Nine Warriors given all-league field hockey honors

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

Fallbrook High School is in the Palomar League for field hockey, and nine of the Warriors’ players received all-league recognition while Fallbrook head coach Debbie Berg was selected as the league’s Coach of the Year.

The all-league first team included Erica Garcia, Taylor Sanchez, Mallory Sehnert and Gianna Alvarez‑Lindenmayer. Maya Pack and Kasey Sanchez shared goalkeeping duties for the Warriors this year, and both were placed on the Palomar League second team. Lucy Loomis, Shea Morgan and Alyssa Wilson were given honorable mention distinction.

“A testament to their dedication to the sport and their growth of their skills,” Berg said of the nine all-league players.

Eleven players received first-team recognition, and another 11 were chosen for the second team. Fallbrook thus had four of the 11 Palomar League first team players.

“Four is quite a few to get on the first team. It just means that the league recognized the considerable talent we had this year,” Berg said. “It feels good to be recognized.”

Fallbrook and Mission Vista High School both had 8-2 Palomar League records to share the league championship, although the Warriors swept their league games against the Timberwolves. The all-league first team also included three players from Mission Vista, two from Valley Center High School and one apiece from San Pasqual and Mount Carmel high schools. Del Norte High School is also in the Palomar League; the Nighthawks had no first-team players but two second-team selections.

Cassidy McLeod of Mission Vista and Alvarez‑Lindenmayer are the only sophomores on the Palomar League first team.

“That’s a pretty rare event,” Berg said.

Garcia, Taylor Sanchez and Sehnert are seniors. All were team captains for 2022 as was Wilson.

“They each bring something very special to the table,” Berg said.

Pack and Kasey Sanchez are both juniors.

“They’re a big reason why we had 10 shutouts,” Berg said.

Three of those shutouts were in league play and two others were in the CIF Division I playoffs. Fallbrook and Valley Center faced each other in the CIF championship game with the Jaguars prevailing by a 2-1 margin.

Loomis is a senior. Morgan is a junior.

Although Berg was selected as the league Coach of the Year, she noted the role of assistant coaches Jeremiah Fuller, Collin Kooyman and Emily Kooyman.

“That’s a shared award. It was in my name, but it was a shared award. It basically was to the whole coaching staff,” Berg said. “We each play a part.”

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