Cypress Edges Saddleback in Orange Empire SID’s Poll

The 2025 season is right around the corner, and the Orange Empire Conference is eager to get things started.  Cypress College and Saddleback College were listed as the early favorites after the sports information directors in the conference casted votes for the preseason poll.

Cypress and Saddleback both represented the conference at the 3C2A State tournament a year ago and both suffered the same fate in losing to eventual state champion Folsom Lake College.  Saddleback fell in the state semifinals 1-0 before Cypress fell in the state finals, 2-1.

The Orange Empire Conference (OEC) is no stranger to winning state titles, capturing three of the past six state titles and eight state championships since 1998.  The winner of the OEC is regularly awarded one of the top seeds for the Southern California Regional Playoffs and generally considered one of the favorites to beat in the playoffs.

Cypress edged Saddleback in the 2025 preseason poll by two points as both programs received four first place votes.  The Chargers finished with 60 total points while Saddleback finished with 58.  Santiago Canyon finished with 50 total points in the voting to come in third.

Cypress returns Jessica Rosalino Vicente and Luna Khazem to the pitch this fall after both finished in a tie for fifth on the team with five goals apiece in 2024.  Rosalino Vicente was an All-Orange Empire Conference Second Team selection last fall along with returner Jasmine De La Torre, who was a force in the middle of the field.   Naomi Lee also returns after netting four goals last season as the Chargers look experienced up front.  Cypress also returns Emily Penaloza in goal after she played seven games as a freshman.  The Chargers have a bevy of newcomers on the back line but feel good about some of their incoming freshmen.

Saddleback returns All-Orange Empire Conference First Team selection Jinan Said to the pitch after she tallied 12 goals and 10 assists as a freshman.  Said is one of three all-conference performers returning as defender Allison Lozano and goalkeeper Gloria Gomez were both second team selections last fall.  Much like Cypress, Saddleback is excited about the incoming freshmen, coupled with an experienced back line that gave up only 16 goals all season in 2024.

Santiago Canyon didn't finish any lower than third on any ballot and picked up a pair of second place votes in finishing third in the voting.  The Hawks are eager to get back to the winner's circle after winning back-to-back state titles in 2018-19.  Santiago Canyon's top returning goal-scorer is Mia Lussier, who finished with six goals in 2024.  The returning tandem of Jordyn Gallegos and Karen Pedraza along with returning keeper Makayla Worcester should make the Hawks tough to penetrate in the defensive zone.  

Orange Coast leads the rest of the field in the SID's poll, finishing fourth in all but one ballot.  The Pirates are followed by Irvine Valley, Golden West, Fullerton and Santa Ana in the voting.

OEC Sports Information Directors Preseason Poll:

Release by Brad Hoiseth, Saddleback