Warriors girls soccer prepares for league season

A 2-0 home loss Dec. 19 against Rancho Buena Vista gave Fallbrook High School's girls soccer team a season record of 0-4 to begin the 2019-20 season.

"We had a rough start," said Fallbrook coach Sergio Garcia.

The power rankings which are the primary factor in CIF playoff selection and seeding include strength of schedule as well as win-loss record, and Garcia believes that the Warriors' pre-league schedule will prepare his players for Valley League and postseason play as well as reflect a higher level of competition. "We want to go in and play strong opponents to get ready for the season," he said.

If weather permits Escondido will be Fallbrook's first Valley League opponent when league play begins Jan. 14. Fallbrook was the 2018-19 league champion. "Being league champs, everybody comes out a little bit more," Garcia said.

The league standings are based on two points for each win and one point for each tie. Fallbrook posted a 7-1-2 league record in 2018-19 for 16 points. Valley Center was second with a 4-2-4 record worth 12 points. Mission Vista had 11 points and a 5-4-1 record. Ramona was fourth with a 3-4-3 league record and nine points, but the Bulldogs won the CIF Division IV championship and reached the second round of the state playoffs before losing in a penalty kick shootout. "It was close last year," Garcia said.

Ramona is now in Division III for CIF playoff purposes. Fallbrook remains in Division II; the Warriors lost in the first round of the 2019 CIF playoffs to finalize their overall season record at 10-7-4.

Eight of last season's Fallbrook players were seniors including five who received all-league honors. All three of Fallbrook's Valley League first team members for the 2018-19 season have graduated.

"We did lose a handful of departing seniors," Garcia said. "It's kind of a rebuilding year for us."

Tryouts for this season's team were held Nov. 12-14. The Warriors have no novice squad and 38 players sought berths on the varsity and junior varsity teams. Garcia made some cuts and kept 16 players on the varsity and 17 on the junior varsity. Four of the varsity players are seniors. This season's varsity has six returning starters from the 2018-19 Warriors.

"The chemistry is building, I think. They're playing good," Garcia said. "I think it will come together."

Some practices were moved indoors due to rain, although none of the Warriors' games had to be rescheduled.

Fallbrook's season began Dec. 10 at Escondido Charter. The White Tigers scored twice in the second half for a 2-0 victory. The Warriors hosted Vista Dec. 14 and the Panthers scored in the second half for a 1-0 win.

The halftime score of Fallbrook's Dec. 17 match at Sage Creek was 1-1 with senior Galilea Medina scoring the Warriors' goal and junior Jade Kennedy providing the assist. The Bobcats scored all three second-half goals for a 4-1 triumph.

"They've been close games," Garcia said.

(The margin of victory or loss may not reflect the closeness of the game since the trailing team will seek to tie the score and use a formation focused more on offense than on defense.)

The SoCal High School Classic tournament begins Dec. 27 in the absence of meteorological obstacles. Fallbrook has a home game that day against Western Christian of Upland while Flintridge Prep of La Canada will face the Warriors in Fallbrook Dec. 28.