hockey team to

the finals of the Tournament of Champions, sophomore returner Tayler

Giacomaro and two freshmen: Stephanie Lambrakis and Crystal Wright.

Burlingham and Younglove have missed three games due to recruiting

trips, Sorrell said. He has received strong performances from those

in their places.

Sorrell said Wright and Klippert have started and played well.

“They’re doing extremely well and have shown a lot of enthusiasm

and effort,” Sorrell said.

Newport’s defense has held up well considering Hardy is the only

returner from a year ago.

“We’re in a transition period where we have to get used to the new

girls, but we have a lot of talent we’re putting together,” Sorrell

said. “You’ve got a different mix of kids from all these club teams

and they have to change the way they fit into the system.”

The Sailors play in Division I this season and Sorrell expects a

balanced Sea View League.

His short-term goal is to “do well” in league, and then see where

the season takes the Sailors.

“Woodbridge is very strong, Aliso (Niguel) is in transition and

Irvine is doing really well,” he said. “Woodbridge and Aliso Niguel

were ranked No. 5 and No. 6 in CIF Southern Section Division I last

week.

Sorrell keeps trying to improve a program that went from 2-12-2

just three years ago, to winning its first CIF playoff game in 2001,

before last year’s CIF quarterfinal appearance.

“We’ve been taking it up a notch every year,” Sorrell said.

“Fortunately we have a good incoming freshman class like we did last

year with Hardy and Giacomaro. It will be interesting to see how

things pan out.”