BOYS' SOCCER NOTEBOOK: TAKE NOTICE: CRESPI FOR REAL.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

As the Crespi High of Encino boys' soccer players celebrated their 3-1 second-round upset of Thousand Oaks on Wednesday in the Southern Section Division II playoffs, Celts coach Rob Kodama spoke of the nickname he bestowed on his team three weeks ago.

``It's like I've been telling them,'' Kodama said. ``We're the team nobody noticed.''

The team has been noticed this week, though, as Crespi (12-9-5) extended its remarkable winning streak to six games, upsetting Dos Pueblos of Goleta and Thousand Oaks in the first two playoff rounds.

This after the Celts, anchored by UCLA-bound midfielder Taylor Canel and senior goalkeeper Peter Bomar, needed to win their final four Mission League games just to qualify for the playoffs as a No. 3 team.

But now the team nobody noticed will face a team known around the country. Crespi will host Woodbridge of Irvine (15-1-5), ranked No. 3 nationally by Student Sports Magazine and the defending Division II runner-up, in a quarterfinal game today.

``We know the reality is going into the quarterfinals that every remaining team is going to be great,'' Kodama said. ``We're just hoping we can keep playing our game, keep doing what is working.''

Crespi's defense was able to hold off Thousand Oaks for more than 65 minutes Wednesday and will need to do likewise to have any hope against Woodbridge, which won its first two playoff games by a combined 12-0.

--Title run ends: One year after winning the Division I co-championship and finishing with a 28-0-2 record, Quartz Hill lost to Marina of Huntington Beach 3-1 in the second round Wednesday, ending a turbulent season that started with a preseason No. 3 national ranking and included coach Andre Matalon's resignation in January.

Quartz Hill led 1-0 at halftime on a goal by senior Ryan Farber but came apart after that in windy conditions. The Rebels also were unable to win their fourth consecutive Golden League title this season and coach Tony Bruce said the playoff loss was hardest on his seniors.

``There's a lot of disappointment,'' said Bruce, who took over at midseason for Matalon. ``But they gave everything they had. You couldn't ask for anything more.''

Quartz Hill will lose senior midfielder Kiel McClung for next season, as well as a host of other members of the section championship team. But one person who plans to return is Bruce, a local club and Olympic Development coach.

--Eagles soar: Oak Park coach Chris Henderson can't figure it out. His team plays poorly and routs Santa Clarita Christian 5-0 in the first round. Then it plays almost perfectly, creating scoring opportunities, and escapes with a 3-1 overtime victory against St. Bernard of Playa Del Rey in a Division VI second-round game.

Either way, Oak Park (8-5-6) has reached the quarterfinals for the first time in more than a decade. The Eagles, who finished third in the Tri-Valley League, will host Thacher of Ojai on Friday.

Henderson said he received standout play Wednesday from freshman forward Brett Crouse, who played the second half filling in for Brandon Hunt, who is out with a dislocated shoulder. Oak Park also got its game-winning goal off a free kick from Cameron Adams.

--Wrong and right: Thousand Oaks coach Mark Tietjen said something Wednesday after his top-ranked area team was knocked out of the playoffs by Crespi that a lot of his counterparts could relate to this time of year.

``I always say to be a CIF champ a lot of things have to fall in place,'' Tietjen said. ``There's a lot more that can go wrong than can go right for you.''

Thousand Oaks' season included the first undefeated Marmonte League campaign in school history. The Lancers will lose seniors Kurtis Lindsey and Miguel Morales but have league-champion junior varsity and freshman/sophomore teams from which to pool for next year.

--Throw-ins: The Tri-Valley League advanced three teams into the quarterfinals, the only area league to do so. ... El Camino Real of Woodland Hills avenged one of its two West Valley League losses Wednesday with a 2-1 victory over Cleveland of Reseda in a City Section second- round game. ECR appears on a collision course to meet Grant of Van Nuys in the City semifinals Wednesday.