Heidy Torres remembered the feeling she had when she helped lead Morningside to its first playoff berth in 2005.

Now Torres wants to lead the Monarchs back to the playoffs as a coach.

The 19-year-old Torres has returned to Morningside as a co-coach with Mike Hernandez, and she will look to lead a team with several players who used to play alongside her.

"I keep telling the girls that to this day, I still remember making the playoffs," said Torres, who was the team MVP during Morningside's playoff season.

"I've known some of these girls for three years, and in a way, they treat me more like a sister than a coach sometimes. But I was their captain as a senior, so they've seen my bad side. I think that's helped them. They listen to me, pretty much."

Torres will look to prop up a program that missed the playoffs last season after Coach Felipe Bernal left for South East.

Torres said she followed the progress of the team last season through one of her best friends, Meicy Navarro, who was an assistant coach and provided regular updates to her.

"There's more of an excitement for me than anything else," said Torres, who turns 20 in February.

"I used to ask Felipe, `Can I coach with you?' I wanted to coach last season, but I had to work then. It worked out much better for me now.

"I motivate them so much, and they motivate me. Sometimes I get mad if they slack off because I know what it takes, but they always come back and say they want to make the playoffs and ask me what they can do to make that happen. Sometimes I cry thinking about it, about what it would mean to them."

The Monarchs still have a group of five players who played on Morningside's 2005 playoff team.

Senior center midfielder Yadira Juarez might be the most talented of the bunch.

Senior stopper Lilliana Ortiz, junior goalkeeper Janely Rodriguez, senior midfielder/sweeper Miriam May and junior defender Judy Rodriguez also return and will be looked upon as leaders after being playoff pioneers two seasons ago.

And while 2005 Daily Breeze All-Area selection Elena Ruiz transferred to South East to join Bernal, the Monarchs hope that Jamaican-born Vanessa Reid, a sophomore forward, will be able to fill the void.

Torres knows that crack the Ocean League's top three - Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Culver City - won't be easy. But Torres said she also knows what is required to make a playoff run and sees potential in this team.

"Oh, they're capable this year," Torres said. "It's going to take some hard work because we've got some beginners on the team while my (senior year) team had a lot of experience.

"I guess the majority are seniors, and I think they are realizing what it means to be seniors and to go to the playoffs. For them, it was not important before, but now it is. I think the seniors are feeling the same way I did when I made the playoffs."

Also in the Ocean League ...

Santa Monica: The Vikings are the league favorites. Freshman forward Julia Glanz is a high-caliber player who elevates the Vikings' game plan. Junior forward Monica Mirch and junior sweeper Jessica Anderson are both captains for the Vikings. Santa Monica has two top goalkeepers in Allison Bronstein and Stephanie Karba.

Beverly Hills: Senior midfielder Jocelyn Karlan will be an offensive leader for the Normans, who figure to be playoff contenders. Freshman defender/midfielder Nicole Star will make an immediate impact. Goalkeeper Rebecca Gold should help make Beverly Hills a league-title contender.