Scholastic Notes
Far West region
California
CIF-SAN DIEGO FINALS A TALE OF FALCONRY
The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) is the only state federation of those that sponsor the game of field hockey that does not sponsor statewide championship tournaments.
But given the expansion of the game in the San Diego area, to the point where separate big-school and a small-school tournament were held in 2002, the time for a single state championship might be at hand.
That might be a good thing for the two champions, San Diego Scripps Ranch (Calif.) in Division II and Encinitas Torrey Pines (Calif.) in Division I -- two rival field hockey programs whose share the same nickname, the Falcons.
Scripps Ranch beat Torrey Pines in two regular-seagon games, and you know that a championship match between the two would have been a fitting cap to the season.
Instead, Scripps Ranch beat Junipero Serra (Calif.) 4-1 after Pines topped Escondido San Pasqual (Calif.) 3-0 in the opening of a championship doubleheader.
"Everybody thought this was a rebuilding year for us," attacker Liz Reeve told The San Diego Union-Tribune. "Then we won the Serra Tournament, beat Torrey Pines twice and beat every team that beat us last year. We showed them all."
Then again, given the fact that Torrey Pines beat a San Pasqual team that handed Scripps Ranch its only loss of 2002, and you can see where there might be a debate as to who is really No. 1.
"They felt confident and I felt confident," coach Pines Kari Labeta told The Union-Tribune. "They waited all season to get here, and this was it for them."
Torrey Pines blew open a scoreless game as Ashley Pernicano had a pair of quick second-half goals to seal San Pasqual's fate.
CIF MAKES A BIG MOVE
The California Interscholastic Federation does not yet have a single state champion in field hockey. And put the emphasis on yet.
The CIF crowns three separate regional champions in late November, but that number is soon to grow.
The San Diego Section, which numbers 33 teams in 2002, is splitting into two divisions, one for bigger schools, and one for smaller.
Jane Morrill, head coach at San Diego Scripps Ranch, is all for it.
Now we'll start the playoffs with the quarterfinals, instead of having the play-in game the Saturday before the quarterfinals," Morrill tells The San Diego Union-Tribune. "It gives more teams a shot in the playoffs. And the new teams which have been working hard have a chance to play against different teams."
MIGHT THIRD TIME BE THE CHARM FOR NEWPORT HARBOR?
Newport Beach Newport Harbor (Calif.) is tired of hearing about how well it plays its Sunset League schedule, only to lose to Huntington Beach Marina (Calif.) in the postseason. The Marina Vikings have won the sectional Tournament of Champions final 1-0 in 2000 and 2001.
However, Newport Harbor head coach Sharon Wolfe has a different problem this fall: replacing six seniors.
But if what she told The Daily Pilot is any indication, every game and every practice will be an audition for playing time.
"We have nine or 10 girls who can play on the front line," Wolfe told The Pilot. "Winning our league could happen, but that's more long-term. A couple players are talking about a three-peat but that's going to be tough. We are weaker on the front line this year."
RANCHO BERNARDO A YEAR WISER, A YEAR MADDER
San Diego Rancho Bernardo (Calif.) was started in 2001 with not much fanfare and little respect.
In one game, with the ball constantly in the Broncos' third of the field, an opposing goalie sat down on the ground, oblivious to the play 90 yards away from her.
Kelcy Kuptz noticed, she being a freshman goalkeeper at the time.
"We didn't give up, we just kept going," she told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "We were a little angry, but we didn't let it faze us, because we knew they all started at that point."
But Rancho Bernardo has improved dramatically in the preseason, winning one scrimmage 8-0. Other teams ought to take note.
"When people say 'Rancho Bernardo,' they had an automatic thought that we wouldn't play well," Kuptz told the Union Tribune. "I think we're a lot better and stand a better chance out there. I want other teams to know it will be a better game when they play Rancho Bernardo."
Rancho Bernardo is the only one of the five schools in the Poway Unified School District that plays the game of field hockey, meaning that the Broncos must play in the competitive Palomar League, which includes Carlsbad La Costa Canyon and Encinitas Torrey Pines.
Colorado
KENT DENVER PUTS BEST FOOT FIRST
Aurora Smoky Hill (Colo.) had been waiting 10 long months for this moment.
You see, in November 2001, Smoky Hill had scored the kinds of clutch goals that make coaches seem like geniuses. It had scored a goal in the final minutes of play in both halves of the state champipnship final against Englewood Kent Denver (Colo.).
Problem was, Kent Denver was dominant the rest of the time, and came away with the title.
So, when the two teams were slated to meet on Opening Day of the 2002 season, Smoky Hill was keen to win at its home field.
However, newcomer Anna Brown and veteran Margo Duke had goals in a 2-1 win.
"We're excited to get out there and prove we can stay devoted and motivated and that all of our hard work can pay off again," Duke told The Rocky Mountain News.
And in case you're wondering, fans, its that Margo Duke, the one who was so stalwart on defense in the 2001 final that she was named the championship game MVP.
For last year's notes, click here.