2009 Girls’ Soccer Preview:

GLENDALE — After ultra-successful runs to respective league titles and CIF playoff prominence, the area’s top two girls’ soccer programs — Crescenta Valley High and Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy — both find themselves in similar positions entering the 2009-10 campaign.

Both lost stellar seniors to graduation, but both return teams brimming with talent.

Thus, as questions abound as they always do at the season’s onset, the burning quandary is whether the Tologs and Falcons can duplicate or perhaps even surpass last season’s success.

For Crescenta Valley, the biggest hiccup will be overcoming injury and uncertainty, while Sacred Heart searches for new leadership.

As for the rest of the local programs, Flintridge Prep, the other squad from the area to achieve postseason status last season, looks to get back to the playoffs despite a borderline unbelievable string of bad luck entering this season. Holy Family will look to reestablish itself as a top-three squad in the Horizon League and Glendale and Hoover each hope to continue building their respective programs up.

Having won the program’s first-ever Mission League title, the Tologs’ biggest obstacle looks to be overcoming the leadership void left by departed standouts such as Sinead Fleming and Pip Harragin – both of them All-CIF selections a season ago.

“I’m totally concerned about leadership,” said Sacred Heart co-Coach Frank Pace, who, along with Kathy Desmond, guided the Tologs to the No. 1 seed in the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs, where they fell in the second round to eventual champion Saugus. “Last year’s team had been molded over two or three years. We lost significant leadership and maturity.”

This year’s team boasts its fair share of firepower, however, and an All-CIF defensive standout in the speedy Natalie Zeenni. Zeenni is one of myriad All-Area and All-Mission League honorees that are back for the reigning league champs.

Goalie Dominique Oro, last season’s league goalie of the year, will be looked on not just for stellar net play, but for senior leadership.

Sophomores Katie Johnson and Breeana Koemans return up top, while midfield standout Tera Trujillo also highlights a stellar sophomore class.