AYSO'S BLAST FOCUSING ON GOAL : SOCCER TEAM'S SUCCESS MEASURED BY MORE THAN FORWARD PROGRESS.

Byline: Lee Barnathan Daily News Staff Writer

Last December, the Blast, a Canyon Country AYSO girls' Division 5 all-star team of 9- and 10-year-olds, soundly defeated a Santa Barbara team, 5-0, in its first tournament of the season.

When the teams met later in the tournament, Santa Barbara had adjusted, using a 10-player defense as a wall near its goal. It won 1-0 on a late penalty kick.

Blast coach Ted Deckers realized that the players needed to learn that the fastest way to the goal isn't always the easiest. Sometimes, players have to be patient, move the ball forward, backward and sideways to create openings in opposing defenses.

The team learned its lesson. Since that tournament, the Blast has gone 21-0-3 and won four tournaments, including the Area 10C and Section 10 titles. It will begin play in the four-team trisectional tournament at 9:15 a.m. Sunday in Whittier. The team will play for third place or the championship at 1 p.m.

Another Canyon Country girls' team, the Division 4 Galaxy, also is participating in a trisectional tournament in Whittier. It will play Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

All 15 Blast members have scored a goal, led by Kelly Tarver's 19. Midfielders McKenzie Hill (eight goals, eight assists) and Laura Brown (seven goals, nine assists) have helped stabilize the middle and open up the passing lanes. The defense, led by sweeper Briana Caceres, has recorded 20 shutouts.

``This team listens and knows how to play the game right,'' Deckers said. ``They're patient.''

The Galaxy is a regular-season AYSO region 677 team of 11- and 12-year-olds. Since forming last fall, the team is 22-0, having won the region, area and section titles.

Not bad for a squad that almost didn't have a coach. When the region held its draft, it still needed someone to lead the team. Sheldon Summers was called, and he drafted the players.

He assembled quite a group. Using a rare lineup of six defenders, two midfielders and two forwards, midfielder Shari Summers has scored 24 goals; midfielder Moira O'Connell, 23; and forward Natalie Escobar, 16. Ten of the 12 players have scored at least once, and the defense, led by sweeper Stacey Leanard, has eight shutouts.

``It's worked real well,'' co-coach Bob O'Connell said of the lineup. ``Moira and Shari have played together for years. They work the ball up. . . . We kind of control the middle.''

The team received some coaching from a couple of high school freshmen, Sean Summers of Valencia and Chris Patella of Canyon, who have helped the team learn fundamentals. Summers was on the Valencia varsity, and Patella played on the junior varsity.

Patella and Summers said they taught the girls the same passing, shooting and dribbling drills they do with their teams. Patella added the rewards have been pleasant and unexpected. In fact, he is giving thought to one day becoming a coach.

``It's more fun than what I thought coaching 11-year-old girls would be,'' Patella said.

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Photo: Blast player Laura Brown (seven goals, nine assists) has helped stabilize the middle and open up the passing lanes.

Tom Mendoza/Daily News