 |
 |
||||||||||
| . |
     |
||||||||||
| . |
Three Falcons Make San Diego CIF Teams Accolades and honors continue to roll in for individual Falcons following the team's cinderella run for the CIF championship. Three players have been chosen for the 2009 San Diego section all-star teams. Senior midfielder Becky Trees, senior D-wing Alexa Golden and junior D-wing Chelsea Yogerst were all chosen for the San Diego Union-Tribune All-Section Team, which is selected by a media panel with input from area coaches. The three Falcons also made the San Diego CIF All-Section teams -- Trees and Yogerst the first team, Golden the second team. These teams are selected by the CIF San Diego Girls Lacrosse Advisory Committee with input from coaches under the auspices of the Hall of Champions in Balboa Park. They will receive their All-CIF certificates in an upcoming ceremony at the San Diego Hall of Champions and Sports Museum in Balboa Park. The CIF and all-league teams appear in todeay's San Diego Union Tribune newspaper (June 9th) -- San Diego County All-League Teams CIF Finals Photos at Lacrosse Magazine LA based professional sports photographer Dirk Dewachter snapped some great pix of the CIF final between Torrey and LCC which you can view on the Lacrosse Magazine website and Dirk's own Photo Shelter gallery -- Lacrosse Magazine or Dirk Dewachter Torrey Flies High in Final Polls Torrey Pines may have fallen a goal or two short of winning the CIF title, the the Falcons incredible performance in the CIF final lifted their position in the final local and regional polls. North County Times/WestSideLax San Diego County Rankings
WestSideLax California Rankings
Read the full list at California Girls Top 20 Falcons Earn National Lax Honors Three Torrey Pines players earned US Lacrosse Association national honors for the 2009 season. Senior middie Becky Trees was named All-American Honorable Mention, the first Falcon in three years to be so honored. Trees, Alexa Golden and Chelsea Yogerst were tabbed as Academic All Americans for their outstanding mix of classroom and lacrosse achievement this year. Falcons Finish Off Dream Season With Team Awards The following awards were handed out by Torrey Pines head coach Amanda Bourquin at the 2009 Girls Lacrosse Banquet last night, hosted by the Eggold family: Most Outstanding Athlete - Alexa Golden
Becky Trees also finished as the leading scorer in both the Palomar League and north San Diego County as a whole -- 73 goals and 30 assists for a grand total of 103 points. Katie Trees (65 points), Anna Knowles (48 points) and Annelysse Eggold (39 points) also finished in the Top 20 of north county scoring. LCC Slips Past Torrey in CIF Final Torrey Pines came up just short last night in their bid to unseat La Costa Canyon as defending CIF champs. The Falcons gave it all they could under the lights at Helix High, but eventually wound up on the short end of a 6-5 final score in the 2009 San Diego section championship game. It was the end to an incredible season for Torrey Pines girls lacrosse in which they broke into the national Top 100 for the first time, ended LCC's 45-game local win streak, defeated the Northern California CIF champs (Monte Vista), beat Coronado for the first time in six years, and nearly captured what would have been their first-ever CIF title. It was a battle mostly fought in the trenches, the defense on both sides holding two high powered attacks to their lowest combined points total of the season. Both Torrey and La Costa came into the game averaging more than a dozen goals per game; the low score reflects just how great the Falcon and Maverick defenses was on a damp, cold night in east county. Torrey got off to a great start, keeper Carrie Yang blocking two free position shots and junior attack Julia Colley giving the Falcons an early 1-0 lead on a slow-motion sidearm shot. It took a yellow card against Torrey and a man advantage for LCC to finally tie the score. But the Falcons pushed ahead again, this time on a Becky Trees curl around move from behind the Maverick's goal. The defending champs tied things up again just before halftime. Nobody could really believe the score: halfway through the CIF title game and only four goals between two of the highest scoring teams in San Diego. The Falcons came charging out after intermission, won the second half draw and went ahead again on a Becky Trees goal around four minutes into the second half. It was nearly ten minutes before either team scored again, a tough defensive struggle that featured great man-on-man coverage and crisp checking. But as happened several other times this season, whistles and yellow cards began to have an indelible effect on the game and snatching away the Falcons momentum. Torrey wound up playing nine minutes of the second half a player down, and as gritty as Torrey played during those anxious stretches, it was inevitable that a team as talented as LCC would eventually take advantage of their greater numbers and ability to control the ball. The Mavs tied the score with just under 13 minutes to play, the first of three goals in a three-minute span that essentially decided the outcome of the game and the 2009 San Diego championship. Two of those goals came on LCC free positions, the third on a breakaway after the draw by senior captain Jackie Candelaria. Junior attack Annelysse Eggold got one back for Torrey, a sizzling shot that reflected off the LCC's keeper's foot and into the net. Two goals up and with less than six minutes to play, the Mav's went to their "four corners" keep away offense and figured they would easily run out the clock. But the young, scrappy Falcons fight back, pulling within one on another Eggold goal, this one an acute angle from the side of the LCC goal after a pinpoint pass from sophomore Anna Knowles. Torrey got the ball back one more time (on a forced turnover), but the horn blew before the Falcons could muster their counter attack and suddenly the dream season was over. Interviewed after the game, Falcons head coach Amanda Bourquin credited the Torrey defense -- Alexa Golden, Chelsea Yogerst, Brittany Norfleet, Shelby Brown, Priya Devasirvatham, Kelly Conner and keeper Carrie Yang -- with one of their most outstanding efforts of the season. "I thought [the score] might be low, but not this low," Bourquin told the San Diego Union Tribune. "Both teams battled hard and I think we knew it was going to be a close game." Stories about the championship game in the media: San Diego Union-Tribune -- LC Canyon Squad Owns Crunch Time North County Times -- LCC Holds Off Determined Torrey WestSideLax -- La Costa Canyon Wins 3rd Straight Title Web Editor's Note: Be sure to read the reader comments at the bottom of the WestSideLax story -- a back and forth debate on the controversial reffing in the championship game. Falcons Sink Islanders in CIF Semis No. 3 Torrey Pines upset No. 2 Coronado 9-8 last night to book a spot in the CIF San Diego section championship game. Torrey now faces archival LCC in the title game on Saturday night, the opening draw scheduled for 7:30 PM at Helix High School in La Mesa. The Mavericks reached their fourth final in as many years by blasting Rancho Bernardo 16-5 in the other semi. The Falcons lead from wire to wire and had to withstand a furious Islander rally in the closing minutes to secure the win -- their first over Coronado since March of 2003. That year also marks the Falcons' only other trip to the CIF championship, a game they lost to Poway. Many different factors lead to the Torrey victory last night including a patient attack that waited for good shots, an aggressive defense that checked and scooped up ground balls better than they have all season, and confidence going into the match that if they played their game and maintained their composure, this Torrey team can beat anyone. Senior captain Becky Trees got Falcons off to a quick start by scoring around a minute into the game. Nado quickly tied it up on a fast-break by Coco O'Brien. But then Torrey went on the first of several streaks, scoring three straight times to build a 4-1 lead. The first came from Becky off a free position; the second from Katie Trees cutting across the top of the circle after a pass from her sister; the third by Stephanie Cowles off a dish from Becky. Down by three goals with ten minutes left to play in the half, Coronado coach Jessica Battle called a time out to reorganize her troops. Coronado captain (and Cal bound) Melissa Humphreys scored shortly after to cut into the lead. But Katie Trees and Julia Colley found the back of the net over the next few miniutes as Torrey went into intermission with a 6-4 lead. The Islanders scored early in the second half (after a Falcons turnover), slashing the margin to a single goal. Then came ten minutes of great defense from both sides, neither team scoring in a flurry of great checks and keeper blocks. Katie Trees broke the scoring drought with just under 15 minutes to play, when she scored on a sidearm shot to put the Falcons up 7-5. Cowles followed up with her second goal of the evening (off a dish from Becky) and suddenly Torrey had a three-goal lead. As the clock wound down to four minutes, the teams traded goals (Torrey's coming on a free position by Becky). That's when things started to get really interesting. Coco O'Brien rallied her team with two fast-break goals in thirty seconds. And all of a sudden it was a one-goal game with a strong possibility of overtime. The Falcons went to four corners in an attempt to run-out the clock. Still, the Islanders got the ball back for two more edge-of-your-seat attacks into Torrey territory. The first ended when Chelsea Yogerst drew a charging foul; the second when Katie Trees caused a turnover with a monster check around the 40-yard-line. With fans from both sides cranking up the volume, it was impossible to hear the air horn or whistle that finally ended the game. It was the referee's raised hands that finally ended another history game in what has been a landmark season for Torrey Pines girls lacrosse. There were lots of heroes for Torrey. Seniors Becky Trees and Alexa Golden for showing field leadership when it was most needed. The entire junior class -- Shelby Brown, Julia Colley, Stephanie Cowles, Priya Devasirvatham, Annelysse Eggold and Chelsea Yogerst -- for coming through with their best collective game of the season. Sophomore keeper Carrie Yang for yet another astounding performance in goal. Head coach Amanda Bourquin and assistants Erin Fitzmartin and Lauren Dachille for creating a great game plan and then sticking with it. And the entire team for displaying that poise and maturity that just wasn't there earlier in the year. There's lots of other press coverage out there: WestSideLax.Com -- Torrey Pines Upsets Coronado San Diego Union-Tribune -- LCC Girls Have a Score to Settle: Mavericks Ready for Torrey Pines Torrey Downs Scripps in CIF Quarters Torrey Pines defeated Scripps Ranch 13-9 on Tuesday night in a CIF quarterfinal game at Falcon Stadium. Senior middie Becky Trees had a game-high five goals and eight other Falcons scored in the victory. No. 3 seeded Torrey now faces No. 2 Coronado in the CIF semifinals on Thursday night at Coronado. The opening draw is scheduled for 5:30 PM. Scripps grabbed the early lead and battled Torrey goal-for-goal throughout the first half. Becky Trees scored on a nifty curl-around move and Alexa Golden off a free position to give the Falcons their first lead about ten minutes into the game. But Scripps came charging right back and jumped in front again. They would have done even more damage if not for a flurry of stops by Carrie Yang in goal. Junior attacks Julia Colley and Lauren Humann converted free positions, and Trees scored twice more to give the home team a 6-4 lead at intermission. Scripps battled back early in the second half, cutting the margin to one goal on a power play after a Falcons yellow card. But then the Falcons went on a tear. Soph attack Anna Knowles took advantage of a breakdown in the Scripps defense to score an uncontested goal; she then dished to Becky for another score; and then junior Annelysee Eggold found the back of the net. Suddenly Torrey had a four-goal lead and looked to be cruising. Yet once again, Scripps fought back. Senior captain (and Cal bound) Gina Holslag nearly got them back into the game single-handedly with when she scored on a solo run and a curl-around sidearm shot, cutting the deficit to two goals with around 15 minutes to play. But Torrey head coach Amanda Bourquin made strategic adjustments to stem the rally. With junior D-wing Chelsea Yogerst shadowing her, Holslag would not touch the ball again. And the Falcons regained the momentum, Katie Trees dominating the draw and the the trio of Stephanie Cowles, Dorian O'Leary and Keely O'Brien scoring once each to push Torrey's lead to five goals and basically seal the deal. Coronado earned a berth in the semis by beating No. 7 Poway 14-12 in overtime. In the other half of the draw, No. 1 LCC beat No. 8 Bishops 14-4 and No. 4 Rancho Bernardo downed No. 12 Carlsbad 12-6. Read more about the Torrey Pines-Scripps Ranch showdown in the sporting press -- San Diego Union Tribune: "Torrey
Depth Dooms Foes"
Torrey Downs Patrick Henry in CIF Opener No. 3 seed Torrey Pines beat No. 14 Patrick Henry 18-3 in the first round of the 2009 CIF playoffs on Saturday morning, a game that marked the Falcons biggest points total and widest winning margin of the 2009 season. Torrey now faces Scripps Ranch (an 11-8 victor over Santa Fe Christian) in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. The Falcons flew out to a 12-1 haltime lead and cruised the rest of the way in notching their 15th win of the season. Annelysse Eggold and Caroline Boucher lead the attack with four goals apiece. Becky Trees had two goals and three assists. Dorian O'Leary, Alexa Golden and Julia Colley had two goals each. Keely O'Brien and Anna Knowles both contributed one goal and one assist. Carrie Yang had seven saves and earned the win in goal. With a regular season record of 12 wins and 9 defeats, the Patriots had finished fourth in the City League behind Coronado, Cathedral and Scripps Ranch. Other first round playoff games: Friday:
Saturday:
Five Falcons Tabbed as Palomar League All-Stars Five players from the Torrey Pines varsity squad have been chosen as Palomar League all-stars for the 2009 season. Seniors D-wing Alexa Golden, senior midfielder Becky Trees and junior D-wing Chelsea Yogerst were named to the all-league First Team; sophomore midfielder Katie Trees and sophomore attack Anna Knowles to the all-league second team. Meanwhile, Becky Trees was chosen as one of the San Diego Union Tribune's high school "Players of the Week" for her performance against Carlsbad and Poway last week. Check out the whole list at May 20th High School Athletes of the Week Falcons Upset Mavericks in Senior Night Shocker All sports streaks come to an end, it's just a matter of time. For Torrey Pines, that time was last night, an 11-10 upset win over state No. 1 ranked La Costa Canyon in front of one of the largest crowds ever to see a girls lacrosse game at Falcons Stadium. The unexpected outcome ended all sorts of streaks. Take your pick -- LCC's 45-game win streak against San Diego teams, the Maverick's run of nearly three full seasons without a league loss, and best of all, the end of a six-year Torrey drought against their local archrivals. The Falcons hadn't beaten the Mavs since the CIF semifinals of 2003. Torrey did it with outstanding defense in the first half that kept the game close, a bursts of offense earlier in the second half that finally gave the home team the lead, and then five minutes of nail-biting ball control during which the Falcons lost possession just once. The Torrey players knew they had to play a near perfect game to earn the win, and they came pretty close, probably the best team effort they've produced this year, heroes all up and down the field. LCC went up 2-0 early and Torrey didn't score its first goal until nearly eight minutes had elasped in the opening half, when Keely O'Brien scooped up a groundball off the draw and took it all the way in. But just the fact they were only down by one goal at that point seemed to instill confidence in the Falcons. Each time the Mavs threatened to pull away, the home team responded with a score of their own. While the Torrey defense was holding tight at one end of the field, the attack was slowly but surely ramping up at the other end. LCC couldn't find an answer to Katie Trees, who scored three times in the last nine minutes of the half, the last a leaping shot off a pinpoint pass from Alexa Golden. With the clock ticking down, Golden lofted a pass to fast breaking O'Brien for a goal that tied the game 5-5 going into intermission. The Mavs took the lead again early in the second half. But once again, the Falcons bounced right back, tying the score on a goal by Anna Knowles and then leaping ahead on a free position score by Katie Trees just inside 20 minutes. For one of the few times in the six years, LCC suddenly found themselves trailing in a game against a San Diego opponent. But the Mavs were far from finished. Senior captain Jackie Candelaria bot them back into the game almost single handedly, brilliant solo runs and incredible shots, scoring three straight goals at one point to push LCC ahead by two goals with around 13 minutes to play (8-10). But the Falcons rallied again, dominating late in a game like they haven't all season. Becky Trees got them to within one on a brilliant whip-around move from behind the LCC goal and then scored unassisted after winning the draw, weaving her way through the Mavs defense to take the shot. Knowles put Torrey ahead for good when she scooped up a rebound off her own free position shot and slammed it past the LCC keeper. Giving a Mavs a bit of their own medicine -- the "four corners" that LCC used so effectively in the last 20 minutes of their meeting earlier this season -- the Falcons went into ball control mode. A month ago, maybe even a week ago, they wouldn't have shown the patience or maturity to hang into the ball. But they were nearly flawless this time, losing possession just once in the last five minutes thanks to deft stickwork by Golden, Knowles, Annelysse Eggold, Julia Colley and the Trees sisters. Carrie Yang blocked their last shot and Torrey ran out the clock for what has to rank as one of the biggest wins in program history. Katie Trees lead Torrey's attack with five goals. O'Brien, Knowles and Becky Trees scored twice each for the Falcons. Yang had five key stops in goal in another brilliant performance for the sophomore keeper. With five goals, Jackie Candelaria scored more than her season average for LCC. But the rest of the Maverick attack was largely kept in check by Torrey's tight man-on-man defense. Chelsea Yogerst and Shelby Brown had especially good games on defense, but Brittany Norfleet, Bianca Liu and Priya Devasirvatham all played exceptionally well. “We played like I knew we could all year,” Torrey Pines head coach Mandy Bourquin told WestSideLax after the game. “All-around, we played really hard, we played with passion and we played for each other. I’m extremely proud of this group. It was a hard-fought win.” Torrey Pines ended the regular season as runner-up (to LCC) in the super-tough Palomar League, ranked No. 3 in San Diego, No. 5 in California and No. 14 in the Western US. The CIF playoffs start this Saturday, at home against a foe that will be announced tomorrow night after the CIF seeding and pairing meeting. Torrey's junior varsity couldn't repeat the upset they pulled last month at LCC and went down 13-6 to the visiting Mavs. Erica Cohen hit the back of the net three times for the Falcons, while Yasmine Zein-Phillipson, Chandler Baldwin and Caroline Paulson scored once each in the season finale for the Torrey JV. Link to WestSideLax story on the varsity game -- Torrey Pines Ends LCC's 45-game SD Win Streak Senior Night: Falcons Face Mavericks Torrey Pines ends the regular season tonight with a 7 PM game against archrival La Costa Canyon at Falcons Stadium. The Mavericks have already wrapped up the Palomar League title and the Falcons second place; and no matter what happens tonight, the teams will probably go into this week's CIF playoffs as the county's first and third seeds. So it's all about pride tonight -- whether or not Torrey Pines can beat LCC for the first time since 2003. LCC is currently ranked No. 1 in San Diego, No. 1 in California and No. 6 in the Western U.S. Torrey Pines is No. 3 locally, No. 7 in the state and No. 17 in the West. It's also Senior Night. The five soon-to-graduate Falcons and their parents will be honored in a special pre-game ceremony at 6:40 PM. The 2009 senior class includes Alexa Golden, Bianca Liu, Keely O'Brien, Dorian O'Leary and Becky Trees. The two junior varsity squads face off at 5:30 PM in the warm up game. And there's also action at halftime -- an exhibition of budding lacrosse skill by members of the Carmel Valley Wildcats third to fifth grade team. Currently in second place in the CYL, the team features 20 players from local elementary schools. Falcons Checkmate Knights at Bishops Despite several key seniors missing from the lineup, Torrey Pines beat Bishop's School 10-5 on Saturday afternoon on the road in La Jolla. All ten Falcons goals were scored by underclassmen in a line-up that resembles much what the team will look like next year. Junior attack Julia Colley notched her second hat-trick of the season while sophomore Katie Trees collected four points from three goals and an assist to lead all scorers. But it was three other players who got the Falcons offense rolling early in the game. Junior D-wing Chelsea Yogerst scooped up a ground ball deep in Torrey territory and took it all the way up the right sideline before passing to sophomore Anna Knowles for the Falcons' first score. Moments later deja vu, as Yogerst turned a ground ball into a long run up the middle and a dish to junior middie Stephanie Cowles for another goal. Junior attack Annelysse Eggold scored on the rebound after the Bishop's goalie blocked her first shot, Colley scored on a igh looping pass from Trees, and then Trees scored unassisted, as Torrey Pines jumped out to a 5-3 halftime lead. The Falcons kept up the offensive pressure -- and buckled down even more on defense -- in the second half. Colley scored on an assist from sophomore Caroline Boucher early in the second half and then Cowles scored unassisted. the Bishops center was flagged for an infraction in gthe ensuing draw and Trees took the penalty ball all the way down for another score. Katie scored again minutes later on a pass from Knowles. And then Colley finished off the Torrey scoring with her third goal of the game. Torrey's defense produce one of its best games of the '09 season. The 8th ranked Knights came into the game averaging 10.4 goals per game, so holding them to just five was quite an accomplishment. Kudos to seniors Bianca Liu and Alexa Golden, juniors Shelby Brown, Priya Devasirvatham and Chelsea Yogerst, and sophomores Brittany Norfleet, Kelly Connor and Kaylee Mikuteit for an excellent show. Soph keeper Carrie Yang was spectacular in goal, making 13 saves in total, including four straight early in the first half that helped set the tone of the game. Next up for the Falcons -- LCC on Monday evening in the final Palomar League and reglar season game of 2009. CIF playoff seeding and first round games will be announced at midweek with the first round set for next Saturday at the home fields of the highest seeds. Torrey Tops Carlsbad in OT No. 3 Torrey Pines beat No. 10 Carlsbad 15-12 in an overtime thriller earlier this evening in Carlsbad. The Falcons were in front for much of the game and were leading one one goal at halftime. But the determined Knights just wouldn't go away, rallying late to tie the game at 11 apiece. But then Torrey's offense suddenly woke up, scoring four unanswered goals in overtime to clinch the win. Becky Trees had a season high nine goals to lead the Falcons. In fact, that might have been her best ever as a Falcon. Julia Colley continued her late-season surge with two goals, while Keely O'Brien, Annelysse Eggold, Stephanie Cowles and Anna Knowles had one each. Trees and Cowles also bagged one assist each, as did Chelsea Yogerst coming up from defense. Carrie Yang, who went the distance in goal, had six saves. The Torrey victory assures them of second place in the highly competitive Palomar League for the second straight year. LCC clinched the league championship yesterday with a win over third place Rancho Bernardo. The junior varsity Falcons stayed hot, beating Carlsbad 8-5 for their third straight win and fifth victory in the last six games. Caroline Paulson paced the Torrey attack with three goals while Chloe Liu and Erica Cohen found the back of the net twice each. Chandler Baldwin and Sarah Poteet (playing on the field rather than in the goal for one of the few times this season) had one goal each. Yasmine Zein-Phillipson took over keeper duties and had six saves against the Knights. Next up for the Falcons -- No 8 Bishops School on Saturday afternoon down in La Jolla. Bishops (14 wins and 4 losses) has won eight of its last nine games on is way to capturing the Coastal League championship. But only two of those games have been against Top 10 competition -- a pair of wins over No. 9 Canyon Crest (which finished second in the CL). Falcons Still Third in San Diego Torrey Pines remains at No. 3 in San Diego County in the latest computer rankings from LaxPoswer.Com -- 1 La Costa Canyon 12-3
Torrey Rebounds Against Poway The Falcons got back on the winning track with a 12-8 road victory over Poway on Monday night. And they did it in uncharacteristic fashion, starting slow and then pouring it on late. The score was tied four-all at intermission, but Torrey found the back of the net eight times in the second half to turn a close game into a rout. Senor co-captain Becky Trees lead all scoreres with three goals and two assists. Sophomores Caroline Boucher and Anna Knowles had two goals each for the Falcons. Five other players chalked up single goals -- seniors Dorian O'Leary and Keely O'Brien, sophomores Stephanie Cowles and Annelysse Eggold, and sophomore Katie Trees. The winning margin would have been a lot wider if Titans keeer Kellie Roddy hadn't had such a great night (14 saves). Carrie Yang and Heather Schlesier split time in goal for the Falcons, turning away a combned seven shots. Torrey's junior varsity won for the fourth time in five games, as they slipped past the Titans by a score of 7-6. Caroline Paulson lead the attack with three goals, followed by Erica Cohen, Amy Takahashi, Chandler Baldwin and Yasmine Zein-Phillipson with one goal each. Broncos Give Falcons A Rude Awakening Rancho Bernardo game Torrey Pines a rude awakening on Saturday morning by coming from behind to beat the Falcons 14-9. The Broncos showed a lot of the form that had them N. 1 in the state and locally earlier in the season rather than the team that had lost four of its last seven games. It was a shocking result for Torrey Pines, first because it came on their home turf, and second because the beat RB so convincingly first time around. Keely O'Brien lead the Falcons with three goals, followed by Anna Knowles with one goal and three assists, Alexa Golden (2 goals, 1 assist), Becky Trees (1 goal, 1 assist), Julia Colley (1 goal) and Brittany Norfleet (1 assist). No such trouble on the junior varsity side, as the Falcons whipped Rancho Bernardo 9-5 to avenge an early season loss to the Broncos. Erica Cohen exploded for three goals, while Hannah Bettencourt, Chandler Baldwin and Caroline Paulson had two each for Torrey. More Junior Varsity Photos JV players and parents -- be sure to check out all of the game photos that Ricki Bettancourt has posted on the Torrey JV Smugmug website. http://rickib.smugmug.com/Sports/733112 Falcons Fly Away from Wolverines No. 3 Torrey Pines held onto sole possession of second place in the Palomar League with a resounding 15-8 victory over N. 12 ranked Westview on the road in Rancho Penasquitos. The Falcons flew out to a five goal lead in the first half and never looked back, coasting to their 10th victory of the season. A season high eight different Falcons found the back of the net, lead by senior captain Becky Trees who finished with six points (from two goals and four assists). But the night really belonged to the underclassmen, players like junior attack Julia Colley who had her finest game in a Falcons uniform and her first hat-trick on varsity. Sophomore Anna Knowles popped in another three goals, sophomore Caroline Boucher had two goals and a single assist, junior Annelysse Eggold finished one goal and three assists, junior Stephanie Cowles and sophomore Katie Trees had one goal apiece. Rounding out the Torrey scoring was senior Alexa Golden (two goals and one assist). The Falcon defense – lead by juniors Chelsea Yogerst, Shelby Brown, Priya Devasirvatham and sophomore Brittany Norfleet – also had an outstanding game, holding the Wolverines to below their scoring average for the second straight time and Westview offensive star Rachel Minarovich to just two goals. From start to finish, the Wolverine attack had trouble getting deep enough into Torrey territory to set up shots. As a result, sophomore keepers Carry Yang and Heather Schlesier didn’t see an awful lot of action in the net (two saves each in the winning effort). The Falcons junior varsity wasn’t so fortunate, going down to Westview 10-5. Chandler Baldwin topped Torrey scorers with two goals, followed by Chloe Liu, Whitney Walleen and Yasmine Zein-Phillipson with one each. Falcons Still Third in San Diego Despite their loss to LCC last week, Torrey Pines remained at third in the latest San Diego County rankings at LaxPower.Com. We give you the Top 16 (rather than the Top 10) this time because these are the 16 teams that would more or less make the CIF playoffs if the regular season ended now. LaxPower.Com San Diego Top 16
Falcons Fail in Upset Bid at LCC No. 1 La Costa Canyon beat No. 3 Torrey Pines by a score of 13-8 on Wednesday afternoon in a clash of Palomar League lacrosse powers at Mavericks Stadium in Carlsbad. The Falcons had traveled up Interstate-5 hoping to end a streak of defeats against LCC that stretches all the way back to the CIF semifinal game of 2003, when Torrey beat the Mavs by a single goal in overtime. But LCC was once again the better team, showing why they're ranked No. 1 in both San Diego and California. From the very start, the Mavericks won the draw and went on the attack, patiently passing the ball around the outer edge of the circle, looking for opportunities to score. They went up one-nothing when Jackie Mills scooped up a loose ball on the far sideline and went in almost uncontested against Falcons keeper Carrie Yang. Moments later Kendra Keenan made it 2-0 with a sidearm shot. Alexa Golden got the Falcons on the board with a free position goal. But then LCC -- helped in no small part by a yellow card that left Torrey a player down -- extended their lead on a free position by senior captain Jackie Candelaria and what appeared to be a rare own goal by the Falcons. Torrey finally picked up some momentum late in the half, scoring three out of four goals at one stretch and cutting the LCC lead to one. Anna Knowles found the back of the cage after a nifty move that split two Mav defenders. Becky Trees scored on a "jump shot" over the LCC keeper's head. And Katie Trees beat Candelaria one-on-one to make the score 5-4 with just under four minutes to play in the first half. But LCC quickly put out the fire, scoring three times in rapid succession. Alexa Golden had a goal taken away on a very late offsides whistle (when the teams where nearly ready for the draw). But Torrey did get one back on a brilliant solo effort by Julia Colley to make it 8-5 at halftime in favor of the Mavs. Keely O'Brien scored off a pass from Katie Trees on a Falcon fast break early in the second half. But shortly after, Torrey picked up its second yellow card of the game. And once again LCC took advantage of the superior numbers, stretching their lead to four goals (10-6). Hoping to forestall any chance of a Torrey comeback, the Mavericks went into a "four corners" offense with nearly 20 minutes to play. The Falcons defense did a pretty good job of snatching the ball back, but Torrey squandered their scoring opportunities with bad passing and forced shots. Becky Trees scored off a free position with about 10 minutes to pla. But LCC realed off three straight scores -- two of them curl-around-the-cage-and-shoot goals by Candelaria -- to push out to a five goal lead with less than two minute remaining. Anna Knowles scored off a sidearm pass from Becky Trees late in the game, but it was too little too late for the underdog Falcons. Torrey JV Tops LCC in Game of the Century Well, maybe not the game of the century. But certainly the game of the year for the junior varsity Falcons, who rallied from five goals down at halftime to beat LCC 8-7 in an emotionally charged warm-up to the varsity game. Erica Cohen had a hat-trick for the Falcons, Chandler Baldwin and Caroline Paulson two goals each. Hannah Bettencourt also scored in the winning effort. Torrey keeper Sarah Poteet was spectacular in the second half and finished the game with six saves. Seemingly unfazed by the huge halftime deficit, the younger Falcons charged out in the second half, winning nearly every draw and skillfully exploiting weaknesses in the Mavericks defense. Torrey scored seven straight goals to burst into the lead, and then hung on for dear life as LCC rallied late. The Mavs had several chances to tie the score in the last minute, but the clock finally ran out and Torrey went home with their biggest win of the season. Falcons Double Up on Vikings Torrey Pines won both its games in La Jolla tonight, beating the Vikings 11-4 at the varsity level and 10-4 in the junior varsity game. The varsity Falcons flew out to a commanding six-goal lead in the first half and then coasted the rest of the way. In the warm-up game, the Falcons JV turned a close game into a rout in the second half. To bad the Falcons can't bottle and sell the overwhelming energy they display in the first half of nearly every varsity game. True to form, Torrey scored early and often in the first half by winning the draws, scooping up ground balls and bad passes in the midfeld, and dominating ball control. Goals by Anna Knowles (2), Annelysse Eggold, Keely O'Brien and Katie Trees pushed the Falcons out to an early lead they would ever relinquish. The Vikings fought back and narrowed the gap to 5-3. But the Torrey attack went into overdrive, goals by Stephanie Cowles, Eggold and Trees (2) that put the visiting Falcons up 9-3 going into the half. The second half was slow-motion and somewhat sloppy, only four goals total from the two teams, the Falcons content to sit on their lead and the Vikings unable to muster a sustained rally. Becky Trees scored both of Torrey's second half goals, the first a nifty left-handed shot and the second off an interception deep in La Jolla territory. Erica Cohen and Caroline Paulson lead the junior varsity Falcons with three goals each against La Jolla. Chandler Baldwin scored twice, Whitney Walleen and Yasmine Zein-Phillipson once apiece in the team's biggest win of the season. Falcons Fall to No. 1 Cherry Creek Torrey Pines ended their Denver road trip with a 20-7 loss to Cherry Creek, ranked No. 1 in the Western U.S. in both high school polls. The Bruins built a commanding 15-3 lead in the first half and coasted the rest of the way. Anna Knowles lead the Falcons with three goals; Annelysse Eggold scored twice, Keely O'Brien and Becky Trees one each. In goal, Carrie Yang and Heather Schlesier saved five shots each. (April 25th) Torrey Nearly Beats Heritage-Littleton Torrey Pines came within two goals of beating Colorado lax power Heritage-Littleton this morning, as the Falcons came back strong after slipping last night. The Gryphons are No. 9 in the latest WestSideLax poll of teams west of the Mississippi; Torrey is No. 13. Not a bad result for the Falcons when you consider it's their first time playing at mile-high altitude. Becky Trees scored a season high seven goals and Anna Knowles three for the Falcons. Dorian O'Leary, Keely O'Brien, Annelysse Eggold, Caroline Boucher, Stephanie Cowles and Julia Colley had one goal each. Heather Schlesier stopped seven shots in the first half, Carrie Yang four shots in the second half in goal. (April 25th) Falcons Can't Stop Buffalo Stampede Torrey Pines kicked off their Colorodo campaign by losing to Smoky Hill 15-14 in a high-scoring game on Friday night. The Falcons flew out to their usual first half lead (11-8), but couldn't stop the Buffaloes from storming back after intermission. Becky Trees had six goals for Torrey and Keely O'Brien two; Caroline Boucher, Julia Colley, Stephanie Cowles, Annelysse Eggold, Anna Knowles and Chelsea Yogerst had one goal each for the visiting Falcons. (April 24) The Great Colorado Road Trip Begins In a season that has already produced many firsts, the Torrey Pines girls lacrosse team kicks off its most ambitious ever road trip with a game at Smoky Hill High School in suburban Denver. With five wins and six losses, the Buffaloes are currently ranked No. 14 in the state of Colorado, one of the other hotbeds of Western lacrosse along with San Diego. Both teams opened their 2009 seasons against Regis Jesuit, the Falcons beating Regis by 12 goals and the Buffs losing to them by one goal. Smoky Hill also lost to Cherry Creek (5-22) and Heritage Littleton (17-20), both of whom the Falcons play tomorrow. The Buffaloes are lead by senior captain Natasja Trujillo and sophomore leading scorer Natalie Forester. Weather at game time today should be clear and in the high 60s. But conditions are expected to change dramatically overnight, with the temperatures 15-20 degrees colder and a strong possibility of rain for Saturday's two games. Torrey Tops Titans In Palomar Action Torrey Pines stayed undefeated in Palomar League play by topping Poway 12-7 on Wednesday night at Falcons Stadium. The five-goal margin was the Falcons' largest ever over the Titans in a rivaly that stretches back 10 years and roughly 20 games. Like all Torrey-Poway games, it was a scrappy game that at times seemed like a whistle-blowing contest between the two refs. The win was a genuine team effort, with seven different Torrey playes hitting the back of the net and sophomore keeper Carrie Yang coming up with another awesome performance in goal (nine saves). Neither team seemed all that interested in scoring until Stephanie Cowles tallied off a free position nearly five minutes into the game. Cowles set up Katie Trees a few minutes later for another score, and the Falcons padded their advantage on goals by Annelysse Eggold (on a pass from Trees), Keely O'Brien (on a pass from Katie), Katie on a fast break after the draw, and Anna Knowles off Katie's third assist of the first half. Becky Trees scored on a slashing drive across the circle and O'Brien on a looping pass from Eggold early in the second half, giving the Falcons a 8-5 lead. But the Titans just wouldn't roll over and die. They fought their way back into the game over the next few minutes, cutting the defecit to just one goal (8-7) around midway through the half. But Poway wouldn't score again. Torrey's defense went rock solid and the attack cranked into another gear, scoring the last four goals of the game (one each by Knowles and Katie, two by Caroline Boucher), all of them off free positions after Poway fouls. The junior varsity Falcons had another heartbreaker, falling 7-6 to the visiting Titans. Caroline Paulson had three goals for Torrey whle Erica Cohen, Jana Golden and Chandler Baldwin scored once each. (April 22) Trees Sisters Earn "Player of the Week" Honors The high scoring senior/soph sister combo of Becky and Katie Trees both earned "Player of the Week" honors from the North County Times newspaper for their performance against Rancho Bernardo and Beckman last week. Check out the full story at -- NCT Athletes of the Week April 20th North London Slips Past Falcons JV North London Collegiate, visiting all the way from England, slipped past the Torrey Pines junior varsity 7-6 on Tuesday night at Falcons Stadium. Caroline Paulson scored twice for the Americans, while Hannah Bettencourt, Amy Takahashi, Chandler Baldwin and Chloe Liu scored one goal each for the Falcons. (April 21) Highway 56 Rivalry Revisted: Torrey Beats Westview The Falcons finally got the monkey (er, rather the wolverine) off their back on Monday night with a 12-5 win over Westview at Falcons Stadium. Torrey Pines had dropped two straight (going back to 2007) to their Highway 56 rivals. But this time the Falcons pulled away early and extended their lead in the second half. At the offensive end, Torrey had probably its best passing game of the season, sometimes stringing together as many as three passes in a row (while moving the length of the field) to score. Senior middie Becky Trees scored a season high six goals to lead the victors. Six other Falcons scored to round out the attack. At the other end, the Torrey defense -- sophomore Brittany Norfleet, juniors Priya Devasirvatham, Shelby Brown and Chelsea Yogerst, and seniors Bianca Lu and Alexa Golden -- put together an awesome effort to shut down the Wolverine attack. The Wolverines drew first blood when they scored after a Torrey turnover in the midfield. But the Falcons charged right back, Becky knotting the score on a long pass from Yogerst. Becky dished off to Anna Knowles for a goal that Torrey in the lead for good. Annelysse Eggold made it 3-1 on the pass from Golden. Becky then scored three straight -- the last on an assist from sister Katie -- to give the Falcons a 6-1 halftime lead. Becky pushed the lead to five goals when she scored off a free position early in the second half. Westview then started to rally, scoring the next two goals. The Wolverines looked in great position to close the gap even more when Torrey got the first of two consecutive yellow cards that left them a man down for six minutes and two players down for several turns of the clock. But this is where the Falcons defense stepped it up, shuting out Westview for the duration of the penalty minutes and starting starting fast breaks that lead to two short-haded goals by Torrey Pines -- the first by Golden off a free position and the second by Keely O'Brien that ended a sequence of passes from keeper Heather Schlesier to Eggold to Knowles and then finally O'Brien sprinting past the last of the Westview defenders. Rounding out the scoring the Torrey in the last eight minutes were Becky (off a sweet pass from Stephanie Cowles), Cowles (on a pass by Norfleet) and Katie (assisted by Becky). Sophomore keeper Schlesier had her best game as a varsity Falcon, chalking up nine savings including a couple of spectacular efforts. Norfleet scooped up at least four critical ground balls deep in Falcon territory, which she raced out to midfield (and sometimes beyond). And Yogerst intercepted four or five Westview passes in the midfield, several of them leading to Torrey goals. Over on the junior varsity side, Westview beat the Falcons 12-3. Chandler Baldwin scored twice for Torrey and Hannah Bettencourt picked up the third goal. (April 20) Falcons Slip Past the Patriots For the second game this season, Torrey Pines feel far behind in the first half and had to muster a furious rally after intermission. Only this time the comeback worked, as the Falcons slipped past Orange County powerhouse Beckman 12-11 on Saturday afternoon at Falcons Stadium. Katie Trees scored a season high five goals to lead the Falcons attack, but it was tough defense and midfield play in the second half that finally turned the tide. In typical style, Torrey jumped out to an early lead on two goals by Katie (the first unassisted, the second after a Chelsea Yogerst interception at midfield), and single scores by Anna Knowles and Julia Colley (off a nifty pass from Alexa Golden). Ranked No. 2 in the Orange County/Los Angeles area and No. 8 in the state -- and riding a 12-game win streak -- the Patriots came charging back. Snatched back the momentum, they found the net eight times in the first half -- the most goals the Falcons have given up in a half this season. They did it by winning draw controls and ground balls in the midfield, and using their speed to earn open shots on goal. The Pats scored five straight goals at one point to grab the lead. Katie Trees earned her third goal of the half (off a looping pass from sister Becky) to cut the deficit. But then Beckman scored off a free position and a fast break to lead 8-5 at the intermission. Whatever Falcons head coach Mandy Bourquin told her players at halftme worked, because Torrey was a whole different team in the second half, holding the Patriots to just three goals and putting seven on the board themselves. Becky Trees got things going by scoring on a great pass from Knowles, Katie notched another on a leaping jump shot after a free position, and then Becky slammed home another. Just like that the game was tied and the mojo flowing for Torrey. The Patriots took the lead twice again -- but the Falcons fought back to tie on score each time on goals by Keely O'Brien (after an awesome free position pass from Golden) and Katie Trees off another free position. Torrey grabbed the lead again with about 10 minutes left to play when Stephanie Cowles saved an errant ball from going out of bounds and passed to Becky Trees for the goal. After wining the draw, the Patriots quickly scored again on a fast break. But Cowles notched the winning goal a short time later on a twisting shot after cutting across the circle. The Patriots got off two shots in the final minute that would have sent the game into overtime -- the first was blocked by Falcons keeper Carrie Yang; the second went wide. And the Falcons had their sixth win of the season. (April 18) JV Falcons Lose in Final Seconds Beckman was awarded a free position and scored with just three seconds left on the clock to beat the junior varsity Falcons 9-8 on Saturday afternoon. Erica Cohen and Hannah Bettencourt both had a ouple of goals for Torrey, while Janna Golden and Caroline Paulson scored one apiece. Game & Recruiting DVDs Professional videographer Tom Sauer is shooting at least five Torrey Pines varsity lacrosse games this season and is also available to create recruiting videos for Falcon juniors and seniors who are thinking about playing in college. He's already shot Germantown, Coronado and Rancho Bernardo, and will shoot at least one LCC and Poway game later on. Tom put together several recruiting videos for the TP field hockey and lacrosse team last year and prior to that shot game and recruiting videos for many La Costa Canyon girls who are now playing in college. Even if you're not playing in college, the DVDs make great keepsakes of playing Torrey lacrosse. You can contact him directly on tel (760) 942-8523 or (760) 415-4316 or email: sauertt@hotmail.com. Torrey Knocks Off Rancho Bernardo Playing their best lacrosse of the season, Torrey Pines defeated Rancho Bernardo 15-7 on Wednesday night under the lights at Broncos Stadium. RB came into the game as the No. 1 team in both California and the San Diego section. But the Falcons scored off the opening draw and lead 9-2 at halftime on their way to a run-away win. Torrey played almost flawless lacrosse in the first half, racing out to a four-goal lead on scores by Katie Trees, Caroline Boucher and Becky Trees (2). At the other end of the field, the Falcons defense was stifling an RB attack that had been averaging 13 goals per game. The Broncos didn't get their first shot on goal until seven minutes into the game and they didn't score their first goal until more than 15 minutes had been played. The home team briefly cut the lead to two late in the half, but then Torrey went on another blitz -- goals by Annelysse Eggold and Katie Trees, another another pair from her sister Becky -- to extend the lead to seven goals by intermission. The Falcons have made a habit this season of jumping out to huge leads and then cruising the rest of the way. But against RB they kept the pressure on throughout the second half. The Broncos picked up some momentum (and three goals) early in the half, but the Falcons weathered the brief storm and turned the tables. Three goals by Keely O'Brien -- who played one of her best-ever games in a Falcon uniform -- and scores by Katie Trees, Anna Knowles and Boucher -- pushed the lead to nine goals (15-6) with around five minutes to play. Carrie Yang made three spectacular saves in the closing minutes to round off the game. Among the keys to victory for Coach Mandy Bourquin's squad were Becky Trees winning more than 80 percent of the draws against her Bronco counterparts, a swarming midfield that seemed to beat RB to nearly every ground ball, and tight man-on-man defense, especially from Alexa Golden and Chelsea Yogerst, who were charged with the task of guarding RB's leading scorers -- senior Ann Morgan Yeatman (who will play her college lax at Maryland next year) and sophomore sensation Alli Proel. Brittany Norfleet also had a awesome game at the defensive end of the field. The victory over RB marks the first time Torrey Pines has beaten a top ranked team at either the state or local level since regular lacrosse polls commenced in 2002. The win also boosted the Falcons for the first ever into the National Top 100 compiled by LaxPower.Com. Granted they are No. 100 in the nation and LCC is still ahead of them (at No. 96), but the ranking is a major milestone for both Coach Bourquin and the entire Torrey program. JV Falcons Drop a Heartbreaker to Broncos Playing on the grass at RB, the junior varsity Falcons dropped a close on, losing 12-10 to Rancho Bernardo. Freshman Yasmine Zein-Phillipson had a breakthrough performance with six goals. Caroline Paulson scored twice, Erica Cohen and Hannah Bettencourt one each for Torrey. Falcons Confront No. 1 Broncos Torrey Pines travels to Rancho Bernardo tonight for a 6:30 pm showdown against the Broncos, currently ranked as the No. 1 girls high school lacrosse team in both San Diego County and the state of California according to the latest LaxPower.Com polls. The junior varsity teams face off at 5 PM. RB is lead by senior middie Ann Morgan Yeatman, who just announced that she will play her college ball next year at the University of Maryland. Their other leading scorer is sophomore Alli Proel. The Broncos were undefeated until this past Monday, when they lost their Palomar League opener to Westview in overtime. RB has defeated four San Diego top ten teams this season including Coronado, Scripps Ranch, Santana and Mt Carmel. Their attack is especially skilled at converting free positions into goals. Broncos and Islanders Trade Top Spot The wild season in San Diego girls lacrosse got even wackier this week with upsets all over the county. Rancho Bernardo started the week at No. 1 in the LaxPower.Com computer ranking, but then slipped to No. 2 after losing to Westview in overtime. Coronado took over the top spot, but their reign lasted all of one day when the Islanders went fell on Tuesday night to No. 3 LCC -- who had lost the previous day to an unheralded Amador Valley from Northern California. (April 15) 1. Rancho Bernardo (7-1)
Torrey Spears Lancers in League Opener Torrey Pines shut down Carlsbad's high-scoring attack until late in the game and scored just eough goals at the other end of the field to beat the Lancers 8-6 Monday night at Falcon Stadium. It wasn't pretty lacrosse, but a win is a win, especially when it's the league opener. From a league that was largely dominated by one team (first Poway, then LCC), the Palomar has suddenly transformed into the most competitive circuit in the Western U.S. -- five of the Top 15 teams in the latest California rankings play in the Palomar. And the quality of the league showed beneath the Monday night lights as two very talented teams squared off against one another. The Falcons took an early lead when junior attack Lauren Humann popped in a pass from Katie Trees n the opening minutes. Katie notched her own goal moments later. Carlsbad responded by scoring of a sequence of three straight free positions. Becky Trees slammed home a pair of goals, Julia Colley scored off a free position and then Katie Trees scooped in a rebound of her own shot as the Falcons built a 6-2 halftime lead. Torrey would have scored even more if not for the heroics of Carlsbad keeper Sammy Slattery, who made 15 saves for the game, most of those in the first half. Torrey expanded the lead to five in the second half when Anna Knowles scored off a pass from Becky Trees. The Falcons looked to be on their way to a rout when they suddenly got themselves into "foul trouble" -- a pair of yellow cards that forced them into playing one man down for a lengthy stretch at mid-half. At that point, the stingy Torrey defense had held the Lancers without a goal for nearly 30 minutes. But the visitors eventually took advantage of their superior numbers by scoring off another series of three straight free positions. Becky Trees got one back for the Falcons, making it 8-3 with around eight minutes to play. The Lancers scored game's last three goals to make it look close, but by then the outcome was already decided. Carlsbad came into the game with the league's number one and two scorers in Brooke Smith (22 goals/6 assists) and Hanna Moore (15/8). And while the pair of them accounted for all of the Lancer scoring against Torrey, the dynamic duo really didn't find their aim until very late in the game. Credit the Falcons defense -- Alexa Golden, Chelsea Yogerst, Bianca Liu, Shelby Brown, Brittany Norfleet and Kaylee Mikuteit -- with one of their best games of the year. (April 13) Next up: A trip up Interstate-15 to face California state No. 1 ranked Rancho Bernardo on Weds night. JV Falcons Fly Past Carlsbad Coach Lauren Dachille's junior varsity Falcons earned their first win of the year by beating the Lancers 10-2 in the warm-up game on Monday night. Sarah Hsu, Erica Cohen, Yasmine Zein-Phillipson, Jana Golden, Chaldner Baldwin and Molly Bettencourt tallied goals for Torrey. More details to come . . . Palomar League Season Cranks Up To Full Speed After playing a meager four games during the first month of the season, the Torrey Pines varsity lacrosse team faces three highly ranked opponents over the next six days, starting with their Palomar League opener tonight against Carlsbad, at 7 PM in Falcons Stadium. The JV teams play at 5:30 PM. The Lancers come into the game as the 7th ranked team in San Diego and No. 12 in California in the latest LaxPower.Com poll. With 11 wins and only 2 defeats, Carlsbad has already played more than half its regular season schedule. The Lancers have beaten several good local teams (SDA, Canyon Crest, Valley Center, Santa Fe Christian) thus far, but Torrey is their first Top 10 opponent. The Falcons won their only meeting last year, 9-6. Odd as it may seem, this is the first time this year that Torrey Pines has been favored going into a game. But make no mistake -- the Lancers are a dangerous opponent. Through 13 games, their defense is giving up less than 5 goals per game, while their attack is scoring at a rate of nearly 10 goals per game. Later in the week, the Falcons travel up Interstate-15 for their big showdown with No. 1 ranked Rancho Bernardo. Then on Saturday they host Beckman, currently the second ranked team in the Los Angeles area and No. 9 in the state. Falcons Tame No. 6 Mustangs Torrey Pines built an early lead, extended it in the second half and then withstood a fierce Mustang rally to beat Northern California powerhouse Monte Vista (Danville) 14-11 on Friday afternoon in Falcon Stadium. The Mustangs came into the game as definite favorites, ranked No. 6 in the Western U.S. in the latest WestSideLax poll and two notches above Torrey in the latest LaxPower.Com computer rankings of the top teams in California. But the Falcons rebounded from last week's loss to Coronado in spectacular fashion, on offensive blitz that had them leading by as many as six goals after intermission. The 14 goals was the most that Monte Vista's defense has given up this year (LCC scored 10 against them and St Ignatius San Francisco 13). Becky Trees and Katie Trees lead the Torrey attack with four goals and two assists each. Anna Knowles popped in three goals, while Annelysse Eggold, Julia Colley and Lauren Humann scored one each for the Falcons. Sophomore keeper Carrie Yang had another great game in goal, turning away nine Monte Vista shots. The win upped Torrey's record to three wins and one loss as they head into the start of league play next week against Carlsbad and No. 1 ranked Rancho Bernardo. (April 10) Nado Nudges Falcons in Top Three Showdown Coronado defeated Torrey Pines 10-8 at Falcon Stadium last night in showdown between two of the top three teams in San Diego. The Islanders burst out to an early four-goal lead before the Falcons regrouped and staged a terrific comeback that fell just short. The first five minutes were ugly for the Falcons. They won the opening draw but quickly turned the ball over, an unforced error that resulted in a Coronado goal less than 20 seconds into the game. Somewhat shell-shocked by the turn of events, Torrey gave up another three goals in rapid succession before Katie Trees caught a pass from Brittany Norfleet at midfield and took it all the way in for the Falcons' first score. Katie added another goal moments later after she scooped up a loose ball in the Nado zone. The visitors came right back, senor attack Jillian Reidy popping in her third goal in a row. But the energy -- and luck of the bounce -- suddenly shifted to Torrey, the start of a dramatic rally that would turn a potential rout into an edge-of-your-seat nail biter. Anna Knowles scored on an awesome pass from Annelysse Eggold, and then Eggold notched her own goal on a curl-around-the-goal jump shot as the Falcons went into the half trailing by just two. A Torrey offsides lead to another Coronado score early in the second half, but then it was all Falcons. Eggold scored again off a free position; Caroline Boucher scored off a long, looping pass from Alexa Golden and then on a nifty solo play; and then Eggold scored off a pass from Boucher to tie the score at 8-8 with about ten minutes left to play. But then misfortune struck again. A yellow card put Torrey a player down and Nado was quick to take advantage of the opportunity, scoring what turned out to be the winning goal off a free position. Try as they might, the Falcons wouldn't score again. Not that they didn't have their chances: Torrey failed to convert on four straight free positions in the final minutes and the Falcons just ran out of time. Despite their disappointment, the Falcons found a lot of consolation in the loss. Having already played more than half of their regular season schedule, Coronado (12-2) came into the game in crisp mid-season form. On the other hand, the Falcons are just getting started -- it was only their third game of the season thanks to the cancelled Denver road trip. The Torrey girls also proved that they can spot a good opponent a sizable lead and still dig themselves out of that hole. And after three straight Coronado blow-outs dating back to 2006, the young Falcons (with only three seniors in the starting lineup last night) discovered they can definitely hang with one of the county's traditional lacrosse powers. (April 1st) The JV Falcons lost 12-7 to their Coronado counterparts. More details on both games to come. Torrey vs Coronado Tonight at Falcon Stadium Torrey Pines faces off against Coronado tonight in a clash of traditional San Diego lacrosse powers. The opening draw is set for 7 PM (right after the junior varsity game at 5:30). Either team could be the favorite in this game. The Falcons are currently ranked 9th in the Western US by WestSideLax. On the other hand, the Islanders are currently No. 2 in San Diego on the LaxPower.Com computer poll (Torrey Pines is No. 6) and they were picked to finish ahead of the Falcons in the WSL preseason preview. Coronado comes into the game with nine wins and two losses. They won the Westview tourney easily, but dropped their season opener to Rancho Bernardo and a game last week to national No. 2 ranked Sts Stephen's & Agnes (Virginia). Nado is lead this year by All-American middie Melissa Humphrey (who will play her college lax at Cal-Berkeley next year), Coco O'Brien (currently their leading scorer), Michaela Guerrera and Jillian Reidy. Union-Tribune Tabs Boucher as Player of the Week The San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper picked sophomore attack Caroline Boucher as one of its six prep "Players of the Week" on the strength of her four goals against Germantown (PA), that sparked a Falcon comeback over the highly touted Philadelphia team. (April 1st) NC Times Picks Torrey Second in Palomar League The North County Times finally came out with its high schools girls lacrosse preview over the weekend, composed by sports reporter Tim Scott with input from area coaches. And to no one's surprise, the paper picked LCC to win the Palomar League again, followed by Torrey Pines, Rancho Bernardo, Poway and Westview. Given the fact that all five of them among the county's Top Ten teams, the Palomar should produce some incredible lax this spring. That's pretty much the same order picked by the Union-Tribune and WestSideLax in their 2009 previews, although it differs from the current LaxPower.Com computer rankings, which has Rancho Bernardo No. 1 on the basis of an undefeated (6-0) record and season opening win over Coronado. This is what the NCT had to say about Torrey Pines: "The Falcons' attack this year will feature a pair of high-scoring seniors in Becky Trees and Alexa Golden who enter their fourth season as starters. Trees is known for playing both ends of the field, while Golden has been a clutch player. Other top returning Falcons include junior Chelsea Yogerst and sophomore Katie Trees." To read the full preview click onto -- North County Times League-by-League Overview Falcons Earn Historic Win Over Germantown Torrey Pines rallied from a two goals down on Tuesday evening to earn a 13-10 upset win over Germantown Academy of Pennsylvania, the highest ranked team (nationally) the Falcons have beaten in the history of the girls lacrosse program. The Patriots finished the 2008 season ranked #106 in the nation by LaxPower.Com -- 236 places higher than Torrey Pines (342nd). But you would have never guessed that the way the game unfolded from the very start. The Falcons won the opening draw and scored on their first drive into G'town territory when junior Annelysse Eggold scooped up a goalie save and slammed it into the net. Seniors Becky Trees and Alexa Golden padded the lead with their own goals. Eight minutes passed before the favored Patriots got the ball across midfield for the first time, the Falcons' middies and D-wings penning them in. But once Germantown did get rolling, the momentum quickly switched. The visitors ran off four goals in a row, two of them by senior captain Kate Henrich. Helped in no small part by two yellow cards against the Falcons , the visitors built a 5-3 lead late in the half. But Torrey snatched one back with the clock ticking down when junior Chelsea Yogerst stole the ball on a sharp check at midfield and passed to sophomore Caroline Boucher for a score. Torrey drew another yellow card early in the second half and had to play two men down. Henrich popped in another goal and things looked dire for the Falcons. But just as quickly as it had switched in the first half, the momentum suddenly changed again. Boucher scored for the short-handed Falcons on a brilliant solo move and then notched her third goal of the game on a pinpoint pass from senior Keely O'Brien. Just like that the game was tied at 6-6. Germantown grabbed the lead again, but it was only temporary, as Torrey ran off seven goals in a row -- one by sophomore Anna Knowles, another by Boucher, and then four by sophomore Katie Trees -- as the Falcons built a commanding 13-7 lead. But it wasn't all offense. At the other end of the field, the Torrey defenders were shutting down the Patriots' big guns and sophomore keeper Carrie Yang (making only her second varsity start) was having the game of her life, swatting away shots high and low, right and left. G'town mounted a rally in the closing moments to narrow the gap. But it was too little, too late for the distinguished visitors. Boucher and Katie Trees lead the Falcons with four goals each. Yang had 12 saves on the night. Over on the other side, All-American midfielder Henrich scored three for the Pats, junior middie Maggie Ebbott had two, and Columbia University bound forward Olivia Mann one goal. (March 24) Torrey Tops Regis Colorado in Season Opener Torrey Pines kicks off the 2009 season in impressive fashion with a 14-2 win over Regis Jesuit of Colorado in a Thursday afternoon game at the Bishops School in La Jolla. The Falcons raced out to an 8-0 lead before the Raiders finally notched their first goal just before halftime. Nine different Falcons contributed to Torrey's offensive barrage, lead by senior Becky Trees and sophomore Katie Trees with four goals each. Junior attack Annelysse Eggold chipped in a goal and two assists, while senior D-wing Alexa Golden had a goal and an assist. Other goals came off the sticks of seniors Keely O'Brien and Dorian O'Leary, junior Stephanie Cowles and sophomore Anna Knowles, while defender Chelsea Yogerst picked up an assist. Besides spreading the wealth amongst many different players, the Falcons also scored in varied ways -- off sets plays, long pinpoint passes and blistering fastbreaks. Everyone knew the high-powered Falcon offense could score. The question mark was whether or not the defense could check a Raiders attack that came to San Diego averaging 13 goals a game over their first four contests -- including 10 goals against Colorado powerhouse Cherry Creek, currently the No. 1 ranked team in the Western U.S. (see rankings below). But from the opening whistle, Torrey's defense looked in mid-season form rather than playing their first game, veterans Golden and Yogerst scooping iup ground balls and making timely interceptions in the midfield, while the backline of senior Bianca Liu, junior Priya Devasirvatham and Brittany Norfleet shut down the Raiders attackers inside the circle. Sophomore goalies Carrie Yang and Heather Schlesier also had a stellar varsity debut. Regis came into the game ranked No. 9 in Colorado in the latest LaxPower.Com computer poll, based on wins over Ralston Valley (17-10) and Smoky Hill (17-16), and losses to Denver East (7-9) and Cherry Creek (11-20). The Falcons play both Smoky Hill and Cherry Creek on their Denver road trip later this month. (March 19th) Girls Lax Around the County Following in the footsteps of WestSideLax, the San Diego Union Tribune has tabbed LCC as preseason No. 1 in girls lacrosse, followed by Coronado, Torrey Pines (and a surprise pick for number 4) Rancho Bernardo. The Broncos weren't even on the radar until last weekend, when they upset heavily favored Coronado 11-6 (in Coronado). Cal-Berkeley bound Gina Holslag of Scripps Ranch is their pre-season player of the year (rather than Stanford-bound Jackie Candelaria of LCC). Falcons Alexa Golden, Becky Trees and Stephanie Cowles are among the "others to watch" in the UT's season preview. The RB-Nado game is one indication that the balance of power in San Diego high school girls lax could be shifting slightly this year. In other action last week, Scripps Ranch beat favored Poway 12-9 and Canyon Crest nearly knocked off heavily favored Cathedral (8-9). LCC, La Jolla and Torrey Pines have yet to play their first game. (March 15) Varsity Team Dinners Team dinners for the rest of the season (hope you will
consider filling in one of those blanks!) --
The 2008 THPS Girls' Lacrosse web page can still be viewed
at: http://www.tphslax.com/2008pages/index.html,
And check out TPHS Field Hockey at: http://www.tpfieldhockey.com/ fun videos there too. TPHS Boys' Lacrosse: http://www.tplax.com/
Questions or comments regarding this page may be sent
to http://www.tphslax.com/index.html
|
||||||||||
