Warriors on path for successful girls lacrosse season

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

Fallbrook High School’s girls lacrosse team didn’t win the Warriors’ scheduled game March 3 at Valhalla, not due to a loss, but due to rain. The contest was postponed to March 11, and moved to Fallbrook. A 9-5 victory on the rescheduled date gave Fallbrook a 3-1 season record.

“Very happy,” said Fallbrook coach Debbie Berg. “Meeting the expectations for sure. I expect us to do quite well this year.”

Achieving the Warriors’ primary goal for the 2023 season won’t happen until the conclusion of Valley League play. “Our goal is to win league. That’s the main goal,” Berg said.

Last year, Fallbrook placed second in the Valley League with a 4-2 record. Sage Creek, which won last year’s Valley League championship, has been moved to the Palomar League. The 2023 Valley League consists of Fallbrook, El Camino, Ramona, Rancho Buena Vista, Valley Center, and Vista.

The April 20 home game against Ramona, which will commence league play for the Warriors, in the absence of postponed games, will be Fallbrook’s 14th of the season.

The 2022 Warriors reached the second round of the CIF Division II playoffs. Fallbrook’s final overall record was 17-4 including the first-round playoff win and the quarterfinals playoff loss. Last year’s team had six seniors.

Eight of the 2022 varsity players are on this year’s team. Berg kept 16 players on the varsity, and since lacrosse involves 12 players from each team on the field at a time, she will have four substitutes if nobody is injured or ill.

Berg is not worried about injury or illness losses depriving the Warriors of rest. “I have a very deep bench on JV,” she said. “That would just be an opportunity for the JV players to have some varsity time.”

The junior varsity roster consists of 21 players. “A majority of the team is new to the sport this year,” Berg said.

Two of the junior varsity players were on last year’s JV squad. One of those is the goalkeeper; varsity goalkeeper Myah Pack is one of the returning varsity players and is currently a junior.

Berg noted that the defensive players on the varsity are more experienced than the offense. “My attack is probably newer to the sport,” she said.

One of those attackers was on last year’s junior varsity. Three others have no previous high school experience. “I have some freshmen attack who have never played before on varsity. In fact I have three of them,” Berg said.

Five of this year’s players are seniors.

Fallbrook’s 2023 season began Feb. 28 at Mira Mesa High School. The Warriors won that 15-2 contest. Six goals apiece were scored by senior Taylor Sanchez and junior Shea Morgan. Morgan collected six ground balls while sophomore Gianna Alvarez‑Lindenmayer had five ground balls. Pack made six saves against the Marauders.

The Warriors’ March 7 home game against Temecula Valley was a 7-6 Fallbrook triumph. Chaparral made a March 9 trip to Fallbrook and returned home with an 8-3 victory. “They have a very strong zone defense that we’re just learning to get through,” Berg said.

Morgan scored all three of Fallbrook’s goals against Chaparral. Pack made 14 saves.

Fallbrook held a 5-2 halftime lead in the March 11 game against Valhalla. Morgan scored seven of the Warriors’ nine goals throughout the game. Erica Garcia, who is a senior, had three ground balls. Pack saved eight shots.