Warriors compile 3-5-2 pre-league girls soccer record

The pre-league portion of Fallbrook High School’s 2018-2019 girls soccer season gave the Warriors a 3-5-2 record.

“We’ve been doing well,” Fallbrook coach Sergio Garcia said. “All in all, I'm happy with the team.”

Last year Fallbrook was in Division III for CIF playoff purposes. The Warriors are in Division II for this season.

“We moved up a division this year,” Garcia said.

Garcia sought to schedule Division II and Division I teams when possible.

“A couple of the losses have been close matches,” Garcia said. “We’re hanging in there with Division II teams.”

Fallbrook opened play Nov. 28 with a 2-0 loss against El Camino High School, which is in Division I. The Warriors’ first home match of the season Dec. 1 was a 4-0 loss to Central High School, which is a Division II member. Escondido Charter High School is also in Division II, and the Warriors hosted the White Tigers Dec. 4 and the teams played to a 1-1 tie. Mission Hills High School, which is in Division I, hosted Fallbrook in a Dec. 11 match which ended as a 2-0 Grizzlies victory.

Next, the Warriors had four games in a row against Division III teams: a 6-3 loss Dec. 14 at Coronado High School, a 1-1 tie Dec. 18 at home against Sage Creek High School, a 1-0 victory Dec. 20 at Rancho Buena Vista High School and a 2-1 victory Dec. 27 against Sage Creek.

The Dec. 27 victory over the Bobcats placed Fallbrook into the final of the Nike SoCal High School Classic Championship tournament, although CIF Southern Section member San Gabriel Mission High School won the championship with a 2-1 victory over the Warriors in the Dec. 28 contest in Oceanside.

Fallbrook’s final game before the start of league play was at home Jan. 4 and was a 1-0 victory over Oceanside High School, which is in Division II.

“The program has been going in the right direction,” Garcia said.

Garcia was the Warriors’ junior varsity coach in 2015-2016, when Fallbrook was in Division IV. The Warriors moved up to Division III for 2016-17, which was Garcia’s first season as Fallbrook’s varsity coach.

“We’ve been climbing up,” Garcia said.

The 2018-2019 Fallbrook roster has seven seniors, three juniors, five sophomores and three freshmen.

“We have a lot of great talent,” Garcia said.

Twelve of the players were on the 2017-2018 varsity.

“We have some experienced players on the team,” Garcia said.

Garcia said that many players have experience other than through the high school program.

“The experience at the club level helps tremendously once they come play at the high school level,” he said.

The Warriors were second in the final Valley League standings both in 2016-17 and in 2017-2018.

“The past couple of seasons have been a battle between us and San Pasqual,” Garcia said.

San Pasqual High School is also in Division II, as is Valley League member Mission Hills. Valley Center High School is in Division III while Escondido High School and Ramona High School are Division IV teams.

“I feel confident going into league,” Garcia said.