Sports
Lady Falcons soar high
It was supposed to be a battle of the pre-season heavyweights in girls volleyball at the Torrey Pines Lady Falcons gym, Friday night, Sept. 7. It pitted the No.3 ranked Francis Parker Lady Lancers, the defending CIF Div. 4 Champs of last season against the No.4 Lady Falcons. Just one day removed on Thursday, consensus No.1 Carlsbad was upset by the Santa Fe Christian Lady Eagles from Solana Beach in a 3-2 games match by the closest of scores: 25-18,25-20, 22-25, 23-25, and 18-16. Francis Parkers’ head coach Eric Sato said before the match, “So much for those pre-season polls.”
The big crowd at the Falcons gym saw their home team sweep the Lady Lancers 3-0, by the scores of 25-17, 25-15, and 25-10.
“One match doesn’t make a season,” said Torrey Pines’ head coach Jim Harrah, “but these girls are really special. I expected a five game match. We just beat a really good team. Our defense was great and we adjusted on our blocking. Our chemistry is one of our strengths this year. We are still putting parts together, but overall I was very impressed with our team. It is great that the fans and families of both schools came out to see a great match and support their daughters and friends.”
Even though Carlsbad lost yesterday, it will take a few more weeks for teams to start hitting their stride,” added Harrah. “I still feel that the CIF Div. 1 championship must go through either La Costa Canyon or Torrey Pines. And this may be the year to stop the Falcons’ drought.”
The first game would prove to be the closest one of the night. Francis Parker jumped out to a 1-0 lead and the early start saw four ties and five lead changes as the Lady Falcons went ahead 6-5 and never looked back. Torrey Pines stretched the lead to 21-13 on pre-season All-League senior Anne Carroll Ingersoll’s kill. Torrey Pines’ great blocking and defensive play met the Lady Lancers kill attempts and the game point came on senior outside hitter Natalie Taylor’s kill 25-17.
In the second game, the Lady Lancers tried to regroup, but Torrey Pines was on a roll and couldn’t be stopped. With only one tie early at 2-2, the Lady Falcons won the next point and was not threatened until Francis Parker tied it at 7-7. Then the Lady Falcons kicked it in second gear and won the next two points and again never looked back. The game point came on a Lady Lancers’ serve that went out of bounds, 25-15 and the Lady Falcons were up 2-0.
With their backs to the wall, the Lady Lancers tried to mount a comeback in game three. Unfortunately, the hole got deeper as Torrey Pines jumped out to a 9-2 early lead, and the Lady Lancers couldn’t dig themselves out. Ingersoll had two aces, as the Lady Falcons cruised to a comfortable 20-8 lead Game and match point came when Francis Parker’s service was out and it gave Torrey Pines the game 25-10, and the match 3-0.
Leading the way for the Lady Falcons were Anne Carroll Ingersoll with 12 kills, three blocks and five service points including two aces; senior Brittany Vu added10 service points and 13 digs and junior Boo Schroeder 10 kills and 4 service points.
Week in Sports
Football
Loaded with talent but lacking in experience, nobody knew quite what to expect from prospect-rich Cathedral Catholic going into the season.
After registering two impressive wins against quality opponents to start the season, the Dons appear to have established an identity, and that’s bad news for future opponents.
The Dons defeated defending San Diego Section finalist Point Loma 18-11 in a non-league game on Sept. 8. Their 21-7 Week 1 win against Steele Canyon on Aug. 31 was against a reigning section semifinalist.
Perennial small-school power Santa Fe Christian has more than held its own in recent years against some schools with just-as-rich tradition and much bigger enrollment.
But the defending San Diego Section Div. III champions were humbled in a 38-10 non-league loss to Fallbrook on Sept. 7.
Cross country
Cathedral Catholic’s girls’ cross country team dominated the Div. II heat of the Sept. 8 Bronco Invitational, taking the top three places and four of the top 10 on the 2-mile course at Kit Carson Park in Escondido.
Sophomore Natalie Nield took first place in the meet with a 13:00 official time, just fractions of a second ahead of teammate Lindsay Drake, who recorded the same official time.
Torrey Pines excelled in the Div. I girls heat taking three of the top four places and four of the top 10.
Megan Morgan (11:43) placed second, six seconds behind La Costa Canyon’s Katy Andrews, and four seconds ahead of teammate Erin Gillingham, who placed third.
In the boys’ circuit, Torrey Pines’ Gregor Lloyd-Smith (10:19) placed sixth.
The Dons placed three runners in the top ten. Justin Haley (10:33) placed fifth. Tommy Kroll (10:51) and Warren Fisher (10:51) placed eighth and ninth, respectively.
Golf
Caitlin Farley shot a 1-under-par 36 to lead red-hot Torrey Pines to a 206-234 non-league victory over Carlsbad on Sept. 7 at La Costa Resort and Spa.
Rae Chung shot a 40 for the Falcons and teammate Alice Kang contributed a 41 score as Torrey Pines improved its unbeaten record for the season to 6-0.
Cathedral Catholic was led by Joyce Kim in a 218-340 non-league win against Mira Mesa on Sept. 6.
Kim shot a 36 on a 9-hole par-36 course at Riverwalk Golf Course.
Devon Brown shot a 38 for Cathedral Catholic, and Claire McGovern added a 41 score as the Dons improved their overall record for the season to 2-3.
Volleyball
Santa Fe Christian standout setter Mackenzie Gilbert dished out 26 assists to lead the Eagles to a thrilling 3-2 (25-18, 25-20, 22-25, 23-25, 18-16) non-league victory over Carlsbad in a season opener for both teams.
Westview had a 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-18) non-league victory over Mission Hills on Sept. 7.
Tennis
Cathedral Catholic’s Gabi DeSimone’s nearly flawless play spearheaded an impressive 12-6 non-league victory over Santa Fe Christian on Sept. 7.
DeSimone went a combined 18-0 in the match, and teammates Analese Snyder and Ciria Mariscal swept their three singles matches, going a combined 36-3.
Doubles partners Lauren Platt and Maddy Rhode, who were a combined 18-4 to sweep match play, led Santa Fe Christian.
Field Hockey
Torrey Pines’ Shelby Brown goal led the Falcons to a 1-0 non-league victory over San Dieguito Academy on Sept. 6.
Falcons goalie Ashlee Schlesier had five saves as Torrey Pines improved its overall record for the season to 2-0.
