JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers AT WORK—Above, Kendall Dreyer takes a pass off her leg while Kelley Ross, far left, rips a shot on goal during Tuesday’s practice. The Agoura girls’ soccer team is chasing history.

Under the guidance of fourthyear head coach Michael Skene, the Chargers find themselves in prime position to capture the program’s first Marmonte League championship since 1989.

Prior to yesterday’s match against Newbury Park, Agoura was in first place in the Marmonte standings with a league record of 6-0-4. The Chargers were 8-1-5 overall heading into the Newbury Park game.

“For Agoura this year,” Skene said, “a league championship is everything.”

To capture the elusive title, the Chargers are going to have to play well over the next two weeks, a stretch that features matches against Westlake, Royal and Calabasas.

Royal and Calabasas have struggled this season and the Agoura players know those are both winnable games. Westlake, however, is a different story.

The Chargers haven’t defeated their crosstown rivals in six years, although the teams have played to several ties, including a 1-1 draw during an earlier matchup this season.

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers AHS will have a chance to end its winless drought against Westlake at home Friday night beginning at 6 p.m.

“It’s obviously a huge game for us,” senior midfielder Alicia Herczeg said. “We need a win there for our confidence and to finish the season strong. It would mean a lot to us.”

Herczeg’s a four-year varsity letterman. Last season she was named first-team all-league.

“I think, unquestionably, that she’s the top offensive player in our league,” Skene said of Herczeg. “She seems to prove it every game. When she’s firing well, our whole team is working on all cylinders.”

Herczeg, along with Natalie Lemonnier, Kelley Ross, Katy Hahn and Desiree Beltran, form the bulk of the Chargers’ midfield, a position that Skene sees as the team’s greatest strength.

“They can be counted on to possess the ball very well in the midfield and advance it onto the forwards,” the coach said. “And they get more than their share of goals as well.”

Hahn said the midfielders all possess good foot speed, which makes the unit difficult to match up against.

“We’re all pretty fast,” Hahn said. “Basically we just work really well together.”

At forward, freshman Michelle Manning has been an impact player in her first year with the program, Skene said.

“She’s proven to be a strong offensive player,” Skene said of Manning. “She’s picked up a number of assists and a few goals for us as well. She’s very good with the ball, even against defenders that are considerably older and bigger than she is.”

On the backline, defenders Kristin Brabant, Ashley Cheney, Riley Clagett, Gaby Glucksman and Kelsey Reichow have helped lead a stingy defense that allowed just 16 goals in its first 15 games.

“They’re very quick. They’re strong. And they’re not afraid to go shoulder to shoulder with any other player on any other team,” Skene said.

Splitting time between the pipes for Agoura has been Beltran and Lindsay Land. The two goalkeepers have helped the Chargers log four shutouts thus far.

Clagett, a junior, said the Chargers haven’t been playing their best soccer recently. If they want to become league champions, a goal Agoura set for themselves in June, she said the entire team needs to refocus and play like they were during the early stages of the year.

“We can do it.” Clagett said. “We just need to come together as a team.”

All the Chargers know it’ll take an entire team effort to break the Westlake jinx tomorrow night.

“Finish strong and four wins, that’s our goal,” Lemonnier said. “Especially against Westlake, that would be a huge win and would basically knock them out of the title chase. It’s going to be a difficult game.”