Warrior sticksters fifth in Serra Tournament; Arias and Ashbrook named to all-tournament team

Although Fallbrook High School’s field hockey team placed fifth in the Serra Tournament, Tatiana Arias and Maddie Ashbrook were selected to the all-tournament team.

“Considering there were only four kids that were placed on the all-tournament team that were not in the top four, I’m happy,” said Fallbrook coach Kathy Waite.

The Warriors won four matches while losing only one game during the tournament played Sept. 21 and Sept. 28, but their loss was in the game which determined who advanced to the championship semifinals.

Each team played three games Sept. 21. Fallbrook’s first contest was a 1-0 victory over Poway. In the first half, Taryn Ransbury scored the game’s only goal with an assist from Ashbrook after the Warriors successfully executed a tip play. “It was great,” Waite said. “It’s something we practice a lot, but the opportunity doesn’t come up that often.”

Goalkeepers Taryn Sehnert and Jenny Smidt combined for the shutout. Joy Kumagai took the ACT college entrance test Sept. 21 and missed the day’s games, so the Warriors’ defenders who contributed to the shutout were Sarah Scrape, Gaby Zinniger, and Alanna Gilcrease.

In Fallbrook’s second game, a 2-0 halftime lead against La Jolla turned into a 6-1 triumph. Ashbrook scored three goals with Caroline Bishop, Samantha Main, and Hannah Snider each scoring once. “They were done in a varsity of ways like a breakaway, a top of the circle goal, and a couple of corner rebounds,” Waite said of the successful shots.

Fallbrook completed pool play with a 3-0 victory against Hilltop. Bishop, Emily Strickfaden, and Heather Snider put shots into the net.

On Sept. 26, the Warriors traveled to Poway for a non-league game, this time taking a 2-0 victory. “It was a very intense game,” Waite said.

Ashbrook scored both goals; the first involved an assist from Scrape while the second was on a breakaway.

Serra High School still has a grass field while Poway High School utilizes synthetic turf. Waite noted that the Poway field was also wider and longer than the Serra Tournament grounds.

When the tournament resumed Sept. 28, Fallbrook was seeded fourth after winning its pool. Rancho Buena Vista was seeded fifth, and the match between the Warriors and Longhorns concluded with RBV being on the favorable end of the 3-1 score. “They came out ready and got to that ball quicker than we did,” Waite said.

Fallbrook’s goal came on a corner play with Strickfaden setting up Ashbrook for the shot.

Fallbrook defeated Serra by a 5-0 score in the fifth-place game. Arias and Ashbrook each scored twice after Main initially put the Warriors on the scoreboard.

“I thought it was a quality tournament. Excellent competition,” Waite said.

The Warriors improved their season record to 9-3 Oct. 2 with a 1-0 home victory over San Pasqual. “I was thrilled by our goal,” Waite said.

In the second half, Ashbrook hurled the ball from outside the 35-yard marker. The ball went over everyone and was picked up by Arias, who maneuvered it into the goal. “It was a great play,” Waite said.

Fallbrook hosts Vista tomorrow, Oct.11, in the teams’ Avocado League opener.