The teams from Bellarmine-Jefferson and Providence will try and follow suit and make a run at the playoffs.
With the season set to open next week, here is a closer look at how the local teams are shaping up.
BURBANK
The Bulldogs (17-6) finished third in the Pacific League last season and won the program’s first-ever CIF Southern Section playoff match, defeating Don Lugo, 1-0, in a Division I contest.
With most of his team back this season, Phan said things look promising for the Bulldogs.
“I think we have a nice mixture of veteran players and new freshmen who we’ve picked up,” Phan said. “For once, we should have some depth on our bench, and those girls will be battling to get playoff time.”
The Bulldogs did lose their top scorer, Kristina Amela, to graduation. Amela, a first-team All-Area selection, had 22 goals and 11 assists.
Junior forward Anabel Gonzalez is returning, however. The second-team All-Pacific League and All-Area player had 16 goals and six assists.
Another key returner is senior defender Alyssa Meredith, a first-team all-league and second-team All-Area standout who helped lead the team to 11 shutouts a year ago, and junior midfielder Alexandra Amela.
Phan will also rely on senior midfielders Natalie Burns and Ashley Ortiz to provide leadership in the middle, and junior defender Kaila Eugenio to provide stability in the back.
Returning senior Jennifer Seip will be in goal — for now.
“We have a freshman, Katie Hooper, who is a very good goalie,” Phan said. “If we can work Katie in and have her be our goalie, we can move Seip to defense, and that would give us depth at defense.”
