Nado Natterings
A weekly column by David Axelson

3 June 2009 Issue #22

The No. 1 seeded Coronado High School’s Boys Lacrosse Team (20-2) defeated La Costa Canyon Saturday night by the score of 9-4 to win the CIF San Diego Section championship. The victory, the first earned by a non-North County high school in the history of the event, had the added benefit of avenging an Islander loss to the Mavericks in the 2008 final.

By winning the championship game, played at Helix Charter High School, the Islanders cemented their domination of California prep lacrosse, as they went undefeated against the best competition in the state. The team’s only two losses this season coming on a spring break road trip to Maryland.

By winning their final 15 straight games, Coronado also reclaimed their No. 1 ranking in the state of California from Westsidelax.com, a website which concentrates on lacrosse developments and results in the western half of the United States.

The title game had an inauspicious beginning for Coronado, as LCC took the opening draw and scored the game’s first goal 17 seconds later. The Islanders responded with the deliberate, ball possession attack that has become their hallmark. As the first quarter unfolded, goalie Peter Zeller stopped three Maverick shots on goal, while mid fielders Kodie Englehart and Jackson Cusick, as well as long stick mid Jonny Poe, set the defensive tone of the game for Coronado flying around the playing field, stick checking and body checking almost anyone wearing a blue Maverick uniform.

With just 3.8 seconds remaining in the first quarter, senior attack Bobby Braun scored on an assist from Kyle Runyon and the Islanders evened the score. Just over a minute later in the second quarter, Braun scored on an unassisted goal, which was answered 25 seconds later by LCC. The Mavericks scored again after just 15 more seconds had ticked off the clock to take a 3-2 lead. At the 2:38 mark Eddie Vita scored on an assist from Braun and the score remained deadlocked 3-3 at the half.

By any statistical measure, Coronado dominated the third quarter and took control of the game. Runyon scored on an assist from Braun 41 seconds into the third quarter, followed four minutes later by a goal from Sean O’Brien on an assist from Runyon. At the 4:26 mark, Vita scored on an assist from Braun and with just under two minutes remaining, Englehart took a brief respite from leveling La Costa Canyon’s offensive players and scored on Braun’s fourth and final assist of the game.

The stat of ‘groundballs recovered’ in lacrosse is somewhat equivalent to offensive rebounds in basketball. Skill is involved, but in both sports coaches use the stat as a reflection of overall effort from their team. Domination of groundballs was another hallmark of the Islander team throughout the playoffs and that was especially true in the third quarter of the championship game. Not only did the Islanders outscore the Mavericks 4-0 in the stanza, but they recovered 12 groundballs to LCC’s two and had 11 shots on goal to three for the Mavericks.

The Mavericks scored their lone goal in the second half with 9:27 remaining in the fourth quarter, while Englehart scored his second goal on an assist from Runyon to answer and Vita scored an unassisted tally for the final goal of the game.

The last couple of minutes of play found Coronado playing keep away from La Costa Canyon, employing their ball control and passing skills to full advantage, while the Coronado dominated crowd stood and cheered the team and the realization of their championship goal.

Zeller and his defensive backfield had an outstanding game, with the goalie credited with nine saves. The defenders including Poe, Daniel Nevitt, Jonathan Little and Curtis Nixon stifled the high-powered LCC offensive attack.

Coronado won the all-important ‘draws won’ stat, primarily performed by O’Brien, by the margin of 10-6. For the game the Islanders had 36 ground balls recovered to 20 for the Mavericks and 34 shots on goal to 20 for LCC.

Coronado’s march through the playoffs included victories over Eastlake by the score of 17-5, a quarter-final win over long-time nemesis Poway 9-1 and a 13-6 semi-finals dismantling of Rancho Bernardo. In aggregate in the last three games, nine players scored a total of 31 goals. Members of the current senior class scored 13 of the 31 goals, for a total of 42 percent of the Islanders scoring. That figure reflects the fact that a lot of offensive firepower that will return to defend the CIF crown, not to mention resident net minder Zeller, who is a junior and will return next season.

Continuing the theme of fine and consistent team effort by the Islanders, in the final three games of their championship season, Coronado won 117 groundballs to the opposition’s 63.

Braun and Vita scored a total of seven goals each in Coronado’s final three playoff games, followed by Runyon with five, O’Brien and Englehart with three each, two goals each came from Cusick and Alex Bookout and single scores from Kevin Siefert and Poe. Coming off of earning City Conference Player of the Year honors, Poe was also the winner of the CIF Sportsmanship award for the playoffs.

Islander Girls Lacrosse Falls to Torrey Pines in CIF Semi-Finals

It was a tough week for the CHS Girls Lacrosse Team, the No. 2 seed in the CIF San Diego Section. Coming off their 19-11 lop-sided first round victory over Valley Center, the Islanders hosted Poway in the CIF quarter-finals last week. The game began well with the Islanders scoring the first three goals of the contest, on efforts from Kaitlyn Couture, Coco O’Brien, and Melissa Humphrey.

Poway scored shortly thereafter and the Islanders traded goals with the Titans, with Coronado scores coming from O’Brien, Michaela Guerrera and Humphrey. With 3:04 remaining in the first half, Couture scored her second goal to give Coronado a 7-3 lead and it appeared that the Islanders could coast home. However, two Poway goals in the last two minutes of the first half made it a game again and put the score at 7-5.

Jillian Reidy scored a goal to open the second half, with Poway countering 90 seconds later. Humphrey’s third goal of the evening was answered by three consecutive tallies from Poway and the score was tied at 9-9. Humphrey and Reidy scored back-to-back goals, but the Titans answered with two goals of their own and the score was 11-11 at the end of regulation.

Girls lacrosse, much like water polo, employs two, three-minute overtime periods to settle ties and Coronado was up for the challenge. Reidy scored her third goal of the game, followed closely by the fifth goal of the contest from Humphrey. Anna Turpit scored the lone goal in the second of the three-minute overtimes and Coronado emerged with a hard-fought 14-12 victory.

Thursday night the Islanders again were at home for the CIF semi-finals, hosting the No. 3 seeded club from Torrey Pines. This game was essentially the same as the Poway game, just with the roles reversed. Despite a quick goal by O’Brien, Torrey Pines held a 4-1 advantage mid-way through the first half. Humphrey scored an unassisted goal to make the score 4-2, but the Falcons sandwiched two goals around a goal by Reidy from an O’Brien assist, to make the score 6-3. O’Brien scored her second goal shortly before the end of the half to make the score 6-4.

To start the second half, Coronado ratcheted up their defensive pressure and turned the effort into a goal from Reidy on an O’Brien assist. Goalie Taylor Udell cranked up her game in the second half, recording four saves in the opening eight minutes of play to keep Coronado in the game. However Torrey Pines scored two quick goals before Reidy scored her third goal of the evening on an assist from Humphrey. Less than two minutes later, with 6:30 remaining in the game, Torrey Pines scored their ninth goal, to take a 9-6 lead.

At about the time the Islanders appeared to be well and truly out of the game, O’Brien scored on an assist from Humphrey and scored again 29 seconds later to pull Coronado within one goal. A steal deep in the Falcons offensive end by Sandy Shepherd with 2:30 remaining and a groundball snared by Alex Reidy shortly thereafter couldn’t be converted into goals.

Statistically the game was even, with Coronado winning 10 of the game’s 18 draws, but Torrey Pines held slight advantages in ground balls recovered (21-20) and shots on goal (24-19).

O’Brien finished with four goals and two assists, while Jillian Reidy scored three goals to go with one assist. Humphrey contributed a goal and two assists, with single assists coming from Turpit and Andrea Davis.

Head Coach Jessica Battle was philosophical about the outcome. “I thought we tried really hard, but we just weren’t connecting. In the second half, we started to connect, but it was too little, too late. If the game had gone another two minutes, we would have won. Torrey Pines has a scrappy team and they are incredibly aggressive. They came out against La Costa Canyon in the CIF Finals the same way. I still don’t think they are a better team, but you have to give them credit.”

Battle was then asked to give her impressions of the season as a whole. “I think we had a great season, but it is frustrating to work so hard and to get so far and at the end we get robbed. There’s nothing you can do about it. Every year we have great players leaving and every year we keep developing great teams. We have big shoes to replace next year with Melissa Humphrey and (lead defender) Kirsten Krock graduating.”

Coronado completed the season with a record of 21-4, including a perfect 10-0 run through the City Conference.

Coronado Baseball Team Disqualified from CIF Playoffs

Shortly after the deadline passed for the submission of ‘Nado Natterings’ this week, the CIF San Diego Section office disqualified the Coronado High School Baseball Team from further participation in the CIF Division IV playoffs, due to the use of an ineligible  player.

The rules violation and subsequent disqualification were created when a freshman member of the CHS junior varsity team participated in a 14 and Under Pony League tournament in Chula Vista over Memorial Day Weekend. CIF rules prohibit members of a school team at any level from playing on another, non-school team during the season.

 In Coronado’s 19-0 blowout win over Mountain Empire last week, Coronado Head Baseball Coach Sam Ceci made numerous substitutions, sending a total of 24 different Islander players to the plate in the game, including the player who had participated in the Pony League event.  The player’s participation in the tournament was not known to Ceci or to his coaching staff. In fact, Ceci told the coaches of the Pony League team, who were also associated with the CHS program, not to use the player in question in the Pony League event.

The outcome of the game was not in doubt when the player was inserted into the lineup. Ceci was attempting to gain playoff experience for several younger members of the program. Competing in the playoff game, after playing on the non-school team in the same season, caused the player in question to be ruled ineligible.

Allegations of the use of the ineligible player were first made by people associated with the Chula Vista Pony League, who contacted the Mountain Empire baseball coach. The CIF office in turn contacted CHS Athletic Director Robin Nixon Friday morning, May 29^th with news of the allegation. Nixon immediately launched an investigation into the matter, aided by Ceci and other representatives of the Islander baseball program.

When it became apparent that the violation had occurred, Nixon reported confirmation of the use of the ineligible player to the CIF Monday morning, June 1 at 8 am. The CIF disqualified Coronado from the playoffs in a return phone call that came in at 12:30 pm the same day.

“We were disqualified Monday, which we knew we would be,” said Ceci Monday evening. “The CIF was appreciative of our stepping up and the research we did into the matter. Most of the team had an inkling of what was going on as the news was spreading around at last Saturday’s game. The kids weren’t in significant shock, but there was disappointment. I didn’t get the sense that anybody was totally floored by the whole thing. We’re not challenging or fighting it. It was the correct decision.”

To re-set the playoffs, the CIF had Mater Dei play Mountain Empire in a play-in game Monday, two teams that had previously been beaten by Coronado. Mater Dei won to advance to play Christian Tuesday.

Track and Field

Islander Head Track Coach George Green checks in with the final report on the CHS Track and Field Team for the year. “The track season ended last Saturday at the CIF finals held at Mt. Carmel High School.

Leading the Islander squad was sophomore Sadie Gimber who emerged at this season's Division II champion in the 400 meter dash with a time of 59.49. Sadie found her stride mid-season, went into the prelims as a contender and into the finals as the favorite.

Also mounting the winner's podium (Top Six finishers) were Annie Lovering in the 1,600 meter run (fifth in 5:19.2), Cassie Callahan in the 300 hurdles (fifth in 48.35) and Briana Giorgione in the pole vault (sixth with a jump of eight feet, nine inches). Adie Davies was a bit off her best but still finished ninth in the 1,600 meters in a time of 5:26.45. Sallie Privett, who won both the 1,600 meters and the 3,200 meters at the Central League meet, was unable to compete due to illness.”

CHS Softball Wins Two CIF Playoff Games

The Islander Softball Team entered this week’s action with one win and one loss in the double elimination CIF Division IV playoffs. When Coronado hosted Palo Verde Tuesday they were in ‘win or go home’ mode.

Head Coach Tony Isabella sent Brianna Feist to the mound and the first two Palo Verde hitters reached base on Islander errors. The first hitter scored, while the second hitter tried to score on a three-base throwing error, but was cut down at the plate on a well-executed relay from right fielder Alana Pompa to first baseman Sandra Cepin to catcher Olivia Nebo.

In their half of the first, Coronado sent 10 hitters to the plate and scored five runs. Shannon Julius opened the inning with a single; Feist sacrificed Julius to second; Kayla Englehart drew a walk; Cepin singled, Nicole Aguilar singled to drive in two runners; Rachel Bible walked; Olivia Nebo singled in two teammates; and Pompa singled in Nebo. The Islander offense then went into sleep mode, as they only had two hits and didn’t score after the first frame.

Feist yielded three runs on five hits and stranded eight Palo Verde runners during the game. The main Palo Verde highlight was a homer by sophomore Kaelin Spraul, which was still in its ascent as it cleared the 30-foot tall left field fence, 240 feet from home plate. Her solo shot was a sight to behold and was still the subject of conversation several days later in Coronado. 

Then it was on to Mater Dei and the Islanders fell 4-3 and were bounced from playoff contention. Mater Dei held a 3-0 lead going into the top of the third, when the Islanders responded with a two-run rally. Cepin singled and was followed by Bible, who hit a two-run inside-the-park homer. “She hit it to right field,” said Isabella. “She shot the gap and beat the throw at home.”

Mater Dei added a run in the bottom of the fourth. Coronado’s final run came on a single from Aguilar, who advanced to second on a hit by Bible. Olivia Nebo provided an RBI single for the final run.

“We had the highest finish in Division IV of all of the public schools,” said Isabella, somewhat tongue in cheek. The Islanders finished the season with a 12-11 record and two playoff victories.

“I would like to thank the coaching staff, our parents and the community for their support,” Isabella continued to say. “Also the school administrators and teachers provided outstanding support for the softball program.”

CHS Sailing News

One week ago, the Coronado High School Sailing Team held their banquet, appropriately enough at Coronado Yacht Club. Head Coach Jon Rogers provides the report.

“Each sailor was recognized with their Varsity or Jr Varsity letter, documentation showing their school credit earned and a t-Shirt with the 2009 team Motto, ‘Never Cold, Never Tired, Never Hungry.’Also recognized were team Captain Alex Wood, team advisor Kevin Nicolls, team President Scott Harris, the team board and the multiple volunteers that made it all possible.

Special awards were presented to several sailors. The Most Improved Crew Award went to Katie Dowling (CHS Class of ’12); the Most Improved Skipper was Philip Lozier (CHS ’10); the “Top Gun” Award went to Gold Skipper Hans Henken (CHS ’11); “Top Gun” Silver Skipper was awarded to Sally Harris, (CHS  ’11);  the “Jimmer” Award for best crew went to Kaitlin Dunphey (CHS ’11) and the “Sam” Award for the Most Valuable Teammate went to Alex Wood (CHS ’09).

Planning for next year’s team is already underway with applications coming out in June and the season starting in early September.” For more information regarding the CHS Sailing program,  please contact Rogers at headcoach@coronadoyc.org.

CHS Golf Season Concludes

After two round trips to Warner Springs over a seven-day period, for the CIF Golf Playoffs, Head Coach Randy Coutts and CHS golfer Alex Valle probably know each other’s taste in music and most of the other’s best stories.

Last week Valle was the lone Islander golfer standing in the CIF event, qualifying for the second day of play. Valle shot an 80 to go with his opening round of 76 to post a very respectable 156 total. “Alex went out and saw the competition,” said Coutts. “Now that he knows what he has to do, he will be very competitive next year. It was a great season and the kids were very enjoyable. My expectations are that we will get better and better.”

Boys Tennis Post Season Awards

The Boys Tennis program, under the direction of Head Coach Jim Mashburn, held their post season banquet recently. Daniel Grazian and Patrick Holman were the winners of the Sportsmanship Award; the Most Improved Award went to Robbie Cattell; and the Team MVP was Sean Lee.

U.S. Lacrosse Golf Tournament Information

The San Diego Chapter of U.S. Lacrosse is sponsoring a golf tournament Friday, June 12, 2009, which features a 1 pm shotgun start. Included in the $130 registration fee (($500 for a foursome) are the round of golf, cart, gift bag, pre-event range time, on-course beverages and a post tournament buffet dinner.

There will also be prizes for the longest drive and closest to the pin. There will also be a post round 50/50 putting event and prizes for the best dressed team. In addition, $100 from each corporate foursome ($750) will be donated to a local lacrosse program of the sponsor’s choice.

For more information on the event, please contact CHS Head Girls Lacrosse Coach Jessica Battle at jbattle@telecomfinders.com or Joe Bowen at joe@srlax.org.