CABRIALES EARNING HER OWN STAR PRESSURE DOESN'T BOTHER QUARTZ HILL'S BEST SCORING THREAT.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

VALENCIA - At times, the pressure on Shauna Cabriales has been overwhelming.

Last season, after making the Quartz Hill girls' soccer team as a freshman, she felt she had to prove she belonged on the team, that she didn't just make the cut because older sister Andrea was one of the team's star players.

This year, Cabriales is under even more pressure. She's replaced Kellie Cox - one of the better athletes in the school's history - as the team's primary scoring threat.

Cabriales has learned to cope. She no longer thinks about playing up to Cox and quietly has emerged as a star in her own right. She leads the Rebels with 13 goals and has four assists. Her emergence helped Quartz Hill (14-5-1) win its fifth consecutive Golden League title.

The Rebels are hoping Cabriales can be equally productive in the postseason. Quartz Hill plays host to Los Alamitos in an opening-round Southern Section Division I playoff game at 3 today.

Cabriales has grown more comfortable in her position as the go-to player. However, replacing Cox was the source of anxiety.

``I was thinking about it even before tryouts,'' Cabriales said. ``Kellie was a really good player and I was like: `I have to be another her'. It was kind of scary.''

And the pressure she'd experienced trying to prove she belonged as the team's only freshman last year didn't compare to what she went through earlier this season.

``It was a lot of pressure on me,'' she said. ``It was kind of like everyone was putting the team on me, like I have to score all the goals like Kellie did.''

Cabriales said her experience as a freshman helped her handle the pressure. Her ability to deal with it all has impressed teammates.

``I think she's handled it really well,'' sophomore striker Michelle McGovern said. ``Being that Kellie Cox was really good last year (Cabriales) had to adjust. She's helped me out too. I was really nervous in beginning of the year, and she helped me adjust also.''

Quartz Hill coach Maury Cauchon has tried to take some of the pressure off Cabriales by employing a short passing game designed to get the ball to open players, kind of like soccer's equivalent to the triangle offense.

Cabriales has fit into the system nicely.

``She's not a selfish player,'' Cauchon said. ``If she doesn't have a shot she'll assist someone else.

Like Cox, Cabriales is a talented athlete. She played on the junior varsity softball team last year and was called up to the varsity volleyball team in the fall for the Southern Section playoffs. She's been playing organized soccer since she was 7.

Her speed, skill, athleticism, and unselfishness also are reminiscent of Cox, though she's not as dominant as her predecessor. At least not yet.

``When she gets to her senior year I think she could be just as awesome as Kellie was,'' senior midfielder Laura Weiss said. ``She has a lot of heart and she has a lot of drive. She tries really hard.''

Cabriales has learned that she doesn't need to put any extra pressure on herself, and that her team doesn't need her to be another Cox.

``I couldn't really do that,'' Cabriales said. ``She was a really awesome player and I don't think she can be replaced. You can be like her, but you can't be exactly like her.''

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(color) Shauna Cabriales of Quartz Hill High has emerged as a standout in her second season with the Rebels.

Julio Cortez/Daily News