IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers THAT'S USING YOUR HEAD—Westlake High's Justin Edwards, right, jumps high to win a ball against Royal's Sean Upson. The upstart Warriors won the Marmonte League title this season. One thing sports fans learned this past year is that when talking about the playoffs, anything is possible.

The Tampa Bay Rays made the World Series after finishing last in their division; the Arizona Cardinals made the Super Bowl after not appearing in a championship game since 1948; and the Boston Celtics won an NBA championship after missing the playoffs the previous year.

So it really shouldn't be a surprise to learn that four of the five Marmonte League boys' soccer teams represented in the CIFSouthern Section Division I playoff bracket didn't qualify for the postseason last year.

When the first round of the playoffs begins Friday, the Division I field will include Westlake, Agoura and Simi Valley—all teams that were hibernating at this time last year.

Moorpark, which played a wild-card game at Cabrillo on Wednesday, also missed the playoffs in 2008.

Westlake head coach Bill Propster, who led the Warriors to a surprising league championship, is thrilled to be playing again in late February.

"We're very happy to have won league and be in the playoffs, especially after missing it a year ago," Propster said. "It wasn't until one of our first practices of the year where I thought, 'Hey, we might have the pieces it takes to get things done.'"

Westlake's first-round pairing is a home match against West Torrance.

All of Friday's matches are scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.

Propster said the Warriors will need to stay focused and execute their set plays.

"There are no easy games in the playoffs, so we need to take advantage of any opportunity we get," Propster said. "Whether it's a free kick or a throw-in, we need to score.

"The other factor is we need to keep our composure. Every team is going to have someone that gets sick or injured, and the team that does the best job overcoming it is going to be successful."

Westlake's led by juniors Sam Ball and Dylan Rios, as well as seniors Ben Hubbard, Arjang Sobhanpanah, Justin Edwards, Austin Hall and goalkeeper Andrew Singer.

Simi Valley staggered into the playoffs. After a fivegame winning streak, the Pioneers didn't register a victory in their last four games (0-2-2).

The Pioneers' first-round game is at Loyola.

Entering the postseason, there might not be a hotter team than Agoura, which opens at home against Claremont.

The Chargers went 5-0-2 in the second half of the regular season, including a 2-1 win over Westlake. Agoura has been powered by Michael Uyehara, who may soon be the Marmonte League's MVP after registering 28 goals and 16 assists. Junior Tyler Buron has also shined with 21 goals and 12 assists.

The only Marmonte squad returning to the postseason is Newbury Park, which opens on the road against Los Alamitos.

Last season, NPHS lost 1-0 to Santa Margarita in the Division I championship. Although the Panthers lost 13 seniors from that squad, head coach Guy Sanford still believes his team has experience, especially at midfield with Kevin Staley, Cory Leroy and Anthony Trujillo.

Sanford's No. 1 priority is to earn a home game.

"Last year there were more people in the stands for our home playoff game than I've ever seen at Newbury Park," Sanford said. "It was like a football game crowd. I know that would mean a lot for the team to see that again."

In Division VI, Viewpoint will host Windward, while the Division VII bracket has Newbury Park Adventist hosting Southlands Christian.