Esual Mendoza

The longest summer of Esaul Mendoza's life wouldn't have been nearly so long if getting into college was as simple as scoring goals. But Mendoza, who scored a county-high 47 goals last season for Estancia High, found the Vanguard University admissions department tougher to beat than any goalkeeper he faced in high school. With the first class just two days away and the Vanguard soccer season already in progress, Orange County's reigning scoring champion was ready to accept defeat.

The longest summer of Esaul Mendoza's life wouldn't have been nearly so long if getting into college was as simple as scoring goals. But Mendoza, who scored a county-high 47 goals last season for Estancia High, found the Vanguard University admissions department tougher to beat than any goalkeeper he faced in high school. With the first class just two days away and the Vanguard soccer season already in progress, Orange County's reigning scoring champion was ready to accept defeat.

Estancia (19-1-1) vs. Torrance Bishop Montgomery (21-2-3) 10 TODAY LA MIRADA HIGH Second-seeded Estancia has outscored its opponents, 24-3, in reaching the Division IV title game--its first final appearance since winning the 3-A title in 1985. Esual Mendoza has nine goals in the playoffs, but top-seeded Bishop Montgomery has shut down big-time scorers before. The Knights held Irvine's Matt Taylor (38 goals) to a goal.

Mater Dei Coach Martin Stringer was lucky. He saw Estancia in a scrimmage. Orange Lutheran, Aliso Niguel and Saddleback weren't as fortunate. They found out in games the first week of the season. "I told you they were good," Stringer said after seeing that Estancia had destroyed 10th-ranked Saddleback, 7-0, on Monday. How good?