Early girls' lacrosse season ending makes premature end for 5 Fallbrook seniors

The cancellation of CIF spring sports for 2020 shortened the season for all members of the Fallbrook High School girls’ lacrosse team and prematurely ended the careers of the Warriors’ five seniors.

“It’s heartbreaking. The season was stolen away from us,” Fallbrook coach Debbie Berg said.

Audrey Gillcrist, who played midfield, had been on the varsity for all four seasons. Jackie Alvarez, who played at both the attack and midfield positions, was also in the program for four years and joined the varsity as a junior. The Warriors’ goalkeeper, Judith Colores, joined the program as a sophomore and was promoted to the varsity later that season. A knee injury kept attacker Cassie Ramirez from participating as a junior, but she followed her 2018 junior varsity season with a varsity assignment for 2020. Alcantar, Colores and Gillcrist were team captains.

Three games were played before the season was canceled. Fallbrook posted a 1-2 record. Although the Warriors began the season with losses Feb. 25, at home against Valley Center High School and Feb. 27, at Sage Creek High School, what turned out to be the season’s final game March 3 was a 16-11 victory at Del Lago Academy.

“Our team was beginning to gel together. We had some strong leadership with our seniors,” Berg said.

The loss of the senior leadership for the 2021 team members augments the early end of the seniors’ careers.

“It is a tragedy to lose leadership,” Berg said. “It’s just kind of a waste of their skillset to not be able to finish out the season.”

The shortened season likely won't cost any of the Fallbrook seniors the opportunity to play lacrosse in college.

“I don’t believe any of them were planning to play at the next level,” Berg said.

Gillcrist’s 21 goals led the team this season, and she accomplished that statistic with only 38 shots.

“Audrey Gillcrist could definitely play at the next level,” Berg said. “She certainly has the skill, the leadership.”

The U.S. Naval Academy, where Gillcrist will continue her academic career, does not have athletic scholarships. Gillcrist said she does not currently desire to play college lacrosse.

All of the varsity lacrosse players will receive varsity letters for the 2020 season.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at [email protected].