Sometimes the first step on the road to a championship is the toughest. Both Cathedral Catholic and La Costa Canyon girls soccer teams learned that lesson the hard way last year when they were ousted from the CIF Open Division Playoffs in the opening round.

Tuesday night, Feb. 14, both made their 2023 first step a positive one. Second-seeded host Cathedral Catholic, behind a dazzling three-goal showing by forward Claire Curran, took control late in the first half and never let up, eliminating No. 7 seed Eastlake, 4-0. Two miles down the road, the visiting fifth seed La Costa Canyon made a second half goal stand up in a 1-0 triumph over No. 4 Torrey Pines.