SOCCER: Griffins start state playoffs with 2-0 win over Villa Park

Shaking off a tough loss in last Saturday’s CIF Championship match,
the Los Alamitos Girls Soccer team capitalized on the chance for revenge and downed Villa Park 2-0 in the State CIF SoCal Regional Tournament action on Tuesday.

The Griffins, seeded No 2 scored early on the No. 7 seed Spartans, with Tabi LaParl taking a through pass from holding midfielder Leila Hijazi and putting it away in the 15th minute. It was LaParl’s 31st goal of the season, extending her own Los Al all-time record. It was also the 54th of her career, also a Los Al record.

One hour later, in the 75th minute, sophomore Colby Barnett took a cross from freshman Teryn Newkirk and beat the keeper to make it 2-0. Newkirk had a chance to make it 3-0 a few minutes later when she found herself with a wide open sitter ten yards out, but she hit it high.

For the Griffins it was revenge of sorts, as Villa Park had tied the Griffins in the Mater Dei tournament. Now Los Al will face a team who also has revenge on its mind. Harvard-Westlake, which fell to Los Al 3-0 in the Section semi-finals, defeated Carlsbad 3-2 in overtime and will now travel from Studio City to Los Alamitos on Thursday.

In other State Division I matches, No. 1 seed JSerra downed San Luis Obispo 3-0, and Our Lady of Peace (San Diego) defeated LA City champ
Granada Hills 6-0. The winners will meet at JSerra on Thursday.

• Los Alamitos girls soccer finds way past Villa Park, advances to Division I regional semifinals (OC Register )