SOCCER BEAT GIRLS C-H-E-E-R-S TO MOM.

Byline: Chris Cocoles, Ross Siler Staff Writers

Breana Simpson tried the cheerleading thing her freshman year at Viewpoint of Calabasas. It didn't last long, and now she's a senior defender for the Patriots' soccer team. Her mom understood. Danone Simpson was once a member of arguably the world's most famous cheerleaders: the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

``I think cheerleading is something that (requires being very) extroverted and Breana is a little shy,'' Danone Simpson said. ``But I think my daughter could be an amazing performer.''

Danone, who also was an actress and played a recurring minor role on the hit television show ``Dallas,'' cheered on the Cowboys 1979-80.

``When (the Cowboys) had tryouts my mom was one of the first girls to get picked. She was never a cheerleader before,'' Breana Simpson said. ``She did it on her own. And now she's a successful (insurance consultant). She's an inspiration to me.''

The Simpsons have plenty in common. Danone has spent much of the past 10 years running projects ranging from the Calabasas Pumpkin Festival to fund raising for AIDS patients. Her daughter appears to have a knack for it, too.

Breana plans the school dances at Viewpoint and staged a charity event on campus for Para Los Ninos, an organization that helps keep troubled teenagers off the streets.

``She's really following in my footsteps there,'' Danone said. ``I'm very proud of those skills that she has. She's really spectacular in event organization.''

And Breana has some of her mom's pompon genes, as well.

``I'm more into the playing of sports than cheering for them. (But) I'm kind of the cheerleader of the soccer team,'' Breana said. ``I'm always the one yelling and encouraging my teammates the loudest.''

SHE CAN PLAY DEFENSE, TOO

Lindsey Redlin has made opposing fullbacks and goalkeepers miserable with her offensive abilities throughout an outstanding career at Chatsworth. But Redlin's biggest strength might be the senior's ability to play defense. She'll show that ability next season when she moves on to Pepperdine.

``She's a great defender. I've never needed her back there,'' Chancellors coach Robert Hayes said. ``She is without a doubt the best defender out there, but she doesn't play it. Because if she plays defense, then who scores?''

Redlin topped 100 career goals this season and figures to make the All- City Section team for a fourth consecutive year.

Redlin has made a name for herself avoiding defenders. She'll learn from her own play as much as from others. Her coach expects her to score plenty of goals playing defense for the Waves.

``She has a knack for everything,'' Hayes said. ``You should watch her tracking the ball. Someone must have taught her not to dive in. It's like a thief in basketball who knows when to steal the ball. She knows when to take it away.''

WOLVERINES USE THE SCHWARTZ

When Zack Schwartz, a recent Dartmouth College graduate, joined the Harvard-Westlake of Studio City coaching staff, it only seemed natural. The family has a history with the Wolverines' soccer program.

Zach's sister Stacy is in her second season as Harvard-Westlake's head coach after assisting former head coach Ned Smith. One of his previous assistants was Zach's and Stacy's sister, Cari. All three played at Harvard-Westlake and went on to fine college careers: Zach at Dartmouth, Stacy at Boston University and Cari at UC San Diego.

Now Team Schwartz, along with fellow assistant coach Aaron Benditson, will try to lead the No. 1 Wolverines to a third consecutive Southern Section title. They were Division IV co-champions the past two seasons and have moved up to Division I.

``It's something we thought about last year and it made for good timing,'' Zach Schwartz said. ``We wanted to do it, and we work well together. I've worked with these girls for the past couple years on an unofficial basis, and it's fun to be around them for the whole season. It's a great group of girls.''

POSTEASON PROGNOSIS

Here's a look at some league championship updates:

--Foothill: Canyon, despite being shocked by Hart of Newhall to end its perfect season, clinched a second consecutive league championship. The Cowboys will be one of the favorites in Southern Section Division II. Valencia has missed star defender Leah Shelton (knee injury) but is capable of lasting a couple of rounds in the playoffs. Saugus, even with several injuries, has been a disappointment and needed a victory over Valencia to bounce Hart from a playoff berth.

--Golden: Nothing new here. Quartz Hill and Highland playing Thursday night with the league championship on the line. Palmdale will make the playoffs for a second consecutive season.

--Mission: Harvard-Westlake of Studio City was less than a minute away from winning the league on its own. But arch-rival Chaminade of West Hills scored the equalizing goal and held on for an overtime tie to claim a share of the league title. Flintridge Sacred Heart of La Canada is postseason bound but will have a difficult Division I first-round game.

--Marmonte: Westlake cruised to its fifth consecutive championship. The rest of the playoff scenario is typically jumbled. Moorpark, Royal of Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks have been in contention.

--Pacific: Same old story for Crescenta Valley of La Crescenta. The Falcons haven't been able to beat rival Arcadia. But another Division II postseason run could be in C.V.'s future.

BOYS

SULTAN OF SCORING

Most area soccer fans probably haven't heard of Desert Christian of Lancaster senior striker Adam Sultan. His school, after all, has 420 students in grades 9-12. But the number of goals Sultan has scored this season should grab one's attention.

Sultan, the area's leading scorer, has found the net 32 times for the Knights, who are ranked fifth in the latest Southern Section Division VI poll with a 14-1-1 record and are undefeated in the High Desert League.

Even before this season Sultan had his name atop the school's all-time career scoring list. He scored 32 goals last season (a figure he should break in this year's playoffs) and has 89 in his three-year career at Desert Christian. And he keeps track of every one.

``I used to go into every game thinking I needed to score for us to win,'' Sultan said. ``Now I go in thinking I want to win the balls and communicate with my teammates on the field. The goals have just happened.''

Fellow senior Stephen Seston also has scored more than 20 goals this season. Together they have Desert Christian talking about winning its first section championship. The team lost in the second round last year.

``My senior class, we all play club soccer together, and we have a lot of experience,'' said Sultan, who has attended Desert Christian since preschool. ``I think we have a good chance at (the championship) just because of our experience.''

First-year coach Jon Spencer is the school's fourth coach in four years. But he is eminently qualified. A former Desert Christian player, Spencer went on to start at forward for UC Irvine and trained last season with the Kansas City Wizards.

Sultan said his new coach's experience has been invaluable.

``We relate really well,'' said Sultan, who hopes to play at The Master's College or San Francisco State this fall. ``He shows me everything he knows, and he knows what I go through. He trains with us. He knows the game. He's the best coach Desert Christian's ever had.''

Desert Christian's only loss this season came 5-1 last week to Paraclete of Lancaster, which is ranked in the Division V top 10. Sultan, meanwhile, hopes his success, as well as his team's, will show others that quality soccer is being played at the small-school level.

``The big schools like Quartz Hill have made a name for themselves,'' Sultan said. ``College coaches automatically think they have the best players. But there are some players here who, skillwise, are just as good or even better.''

CRUNCH TIME FOR CALABASAS

Before joining the Marmonte League this season, Calabasas made the playoffs 12 consecutive years out of the old Frontier League. The Coyotes are poised to qualify for the postseason again, but it has not been easy in their new home. Entering the final round of league games, Calabasas (11-5-7, 7-2-4) held on to third place in the league, bringing with it an automatic berth to the Southern Section Division II playoffs, by a point over Agoura. Calabasas also trailed second-place Royal of Simi Valley by a point.

``It's really been tough,'' Calabasas coach John Reich said. ``One of my new experiences is that every game seems to get bigger. We've already played our game of the year three times, and now we've got a do-or-die game (last Thursday) against Westlake.''

Even if Calabasas should finish behind Agoura (which won 7-0 over Newbury Park on Wednesday), the Coyotes expect to make the playoffs as one of the section's two at-large berths when pairings are determined Saturday.

Calabasas also has succeeded despite missing several key players because of injury. Senior goalkeeper Mike Rudow broke his arm playing football and didn't start until January. Senior forward Alex Rosenblum has missed three weeks with an ankle injury.

``Not once this season have I had all 11 of my top guys practice, let alone play in a game together,'' Reich said. ``But we've had a lot of different players carry the load, and we've done well without those kids.''

Junior Ben Van de Fluit has played seven positions as a result of the injuries, Reich said. Calabasas also has received strong play on defense from senior Andrew Inagaki.

WINTER STORM 2003

INTO THE MIRE

Mistakenly thinking all Marmonte teams had to play Wednesday, Agoura coach Andrew Staiano didn't postpone his regular-season finale against Newbury Park. With a steady rain falling, though, Staiano did have to modify his pregame instructions.

``It was the only time all season I encouraged them to play down the middle,'' Staiano said. ``That was where the mud was and the ball would sort of skip there, instead of just dying in the puddles of rain on the sidelines.''

Agoura won 7-0 in front of 40 fans, and Staiano described the game as ``not soccer.'' Reserve Taylor Smythe and sweeper Mike Chin each scored rare goals.

It also was a milestone moment, despite being a miserable day. Agoura almost certainly will make the playoffs for the first time since joining the league 12 years ago.

Once he dried off, Staiano said he was happy to have played. The Chargers (17-5-3, 8-3-3) were able to put pressure on Royal of Simi Valley and Calabasas as the three teams chase two automatic playoff spots. But they all could end up tied if Calabasas ties and Royal loses.

WEATHER WATCHING

The rain Wednesday not only caused havoc, it also delayed history for two teams.

Loyola of Los Angeles' game against Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks, which could have left the Cubs the first team in recent history to go undefeated in Mission League play, had to be postponed until Thursday at St. Francis of La Canada. Also, top-ranked Thousand Oaks could have finished its Marmonte season undefeated with a victory against Royal of Simi Valley. The Lancers are 10-0-3 in league play, but their game was postponed to today.

Rain also forced the cancellation of games in the Golden League, where Lancaster trailed Palmdale by one point for third place and a spot in the Division I playoffs. There was fear the league would have to end its regular season two games early as a result of the conditions.

``We got a message from Quartz Hill at about noon that their field was completely under water,'' Palmdale coach Jeremy Kriss said Wednesday. ``And every field at our school is either under water or unplayable.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1) Breana Simpson, right, enjoy being on the field more than on the sidelines, as was her mother, Danone, left, who formerly was a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer

(2) Adam Sultan is hoping to take Desert Christian to higher ground this season.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) DAILY NEWS TOP 10

(2) SEVEN-DAY FORECAST