The transformation has begun.

It started with Palos Verdes' 1-0 victory over Mira Costa Saturday in a South Torrance Tournament semifinal, giving credence to the belief that Palos Verdes is the team to beat in the South Bay this season.

It was an important step for a chronically underachieving program that hopes to end Mira Costa's three-year reign atop the Bay League, a Palos Verdes team that has inexplicably fallen just short of league titles in both the Pioneer League and Bay League since the school reopened in 2002.

With a new coach in Sean Lockhart and a plethora of returning players, Palos Verdes hopes to finally live up to its potential and knock three-time defending Bay League champion Mira Costa off its throne.

"Obviously, Costa is the team you want to knock off because they're sitting at the top of the pedestal," Lockhart said.

"For these girls, the talent has always been at Palos Verdes, to be honest. We have some good soccer players and some good athletes. We know it's not going to be easy, but the girls really want to come out on top."

Lockhart will look to four returning captains and a top-notch freshman to lead Palos Verdes' rise to power.

Senior goalkeeper Laura DiBiase is headed to UC Santa Barbara after high school. Senior sweeper Amanda Young, senior midfielder/forward Jeannette Kassai and senior center midfielder Katie Gwinn will be looked upon to be leaders.

Then there's freshman

Haley Rosen, a versatile midfielder/forward who Lockhart said is on the national under-15 team.

Senior defender Kristin MacFarlane also also is going to be a key player for the Sea Kings.

Then there's a group of juniors who have been playing together for three years.: defender Lauren Moody, midfielder Lacey Califano, center midfielder Jordan Davidson and midfielder Katie Manns give the Sea Kings plenty of speed and depth.

Lockhart played on Cal State Dominguez Hills' 2000 national championship team and the 2001 team that finished second. He coached at Rolling Hills Prep for three years, leading the Huskies to the playoffs for the first time. He's also been a top assistant for CSDH the last seven years.

He jumped at an opportunity to coach a team with as much talent as Palos Verdes.

"It's a solid team from top to bottom," Lockhart said. "It's just a matter of putting it on the field. We have a lot of speed and we're a team that's not going to just bang it forward.

"We're going to try to play fluid soccer. We may not be the greatest team in the air, but we'll find a way to get on the ball. Is every game going to be a classic? No, but good teams are going to find a way to win."

But don't think Mira Costa is going down without a fight.

Yes, the Mustangs lost their talented trio of Lindsay Bullock (Long Beach State), Milani Shabestari (UC Irvine) and Sarah Reece (Swartzworth College).

But Coach Patty Perkinson said Mira Costa still has enough firepower to compete for its fourth straight league title.

"Everyone is saying PV is the favorite with a new coach, but we'll see," Perkinson said. "They're definitely going to have to take it from us."

Perkinson has a potent 1-2 punch in senior forward Laura Capparilli and junior Lauren Stillians.

Junior Julia Barrow has moved from defender to midfield and will provide a foundation for the Mustangs.

Junior midfielder Shannon Bullock, Lindsay's younger sister, is a returner and is expected to play the same position her sister dominated the last three years.

Junior Katelyn O'Banion and senior Jaclyn Collins will share the goalkeeping duties once again for Mira Costa.

Senior defender Katie Parucha, senior halfback Taylor Edmonds, senior sweeper Morgan Murphy-Cannella and sophomore forward Kelsey Braunecker add depth.

"We lost some big players, but we still have a lot of returners," Perkinson said. "We have a lot of veteran players and young underclassmen, and I'm confident we can put that together and get that fourth league title."

Also in the Bay League ...

Redondo: The Sea Hawks are always a threat to make a title run, especially with sophomore forward Jazmin Ponce, an All-Area selection last season. Ponce, who has missed the first seven games of the season due to a club soccer commitment, will be a major playmaker once she gets acclimated with the team. Senior midfielder Dani Zavala is going to be a factor for the Sea Hawks. Senior defender/midfielder Shannon Cleary and senior forward Megan Bucci are returners for Coach Shelley Marsden. Sophomore Daniella Matucci is one of the best defenders in the South Bay and rarely comes off the field. Redondo has three quality freshman starters in forward Brina Moreno, forward-midfielder Alex Marin and midfielder Patricia Gonzales.

West Torrance: Coach Jim San-Martin has 14 returners and expects to be in the thick of the league race. Senior midfielder Laura Day is a first-team All-Bay League selection, and senior forward Megan Cunningham is a major scoring threat. West is strong in goal with senior Brittini Salmon, a four-year varsity player. Salmon will benefit from a strong defense that includes senior Nicole Choi and sophomore Monica Campis. Junior Lindsay Walsh and freshman Rebecca Maier provide stability in the middle.

Peninsula: Coach Scotte Massey said senior midfielders Michelle Crose and Marianna DeSalles are the heart and soul of the Panthers. Senior defender Grace Thompson, another captain, takes the same hard-nosed approach that makes her a softball standout and is a staunch defender along with junior sweeper Laura Moody. Junior forwards Chloe Byrne and Brittni Michaelis should be the leading scorers. Freshman defender Michele Charles and freshman midfielder Sophie Miller should be impact players.

Leuzinger: The Olympians would be league title contenders in just about any other league in the South Bay, but remain a dangerous test for an unsuspecting Bay League team. Coach Edith Najera enters her third season and will lean heavily on senior midfielder Erika Gamboa, junior midfielder Jeannie Najera and sophomore midfielder Heather Fry, the three tri-captains. Gamboa scored a goal in each game against Palos Verdes last season. Junior Maria Inigues and freshman goalkeeper Luisa Hernandez are expected to be valuable contributors.