Sacred Heart (19-1-2) will get its first-ever chance to win a coveted CIF Section title when it squares off with San Clemente (19-2-7) for the Southern Section Division I title at 7:30 p.m. today at Mission Viejo High.
Zeenni, a defender, indicated that the Division I championship represents the crown jewel, so to speak, of the aforementioned triple crown.
"Especially because we're D-I this year, so if we win that we are the best team in Southern California," said Zeenni, whose team was eliminated in the Division II semifinals last season. "Since we already won league, that's already behind us and state, since we won it last year, is not as big. But CIF is definitely at the top of the list."
The edge in finals experience goes to top-seeded San Clemente, which boasts 11 seniors and has been a Division I finalist three years in a row. But, having knocked off No. 2 seed Esperanza — the same team that beat San Clemente for the championship last year — in the semifinals on Tuesday, Sacred Heart has shown it can play with anyone in Division I.
Before outlasting the Aztecs, 1-0, in overtime, the Tologs dispatched Foothill, Aliso Niguel and Tesoro. The Tritons' playoff path took them through Orange Lutheran, Yucaipa and Corona del Mar before Tuesday's 2-2 (4-2) win over Santa Margarita in the semis.
"I would guess they're not going to take us lightly. …You don't go through Aliso, Tesoro and Esperanza by mistake," Tologs co-Coach Frank Pace said. "They beat Santa Margarita. Santa Margarita beat [Mission League rival] Harvard-Westlake, 4-0. We lost to Harvard-Westlake and tied them. That tells me something."
