GIRLS' SOCCER: H.-W. WINNING IN TRANSITION WOLVERINES ON TOP DESPITE LOSS OF KEY PLAYERS.

Byline: ERIK BOAL Special to the Daily News

They heard all the whispers about how this was finally going to be the year.

The season the Harvard-Westlake of Studio City girls' soccer team would finally come back to the pack in the Mission League.

The campaign when the Wolverines' unbeaten league streak would come to an end and another team would capture the championship.

After all, Harvard-Westlake no longer had Bridget Ballard (Brown University), Ali Riley (Stanford) and Caryn Rosoff (Washington University), three central figures in the team's run to last year's Southern Section Div. I final.

The Wolverines were playing arguably the toughest schedule in program history, including appearances in the Aliso Cup and Excalibur tournament.

And they were relying on a roster that featured almost as many freshmen (three) as seniors (four).

``Those types of statements just make us more pumped up,'' senior defender Lizzy Danhakl said.

``The good thing about this team is that each game we take it a step at a time and we do what we do best. We try to remain really positive on the field and keep our heads up and never let down.''

After their toughest league game of the season, a 2-2 tie Monday night at Flintridge Sacred Heart of La Canada Flintridge, the cheers emanating from the Wolverines' bus followed by the chants of ``Harvard, Harvard'' served as an exuberant response from Danhakl and her teammates to all their critics.

Although it took a goal in injury time by Erin Kristovich to make it a reality, Harvard-Westlake had extended its league unbeaten streak to 18 consecutive games, and, more importantly, its run of league titles to six in a row.

``It's nice to win the league in a year considered to be a transition year,'' said Harvard-Westlake coach Richard Simms, whose team clinched an outright championship with Monday's tie and Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks (14-4-5, 5-2-2) playing Louisville of Woodland Hills (5-9-8, 2-3-4) to a 1-1 draw.

``By no means have we won it easy, because there's a lot of good teams in the league this year. But we've won it going away. And to be able to possibly duplicate what last year's team did (reaching 17 points) would be a great accomplishment. We definitely have something to play for Wednesday (against Alemany of Mission Hills). We want to finish (without a loss).''

After opening league play with back-to-back scoreless ties against Notre Dame and Louisville, even the usually optimistic Simms expressed doubts whether the Wolverines (13-7-5, 6-0-3) would be able to generate enough offense to capture a sixth consecutive title, a run of success currently matched only by El Camino Real of Woodland Hills in the West Valley League among local teams.

But the leadership of Danhakl and fellow seniors Katharine Hacking, Shannon Hart and Emily Helpern never wavered, and with each game came a different player rising to the occasion to score or contribute to a clutch goal.

The Wolverines were forced to come from behind three times in the past seven games, winning at Alemany and Chaminade of West Hills before rallying for another point on the road Monday.

``It's an interesting paradox. They have the fear of losing, but they also have the confidence in their own abilities to get the job done,'' said Simms, who has had eightplayers score goals in league, with Coco Weaver adding her name to the list Monday.

``My team is unbelievably motivated. They're desperate to overachieve.''

Fortunately for Harvard-Westlake, the desperation has never led to panic.

Despite losing several players to injuries in the past month, most notably midfielders Allison Griffin (bruised knee) and Kerry Kuwata (broken nose), the Wolverines have never made excuses, always looking at the absence of one player as the opportunity for another to gain valuable experience.

``We have a good, united group,'' said Hart, who leads the team with nine goals. ``(Even with the injuries) we're sticking it out and doing whatever it takes to get good results.''

Freshmen Haley-Jaye Boysen and Donilyn-Hunter Sallustio have demonstrated maturity on offense, and the efforts of defenders Danhakl, Mary Amato, Maddie Lenard and Katie Shelly have been instrumental in sophomore goalkeeper Clara Jaques recording five shutouts and allowing only fivegoals the past nine games.

``We really believe in ourselves this season,'' junior midfielder Jenna Marine said. ``We have confidence in our own abilities and each other.

``And we have so many good players that we're not dependent on just one player.''

Although Marine and most of her teammates began their careers with Stacy Schwartz as their coach, they've thrived under Simms, who led the Wolverines as an unseeded entry to the Div. I championship game last season and managed to navigate the team to a 7-7-2 nonleague record, despite playing with a different starting lineup every game.

``He's getting them to play,'' Chaminade coach Tracy Powell said. ``They believe in what the program was and they believe in him and where he's taken them, and when you have that, you're going to win the tough games.''

Although Kristovich's heroics didn't produce a victory Monday, her goal did add to the Wolverines' legacy, a league record that stands at an impressive 43-3-13 the pastsix seasons.

``We were out to prove this season that we're still as strong as we were,'' she said. ``No matter what people said about us, we wanted to prove we can win league, just like we did the past five years.''

[e-mail]

[phone]

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

BOYS

Camilo Rojas, Canoga Park, Sr.

Soccer

The Cal State Northridge-bound forward has scored 14 goals in his past fourgames, including seven goals and two assists in Canoga Park's twovictories last week. His five hat tricks in league play are part of Rojas' team-high 27 goals.

GIRLS

Tiffany Hurd, Moorpark, Sr.

Basketball

Hurd scored a season-high 33points Saturday in Moorpark's 68-43 victory over Marmonte League rival Newbury Park. Her performance helped end Newbury Park's 28-game league winning streak, which dated to Feb. 4, 2005.

UP & COMER

Heather Haney, Royal, Fr.

Soccer

With Nicole Padilla sidelined with a broken finger, Haney came through with an impressive performance in goal in Friday's 2-1 Marmonte League victory over Westlake, recording five saves, including a point-blank stop on a shot by Kylie McDonald in the final 30 seconds. Haney has contributed to the Highlanders' 11 shutouts, in addition to complementing a defense that has allowed only nine goals in 18 games.

TRIVIAL MATTERS

It's no secret who is the top scorer in the City Section. That distinction belongs to Poly of Sun Valley standout DJ Gay, who has averaged 30 points for the Parrots in 23 games, according to maxpreps.com. Who has the second best scoring average in the City Section? Fairfax of Los Angeles forward Chase Stanback, who has averaged 27 points in 21 games this season.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, 7 boxes

Photo:

(1) Harvard-Westlake girls' soccer standouts, from left, Katie Shelly, Maddie Lenard, Clara Jaques, Mary Amato and Lizzy Danhakl have helped lead the Wolverines to their sixth consecutive Mission League title.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

(2) Camillo Rojas

(3) Tiffany Hurd

Box:

(1) ATHLETES OF THE WEEK (see text)

(2) UP & COMER (see text)

(3) TRIVIAL MATTERS (see text)

(4) THEY SAID IT

(5) OTHER TOP PERFORMERS

(6) STREAKING

(7) DAY PLANNER