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2008 Season

Varsity - CIF Div I & Avocado League Champions

JV

Freshmen

Announcements:

Four Falcons Make Regional National Teams
  Once again Torrey Pines field hockey will be well represented at the USFHA National Futures Championship in Virginia. After an intense tryout in Berkeley, senior Paige Simmons and junior Chelsea Yogerst were among the 17 players chosen for Region 11 (Western US) Under-19 team; senior Kendra Bills was tabbed as an alternate for the same team. Meanwhile, sophomore Dana Mannheim was chosen for the Under-16 squad. Given the fact that all of the players on both teams hail from California, these are the de facto California state high school teams for 2009. The NFC is scheduled for June 24-30 at the National Field Hockey facility in Virginia Beach, when the two California squads will take on other regional national teams for their respective national championships. This is the fifth time that Simmons has been selected for this honor, the fourth time for Bills and Yogerst, and the first for Mannheim.

North County Field Hockey Camp
  Monday - Thursday, June 15 through 18, 2009,  4pm-7pm, Hockey under the lights, 
Grades 3rd - incoming 9th,  click here for the flyer with more info & the registration form
Torrey Pines High School Stadium/ Turf field (directions)

  The coaching staff for the camp will be provided by collegiate field hockey players, members of the 2008 CIF Championship Torrey Pines team, and 2008 North County Coach of the Year, Torrey Pines Head Coach, Kari DiGiulio.  Coach DiGiulio brings her knowledge of the game from her 8 years experience as a Varsity high school coach and as a former DIV. 1 player. The camp will focus on the game of field hockey, rules, basic skills, as well as individual and team skills. This camp is great for new players, as well as those who have played in junior high and are trying out for a high school team in August.

TO REGISTER: Please fill out the registration form and release waiver and mail to:
   TPHS Foundation: Falcon Field Hockey Camp
   PO BOX  2489
   Del Mar, CA  92014-1789
Make check payable to: TPHS Foundation: North County Field Hockey Camp

Falcon Field Hockey Day Clinic
  Saturday, June 6, 2009,  8:30am-11:00am, Torrey Pines High School Stadium/ Turf field (directions)
click here for the flyer with more info & the permission form

  The 2008 CIF champion Torrey Pines Varsity Field Hockey Team, along with Head Coach Kari DiGiulio, invite you to attend their annual Spring Clinic. 
  Aimed at players from 3rd grade (beginners) to advanced middle school, the one-day clinic will be conducted by the TPHS Varsity Team and coaching staff. Athletes will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with varsity team members and gain a deeper understanding of the game, as well as gain skills to help increase their individual level of competition. 
  Please join us for a day of hockey in the sun! If there are any questions, please contact coach Kari DiGiulio at: kari.digiulio@sduhsd.net

PLEASE BRING: Shin guards, mouth guard, water bottle and field hockey stick. If you do not have a stick, one will be provided. 

COST: Clinic is $35.00.  Please try to reserve your spot by May 30, 2009. Scholarships available.

Please mail the Player Information/Parent Permission slip to:
   TPHS Foundation: Falcon Field Hockey Day Clinic 
   PO Box 2489
   Del Mar, CA  92014-1789 

Make check payable to: TPHS Foundation: Falcon Field Hockey Clinic.

Wow! What a season!!! 
  CIF Division I Playoff Brackets: latest info - tpfieldhockey.com bracket and official cifsds.org bracket
Most Recent Photos (you can see all of the photos on the Photos page)
   Nov 19th, Varsity vs. Fallbrook, CIF Division I Semifinal photos (by Anna Scipione)

TopOfTheCircle.com Ranks Torrey Pines in America's Top Ten High School Field Hockey Teams 
   [Jan 21, '09] TopOfTheCircle.com published their final top 10 list of 2008, which is reprinted below.
(final 2008 rankings) 
1. Louisville Sacred Heart (Ky.) 29-0
2. Kingston Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) 23-1
3. Millersville Penn Manor (Pa.) 24-2-1
4. Voorhees Eastern (NJ) 23-2
5. Garden City (NY) 21-0
6. Lakeville Hotchkiss School (Conn.) 19-0
7. Virginia Beach Frank W. Cox (Va.) 23-2
8. San Diego Scripps Ranch (Calif.) 22-4
9. East Rochester (NY) 21-0
10. San Diego Torrey Pines (Calif.) 24-2
Other California teams: San Diego Serra (23), Escondido San Pasqual (32), Los Gatos (44)

TopOfTheCircle.com Ranks Four San Diego County Teams on Their Top 50 List
   [Dec 17, '08] TopOfTheCircle.com published their top 50 list yesterday, with the CIFSDS champion and Avocado League champion Torrey Pines Falcons ranked at a respectable #10.  Other notable San Diego county teams are: #8 Scripps Ranch, #23 Serra, and #32 San Pasqual. California made an excellent showing on the list with 5 teams overall, equal in number to the field hockey powerhouse states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, also with five teams each in the top 50. Click here to see the entire list
   Another TopOfTheCircle.com article worth reading, talks about a number of San Diego County teams and both playoff games.  Click here to read: Dec. 2, 2008 — Region of the Year: CIF San Diego Section.

Eight Falcons Named Avo League All-Stars
   [Dec 16, '08] Eight Falcons have been named to the 2008 Avocado League All-Star Team, an all-time high for Torrey Pines field hockey. Kendra Bills, Paige Simmons and Ashlee Schlesier were named to the first team; Alexa Golden and Sheridan Edwards to the second team; Sharon Wiley, Chelsea Yogerst and Meghan O'Rourke to the honorable mention team. Kendra Bills was named "Avocado League Player of the Year." 

   For Bills, Schlesier and Yogerst, this marks their second straight appearance on all-stars following Palomar League nods in 2007. This is also the most Falcons that have ever been named league all-stars in a single season, beating the record of seven set by the 2002 Falcons, who also won a CIF title (assistant coach J.J. Javelet was one of the all-stars that year). Torrey also had six league all-stars in 2000 and six in 1996. 

Click here to see all of the North County league all-star teams.

Kendra Bills CIF Championship Player of the Game Interview on KBCsports.com
Click to play the Interview (uses Windows Media Player)
   Quoted from KBCsports.com 11.22.08 - Kendra Bills POG listing... "The D-1 San Diego Section Field Hockey title is going back to Torrey Pines for the first time since 2002. The Torrey Pines Falcons used the extra 10 minutes to score twice and claim the title with a 3-1 victory at Rancho Bernardo High School Saturday. Senior Kendra Bills opened the scoring for the Falcons, and was selected as the KBCsports.com Player of the Game for her efforts. Bills was steady with her play all night, along with the rest of her Falcon teammates. Not to be outdone the San Pasqual Eagles battled back and tied the game in the second half to eventually force overtime. The Eagles lone goal was scored by Nadia Namdari, who played an outstanding game along with fellow Eagle, Alohi Ornellas. Ornellas, however, missed two shot opportunities in the overtime period. Scoring in OT for the Falcons was Meghan O'Rouke and Chelsea Yogerst, their scoring efforts came within two minutes of each other. In goal for the Falcons was Ashlee Schlesier who finished with 4 saves on the afternoon." 

BREAKING NEWS: DiGiulio and Bills Scoop North County Honors
   [Nov 24, '08] Kari DiGiulio has just been chosen "North County Field Hockey Coach of the Year" and Falcon senior Kendra Bills "North County Field Hockey Player of the Year" by the North County Times. Bills and Torrey teammate Paige Simmons were also named to the paper's All-North County field hockey team. Bills will play her college ball at Cal Berkeley next year, Simmons at Columbia University in New York. 

Torrey Streaks Past San Pasqual for CIF Title
   [Nov 22, '08] Torrey Pines won the San Diego division one championship in dramatic fashion on Saturday afternoon at Rancho Bernardo stadium, streaking past San Pasqual by a score of 3-1 in a game that featured gutsy performances on both sides of the ball and late Falcon heroics. The game wasn’t decided until the final moments of overtime when sophomore Meghan O’Rourke and junior Chelsea Yogerst scored back-to-back goals to give the Falcons the win. Head coach Kari DiGiulio told the press afterwards that it “was everything a championship game should be – and more.” And indeed it was, a contest that featured sudden changes of momentum, incredible offensive and defensive plays, and even a few controversial whistles. 

   The Falcons had the early momentum but couldn’t put the ball past the Eagles keeper despite several short corners. San Pasqual began to counterattack, at one point keeping the ball in the Torrey zone for close to five minutes. DiGiulio called a time out to settle her squad, and that seemed to do the trick. Half a minute later the Falcons responded with a fast break with sophomores Brittany Norfleet and Caitlin Mackey streaking up the left sideline into the Eagles’ circle. Mackey was brought down by a San Pasqual defender and the refs initially called for a penalty stroke. But after conferring for several minutes, the officials changed the call to short corner. Torrey’s first attempt went wide right, but another corner was called. And this time the Falcons found the back of the cage, senior midfielder Kendra Bills scoring on a blistering shot from the top of the circle after a nifty turnaround pass from Sheridan Edwards. But the Eagles came right back, swarming into the Falcon circle on a drive that ended with another whistle and another referee conference – to decide if Falcon keeper Ashlee Schlesier was guilty of covering up the ball. The ensuing penalty stroke – take by San Pasqual star Mallory Albini – was batted away by Schlesier to preserve the lead going into intermission. 

   San Pasqual came out half time with renewed determination and they would largely dominate the second frame. Schlesier turned away a hard shot by Albini six minutes into the half. The Falcons weathered a quick series of four Eagles corners and looked to be regaining the momentum, when a defensive error let San Pasqual back into the game. Eagles leading scorer Nadia Namdari pounced an on errant pass and blasted a long, pinpoint shot into the upper right-hand corner of the Torrey cage to tie the score. The two teams battled up and down the field for the remainder of the half as the momentum swung back and forth. San Pasqual had several good looks at the goal that were either swatted away by Schlesier or cleared by a Torrey defender. As the sun faded and the stadium lights came on, the deadlocked (and clearly exhausted) teams found themselves facing ten minutes of overtime.

   Both coaches whittled down their lineups to seven players apiece for overtime. On the Torrey side, DiGiulio tabbed Schlesier, Edwards, Bills, O’Rourke, Yogerst, Alexa Golden and Paige Simmons to play the extra time. “With our speed and ball control, I was confident with the seven I put out there,” the Falcon coach told the press later. Unlike the regular season, championship overtime cannot be decided by a “golden goal” – the full ten minutes must be played no matter now many goals are scored. San Pasqual head coach Kelly Gannon said it comes down to who had the legs left and who would push the hardest. At the start of the overtime it looked like that would the Eagles, with Alohi Ornellas firing off two shots that just missed. But then came another of those sudden and dramatic momentum shifts that had marked the whole game. The Falcons counterattacked and earned a short corner with 4:41 left to play. O’Rourke inserted the ball and sprinted to the left post, where she blasted a pass from Edwards past the Eagles keeper giving the Falcons the lead again. Just 43 seconds later, Torrey put the game out of reach on a beautiful fast break that ended with Bills dishing off to Yogerst who scored one-on-one versus the Eagles keeper. 

   It was the third CIF San Diego section championship for Coach DiGiulio and the Falcons, who also won in 2001 (when they beat LCC in the final) and 2002 (when they topped San Pasqual). Scripps Ranch defeated Serra 2-1 in overtime to win the CIF division two (small schools) championship on Saturday.
   SignOnSanDiego article: "Torrey Pines Goalie Feels Winning Vibe"
   North County Times article: "PREP FIELD HOCKEY: Torrey prevails in overtime thriller"
   CIF Playoff Event Photos at SusanCooperPhotography.com

Updated JV Game Reports for Mission Hills and Escondido
   Click these links for more complete details of the JV Mission Hills game on Nov 4th and Escondido game on Nov 6th

Late Goal Sends Falcons Into CIF Final
   [Nov 19, '08] Torrey Pines booked a place in the 2008 CIF championship game with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Fallbrook on Wednesday afternoon at Falcon Stadium. The Falcons will play San Pasqual, a 2-0 winner over Vista in the other Division One semifinal. But for more than a half, it looked like Fallbrook would be the team to play in the final this Saturday. The Warriors grabbed momentum in the opening minutes, dominating the midfield and launching one attack after another into the Torrey zone. They took the lead on a scramble off a short corner about 20 minutes into the game, a slow dribbler that just sneaked past Falcon keeper Ashlee Schlesier. Fallbrook nearly scored again on a breakaway early in the second half, but this time Schlesier stuffed the shot. And that – along with the arrival of the entire Torrey varsity football team in the grandstand – seemed to stir the listless Falcons. For the first time all game, they began to attack with confidence, almost scoring twice before Sheridan Edwards tied the game (off a stop by Kendra Bills) on a short corner 12 minutes into the second half. The two teams battled back and forth through the middle of the half, but Torrey slowly but surely wore down the visitors. The winning goal came with only four minutes left to play when Chelsea Yogerst deflected a sharp cross from Meghan O’Rourke past the Fallbrook keeper. The Warriors never mounted a serious threat after that and the Falcons were able to run out the clock. For the game, Torrey earned a dozen short corners to Fallbrook’s three. It was Torrey’s third victory over Fallbrook this season, but by far the toughest. Looking ahead to Saturday, the Falcons split their regular season series with San Pasqual, winning 4-2 at home and losing 1-0 on the road. Torrey’s most recent CIF final appearances came in 2006 when they lost to LCC and 2004 when they dropped a marathon double overtime, sudden-death stroke contest to Scripps Ranch. 
   SignOnSanDiego article: "Falcons rally after halftime 'pep talk'"
   Varsity vs. Fallbrook, CIF Division I Semifinal photos (by Anna Scipione)

Torrey Tops Titans in Elite Eight
   [Nov 17, '08] Torrey Pines kicked off its 2008 CIF playoff campaign with a 5-0 quarterfinal win over Poway on Monday afternoon at Falcon Stadium. The Titans came out fighting, holding the high-powered Torrey offense scoreless for the first 20 minutes. The Falcons finally got on the board when Sheridan Edwards scored off a stop by Kendra Bills on a short corner. Just 35 seconds later, Stephanie Cowles made it 2-0 when she deflected a defensive rebound into the cage. Cowles increased the lead to three when she scored on a beauty of a fast break with around one minute left till intermission. In the second half, Dorian O’Leary scored off a pass from Meghan O’Rourke, and then O’Rourke snagged her own goal on a dish from Alexa Golden. Torrey Pines earned 17 short corners to just one for Poway, a play that was broken up when Golden cleared the ball out of the circle. The Titans had no shots on goal as the Falcon defense racked up yet another shutout. The game was also noteworthy for that fact that three players called up from the JV team for the playoffs – Priya Devasirvatham, Sophie Edelman and Lucy Busby – saw their first varsity action. Fallbrook was leading LCC 3-0 late in the other quarterfinal and looks to take on the Falcons in the Final Four, a game scheduled for Wednesday afternoon at Torrey Pines. The Falcons have already bested the Warriors 2-0 and 3-0 this season, but Fallbrook is always a dangerous foe.
   (late updates: Fallbrook eliminates LCC with a 3-0 win, Vista upsets RBV 2-0, San Pasqual over Westview 4-0. CIF Division I Semifinals at 3pm Wednesday are Fallbrook at Torrey Pines, and Vista at San Pasqual.)

Falcons Take Avocado League Title
   [Nov 12, '08] In their final regular season game, the Falcons beat rival LCC 1-0 to end up on top of the Avocado League field hockey standings with a 9-1-0 record.  Check back soon for additional details.
Varsity vs. LCC photos (by Anna Scipione)
Senior Night Ceremony photos (by Anna Scipione)
Senior Night Ceremony photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)
North County Times article: "PREP FIELD HOCKEY: This rivalry is too big for the day"

   Earlier in the evening the junior varsity beat the JV Mavs 1-0 in overtime to finish their season undefeated in the Avocado League, with a 10-0-0 record. 
JV vs. LCC photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

Falcons Glide Past Cougars
   [Nov 6, '08] Torrey Pines clinched at least a tie for the Avocado League field hockey title with an 8-0 win over Escondido on Thursday afternoon. In their first game since the Nov 4th presidential election, the Falcons “spread the wealth” – a season high eleven different players racked up points on goals or assists. Torrey came out swinging, earning seven short corners in the first seven minutes, including one on which Sheridan Edwards scored after a push from Meghan O’Rourke and stop by Kendra Bills. Edwards notched her second goal just moments later on a sweeping shot after a pass from Bills. Coming off the bench, Brittany Norfleet scored on a dish from Annelysse Eggold. O’Rourke scored off a defensive stop after Paige Simmons had pushed the ball into the circle. And then Norfleet made it 5-0 at intermission when she slammed home a nice backhand pass from Shelby Brown. After the half, Alexa Golden scored on a pass from Bills after yet another short corner; Stephanie Sabraw found the back of the cage on a nifty across-the-goalmouth pass from Chelsea Yogerst; and Julia Colley wrapped things up with a goal off a pass from Sabraw. The Cougars did a pretty good job at times of moving the ball against the Torrey midfield, but only earned one short corner and no shots on goal as keeper Ashlee Schlesier and the Falcon defense chalked up their 15th shutout of the season.

   In other Avocado League action on Thursday, San Pasqual bounced back with a 2-1 win over Fallbrook and LCC topped Mission Hills 3-0.

   Over on the junior varsity side, Torrey Pines beat Escondido by an identical 8-0 score.  Caroline Boucher opened up the Falcon scoring barrage off an assist from Dana Manheim. Sophie Edelman set up the second goal by dribbled up the right sideline and dishing off to Manheim for the score. Next goal was off a short corner, with Lucy Busby slamming the ball into the cage off an assist from Manheim. The fourth Falcon goal was also off a short corner stop by Edelman and quick shot by Busby. The next two goals were scored by Edelman, one assisted by Manheim and the other by defender Prya Devasirvatham, who got a rare chance to play forward. Two minutes later, Edelman picked up her hat-trick by scoring unassisted. The final Torrey goal came with around one minute left to play when defender Kaylie Makuteit got the ball past the Cougar keeper. 
JV versus Escondido photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

Torrey Tames Grizzlies Again
   [Nov 4, '08] The Falcons suddenly find themselves alone at the top of the Avocado League again. Not because they beat Missions Hills 5-0 at home on Tuesday afternoon, but rather because LCC pulled off the biggest surprise of the league season by upsetting San Pasqual. Despite dominating play from the start, Torrey took its time putting the ball in the cage, not earning the first goal until around midway through the first half when Stephanie Cowles scored on a pass from Kendra Bills. Minutes later, on a Torrey short corner, Paige Simmons fired off one of her trademark bullets, which Chelsea Yogerst deflected almost straight up into the inside “ceiling” of the Grizzly goal. Seventeen seconds later, Simmons pulled off the play of the game when she scooped up a Bills pass around the 40 yard line, wove her way through three Mission Hills defenders and then scored from just inside the circle. Bills was also instrumental in the fourth Falcon goal, passing to Selin Eisener for a score that made it 4-0 at intermission. Torrey’s only goal of the second half came on a sequence of passes from Dorian O’Leary to O'Rourke to Steph Sabraw, who punched it home.

   The JV Falcons beat Missions Hills 5-0. The first goal was scored off a short corner, with Dana Manheim passing to Lucy Busby for a shot that went between a Grizzly defender's legs. The second Torrey score came off a ball dribbled into the top of the circle by Sophie Edelman, who passed to Manheim for a goal off the left post. The Falcons didn’t score again until the second half, when Caroline Boucher found the café off a cross from the left post by Busby. Busby also assisted on the next goal, scored by Edelman. The last Falcon goal was scored by Molly Bettencourt with around two minutes to play. Torrey keeper Heather Schlessier, playing on the offensive line, had a shot on goal that hit the post. Bettencourt scored another goal at the final whistle, but the score was disallowed by the referees who said that time had already expired. 
JV versus Mission Hills photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

Avocado League Varsity Standings
   (Nov 5th)
 
W
L
gf
ga
  Torrey Pines
7
1
26
3
  San Pasqual
6
2
27
6
  Fallbrook
5
3
14
11
  LCC
4
4
17
6
  Escondido
1
7
3
32
  Mission Hills
1
7
2
31

Falcons Fly High in Rankings
   [Nov 4, '08] Both Torrey Pines and San Pasqual can take some comfort in the latest field hockey rankings following their showdown last week. The Falcons kept their second place slot in the Union-Tribune poll while the Eagles soared to number two in the North County Times rankings of the best field hockey teams in San Diego County. If the two Avocado League teams win their last three regular season games, they will likely be seeded at opposite ends of the CIF Division One playoff bracket and would not meet again until the championship game (assuming they can beat the very tough teams they will both have to face in the quarters and semis). Four of the top eight teams in both polls are from the recently retooled Avocado, which as predicted has evolved into the county’s toughest and most competitive field hockey league. Ten of the top 15 teams in the UT poll are from Division One, meaning the upcoming CIF playoffs are going to be anything but easy for all those involved. 

   San Diego Union-Tribune Coaches’ Poll
   (Nov 3rd)

   1. Scripps Ranch (II)
   2. Torrey Pines (I)
   3. San Pasqual (I)
   4. Rancho Buena Vista (I)
   5. Serra (II)
   6. San Dieguito (II)
   7. Fallbrook (I)
   8. La Costa Canyon (I)
   9. Vista (I)
   10. Cathedral Catholic (II). 
   Others: Westview (I), Helix (I), Hilltop (I), Poway (I), La Jolla (II).
   CIF division in brackets.

   North County Times Rankings
   (Nov 3rd)

   1. Scripps Ranch 16-1
   2. San Pasqual 13-2
   3. Torrey Pines 17-4
   4. Rancho Buena Vista 16-5
   5. Serra 14-3
   6. Fallbrook 11-8-1
   7. San Dieguito Academy 17-3
   8. La Costa Canyon 8-8-1
   9. Vista 11-7-1
   10. Cathedral Catholic 10-8-1
   Others: La Jolla, Poway, Valley Center.
   Compiled by staff writer John Maffei with input from area coaches; team overall records after name.

Eagles Clip Falcons Wings in Escondido
   [Oct 30, '08] Third-ranked San Pasqual snatched a share of first place in the Avocado League with a hard-fought 1-0 win over second-ranked Torrey Pines on a windy, rainy and rainbow-covered Escondido afternoon. Playing much more aggressively than three weeks ago (when the Falcons beat them by two goals), the Eagles took control of the midfield early and held on late when momentum finally shifted to Torrey. During a fairly lackluster first half, Kendra Bills stuffed a couple of San Pasqual short corners and the Eagles had a goal disallowed because the high shot came on a full swing rather than a flick. San Pasqual came out of intermission with a burst of energy that yielded several great shots on goal (turned away by Ashless Schlesier) and a couple of dangerous fast breaks (shut down by the back wall of Bills, Alexa Golden and Sharon Wiley). 

   The Eagles finally hit paydirt about six minutes into the second half when Jenni Allen scooped up a loose ball on the left side of the circle and slammed it past Schelsier. It was Allen’s first goal of the season. Just like their first meeting when Torrey Pines fell behind twice, the Falcons found themselves having to claw back from a deficit against a very good San Pasqual defense. They almost did it again – just missing on a cross from Chelsea Yogerst to Paige Simmons that flew left of the post – but left the comeback too late this time. 

   For much of the game, the Falcons looked flat-footed (and tired), which might have something to do with a six-week stretch in which they have played 15 of 18 games on the road (what’s with the scheduling this year?). If Torrey can take anything positive out of the game, it’s the fact they can have an off day and still lose by just a single goal to another top-three team. But to give them their due, the Eagles were definitely the better team yesterday. The Falcons can also look forward to the fact that all of their remaining regular season games (and probably their first two CIF playoff games) will be at home rather than an hour bus ride away. 

   The JV Falcons beat San Pasqual 2-1; more details to come.
JV at Fallbrook photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

   The Freshmen Falcons snagged what was probably their biggest win of the season on Thursday afternoon, beating the Valley Center junior varsity 3-0. Natalie Cathcart scored what turned out to be the winning goal off a short corner. Chloe Liu gave the Falcons a two-goal cushion when she deflected the ball into the cage off a big hit by Kiernan Panish. Lauren Howe put the final nail in the coffin (no Halloween pun intended) on a breakaway.

Falcons Repel Warrior Invasion
   [Oct 28, '08] The Fallbrook Warriors ventured down the coast with hopes of making up ground in the race for the Avocado League championship, but found themselves at the short end of a 3-0 score against Torrey Pines. Even more than they did in Fallbrook last month, the Falcons dominated the game from start to finish, giving up only a handful of corners and three shots on goal that Falcon keeper Ashlee Schlesier deftly swatted away. Kendra Bills scored off a kick back from Paige Simmons to give Torrey the lead less than three minutes into the game. About five minutes into the second half, Chelsea Yogerst scored on an acute angle from the right side after a cross from Meghan O’Rourke into the Fallbrook circle. Just 28 seconds later, Alexa Golden punched a dish from Bills into the back of the cage for the final score. The Falcons remained perched at the top of the Avocado League with a 6-0 record, but San Pasqual kept pace with a 6-0 win over Mission Hills on Tuesday, setting up a showdown later this week when Torrey travels to Escondido for the rubber match of their two-game league series. 

   The JV Falcons also beat Fallbrook 3-0. More details to come.
JV vs. Fallbrook photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

   Meanwhile, the Freshmen Falcons have been in action again, dropping a 3-0 decision to the Serra JV on Oct 24 and a 2-1 game to the San Dieguito Academy JV on Oct 28. The SDA game ended 1-1 in regulation and went to strokes, with the Mustangs eking out the win. Lauren Howe notched Torrey’s lone goal. 

Falcons Lasso Mavs With Late Goal
   [Oct 23, '08] On a wicked hot day in Carlsbad, Torrey Pines bested archrival La Costa Canyon 1-0 on a goal by Chelsea Yogerst (off a pass from Alexa Golden) with just over two minutes to play. The Falcons dominated the stat sheet, earning a dozen short corners and seven shots on goal to just two corners and two shots for the Mavericks. But with LCC playing as many as eight defenders in the circle and the 90 degree heat slowing play to a crawl, Torrey had a tough time putting the ball in the cage. The Falcons snatched the momentum early in the second half and never let go. The defensive trio of Golden, Sharon Wiley and Kendra Bills quickly shut down the Mav attack the few times that LCC managed to push the ball across midfield after intermission. And the relentless Falcon attack at the other end of the field finally paid dividends. Torrey's scoring play came after a short corner, a sequence of passes from Paige Simmons to Golden to Yogerst, who beat LCC goalie Molly Cassidy with a shot into the upper left-hand corner of the goal. With 2:15 left on the clock, the Mavs made a valiant attempt to snatch a tying goal, but the Torrey defense once again rose to the challenge and ran out the clock. Ashlee Schlesier made two saves in goal for the Falcons, while Cassidy (who will play her college hockey at Michigan State next year) stopped six for the Mavs. With half of the 2008 Avocado League season now completed, Torrey finds itself in first place, one game ahead of San Pasqual.
   Link to SignOnSanDiego.com (UT) article: "Last-minute goal gives Torrey Pines win over Mavericks"

   Over on the JV side, the Falcons bested the Mavericks 2-1 in an exciting overtime game. Sophie Edelman found the back of the cage just before halftime to give Torrey the lead. LCC rallied after intermission to send the game into a ten-minute, 7v7 overtime period, with Lucy Busby scoring the winning goal for Torrey. The victory was the JV Falcons' third straight over their La Costa counterparts.
JV at LCC photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

Avocado League Varsity Standings
   (Oct 24)
   
W
L
gf
ga
  Torrey Pines
5
0
18
2
  San Pasqual
4
1
19
4
  Fallbrook
2
2
6
7
  LCC
2
3
5
3
  Escondido
1
4
3
16
  Mission Hills
0
4
1
20

Falcons Crawl Past Cougars
   [Oct 21, '08] Playing on the road for what seemed like the umpteenth time this season, Torrey Pines beat Escondido 4-0 on Tuesday afternoon in Avocado League play. In what is believed to be the first-ever meeting between the two schools, the Falcons dominated at both ends of the field, holding the Cougars to zero shots on goal, no short corners and just one long corner over 60 minutes. Julia Colley put visitors ahead about ten minutes into the first half when she scored off a short, quick pass from Sheridan Edwards. Shelby Brown then popped in two goals in around 30 seconds, the first off a scramble after a short corner and the second on a pass from Chelsea Yogerst. Paige Simmons scored the only goal of the second half when she slammed a Dorian O’Leary dish off the foot of a Cougar defender into the goal. The win kept the Falcons at the top of the Avocado League standings, one game ahead of San Pasqual, which beat Fallbrook 4-0 on Tuesday. In other league action, LCC topped Mission Hills 2-0. 

The JV Falcons also beat Escondido 4-0 on two goals by Dana Manheim and two by Caroline Boucher. More details to come.
JV at Escondido photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

San Diego Union-Tribune Coaches’ Poll
   (Oct 19)
   1. Scripps Ranch 
   2. Torrey Pines 
   3. San Pasqual 
   4. Rancho Buena Vista
   5. Serra 
   6. Fallbrook 
   7. La Costa Canyon
   8. San Dieguito 
   9. Vista 
   10. Westview 
   Others receiving votes: Cathedral Catholic, Helix, Hilltop.

North County Times Field Hockey Rankings
   (Oct 19)
   1. Scripps Ranch
   2. Torrey Pines
   3. Rancho Buena Vista
   4. San Pasqual
   5. Serra
   6. Fallbrook
   7. La Costa Canyon
   8. San Dieguito Academy
   9. Cathedral Catholic
   10. Westview
   Others: Vista, Hilltop, Poway, La Jolla, Helix, Valley Center.
   Compiled by staff writer John Maffei with input from area coaches.

Grizzlies Can’t Cage Falcons
   [Oct 16, '08] Torrey Pines beat Mission Hills 7-0 on Thursday afternoon in the first-ever field hockey game between the two schools. The Grizzlies, under the direction of former Torrey coach Amy Kivett, have been playing the sport for just four years. And while they showed spunk as a team and considerable individual talent, they were no match for the much more experienced Falcons. Torrey scored what turned out to be the winning point around three minutes into the game when Meghan O’Rourke notched a back door goal on a Paige Simmons pass off a short corner. A few minutes later, after another Torrey corner, Chelsea Yogerst flicked to O’Rourke on the back post for another score. Yogerst got her own goal a few minutes later and then Simmons made it 4-0 on a bullet from the right side of the circle. Julia Colley scored from a scrum inside the Mission Hills circle, and then Caitlin Mackay tallied her first-ever varsity goal to give the Falcons a six-goal lead at halftime. Playing in 90 degree heat, the intensity level was much lower in the second half. Simmons earned the only score of the final 30 minutes, when her short corner shot deflected off a defender’s stick and over the Grizzly keeper’s outstretched arm into the cage. 

   The JV Falcons beat their Grizzly counterparts 5-0 on the grass field at Mission Hills. Torrey racked up 28 shots on goal and the Mission Hills keeper 22 saves. Sophie Edelman scored off a Caroline Paulson pass for the Falcons first goal. Dana Manheim made it 2-0 at the half when she scored on a quick shot off a Kimia Rahmati dish. In the second half, Caroline Boucher scored on a pass from Manheim; Mia Colbert found the back of the cage after a tap from Paulson after a short corner; and Boucher scored again after a combination of passes from Heather Schlesier (making a rare appearance in the midfield rather than goal) and Paulson. 
JV at Mission Hills photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

Falcons Send Eagles Flying Back to Escondido
   [Oct 14, '08] Torrey Pines avenged its loss to San Pasqual in last year’s CIF semifinals with a 4-2 victory on Tuesday afternoon at Falcon Stadium. The No. 3 ranked Eagles came into the game on the momentum of a comeback win against No 1 Scripps Ranch. And for a while it looked like they might fly away with this game too when they took the lead off a short corner goal by Mallory Albini only three minutes into the first half. Torrey fought back hard, tying the game on a shot by Kendra Bills off a dish from Paige Simmons after a short corner. Simmons just missed scoring on another short corner and hit the left post with another shot. 

Despite the heat and gritty air from fires in the north county, the two teams picked up the pace after intermission. San Pasqual grabbed the lead again early in the second half when Eagles leading scorer Nadia Namdari forced a Falcon turnover and scored form the right side. But this would be the last time the Eagles put the ball in the cage. A few minutes later, Stephanie Cowles evened things up again on a big sweeping shot after a pass from Brittany Norfleet. San Pasqual continued to attack into the Falcons end of the field, but that just played to Torrey’s offensive forte – fast break counter-attacks. Chelsea Yogerst launched the first one when she grabbed the ball at midfield and took it all the way down the right side to the end line before sending a pass into the circle to Norfleet, who flicked a pass to Sheridan Edwards for what would turn out to be the winning goal. 

Eagles head coach Kelli Gannon called a time out and decided to change goalies in an effort to regain the momentum. But another Falcon fast break ended with Jessica Brown scoring off a rebound/ricochet in front of the San Pasqual cage. Suddenly Torrey was up by two goals and it was time for the defense to hunker down. And that they did, the trio of Alexa Golden, Sharon Wiley and Meghan O’Rourke combining with keeper Ashlee Schlesier to turn back half a dozen Eagle attacks in the final minutes. Schlesier blocked one short corner shot that Simmons cleared and then another that Edwards pushed out of harm’s way. One last Eagle shot flew wide just before the final whistle. 

The win over San Pasqual – combined with a 1-0 Fallbrook victory over LCC on Tuesday afternoon – gave Torrey Pines sole possession of first place in the Avocado League. But there’s an awful long way to go – eight more league games before the champ is crowned including a trip to Escondido for a rematch with the Eagles on their home grass. 
Varsity vs. San Pasqual photos (by Anna Scipione)
Varsity vs. San Pasqual photos (SusanCooperPhotography.com)

   The junior varsity Falcons also gained some payback, beating the visiting Eagles 2-0 to avenge a two-goal loss last year. Torrey Pines scored in the first half when midfielder Alex Moreno carried the ball up the left side of the field and fired a strong cross into the right side of the goal, which was tapped in by forward Molly Bettencourt. The Falcons continued to attack, earning plenty of breakaways, short corners, and shots on goal. On one of those breakaways, right-wing Dana Manheim sent a cross from outside the circle through the San Pasqual defense that was tapped in by left-wing Caroline Boucher. 
JV vs. San Pasqual photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

Frosh Climb Past the Highlanders
   [Oct 14, '08] The Torrey Pines freshmen beat Helix 3-0 on Tuesday (Oct 14) on the road in La Mesa. Rachel Rankin, Rachael Haase and Kiernan Parish scored for the Falcons, who pushed their season record to four wins, three losses and one tie. Next up for the frosh is the San Marcos JV on Thursday, Oct 23rd in San Marcos. 

Frosh Falcons Battle Through Helix Tourney
   [Oct 10-11, '08] Playing against mostly junior varsity teams, the Torrey Pines freshmen have every reason to be pleased with their run through the Helix Tournament last weekend. On Friday, the young Falcons lost 0-1 to the Serra JV and then tied the Helix freshmen 0-0. The following day, Torrey beat the El Capitan JV 1-0 in strokes, with Natalie Cathcart slamming home the winning shot. In their final game of the tourney, the Falcons lost 0-1 to the Patrick Henry JV 0-1. Congrats to the frosh on a great tournament! 

Falcons Return to the Avocado
   [Oct 9, '08] Torrey Pines made a triumphant return to the Avocado League on Thursday afternoon with a 2-0 road win over Fallbrook. The Falcons last played on the guacamole circuit in 1998, when they finished second overall. The current version of the Avocado – with four of the county’s top eight teams – is even tougher than it was in the olden days. It was a typical Fallbrook-Torrey game: low scoring, defense dominated and mostly played between the 30 yard lines. Playing on their brand-new home turf, the Warriors had the early momentum and spent much of the first 15 minutes in the Falcon end of the field. But Torrey picked things up towards the end of the first half, springing into the lead on a goal by sophomore defender Meghan O’Rourke out of a scrum in front of the Fallbrook cage after a short corner. The second half was even more of the defensive struggle, with the two teams earning just two short corners (both of them by Torrey) and the Warriors not getting off a single shot on goal. One of those corners resulted in the second goal, the Falcons working the ball all away around the top of the circle to Paige Simmons, who fired a pass to Shelby Brown, who flicked to Chelsea Yogerst for the score. By no means was it pretty hockey, but the Falcons have to be pleased with the final result – beating a very tough team on a long road trip. Fallbrook has been one of Torrey’s most tenacious opponents in recent years, winning three of the last five games going into Thursday’s contest. And all of those five were decided by a single goal no matter who won. The Falcon’s two-goal margin is their largest over the Warriors since 2003.

   Over on the JV side, the Falcons beat Fallbrook 2-1. Sophomore forward Dana Manheim notched the only score in the first half, as she dribbled her usual route to the top of the circle, beat a couple of Warrior defenders, and took a quick shot. Torrey keeper Heather Schlesier did not touch the ball in the first half. In the second half, the Falcons scored off a short corner, as Caroline Boucher took the shot and forward Molly Bettencourt put it past the Fallbrook goalie. With about three minutes left to play, Fallbrook got a breakaway that produced the game’s last goal. 
JV at Fallbrook photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

Falcons Survive Longhorn Stampede
   [Oct 7, '08] In a battle of two teams with very similar talent and skill sets, No. 2 ranked Torrey Pines outlasted No. 4 ranked Rancho Buena Vista by a score of 2-1 on Tuesday night under the lights in Vista. From the very start it was a speedy game between two teams who love to fast break and counter attack, but who also play stellar defense. The Longhorns came in riding a four-game win streak, including a recent upset of No. 3 ranked Serra. And playing in front of their home fans, RBV grabbed the early momentum, mustering several serious attacks (and a number of short corners) that had Falcon keeper Ashlee Schlesier swatting balls away left and right. But it the Falcons who drew first blood, a counter attack that featured a string of seven Torrey passes. The scoring drive started deep in Torrey territory when Kendra Bills sent a free hit to Brittany Norfleet, who passed to Paige Simmons on the right side. Simmons flicked to Meghan O'Rourke who passed to Chelsea Yogerst, who carried the ball all the way down to the 30 yard line before crossing to Stephanie Cowles near the top of the circle. Cowles flicked to Sheridan Edwards who found Norfleet charging toward the left post and the RBV keeper totally out of position to stop her shot.

   Bills made it 2-0 a few moments later on a slap shot from the top of the circle after Edwards had brought the ball up through the middle of the Longhorn defense. But RBV came charging right back, cutting the lead on a shot off a short corner that hit a Torrey defender's stick and bounced over Schlesier's outstretched arm into the cage. The second half was scoreless, but the two teams could not have played more exciting hockey, charging up and down the field on repeated attacks. Both earned six corners in the half but neither to find the back of the cage. There were also some interesting tactical moves by Torrey head coach Kari DiGiulio, who after a timeout with around ten minutes to play, moved Simmons back to defense and Yogerst to midfield in order to blunt the relentless RBV attack.

   The North County Times published a story on the game which you can read (click here). 

   The JV Falcons beat their Longhorn counterparts 1-0 in strokes after regulation and ten minutes of overtime ended in a scoreless tie. The teams decided on just one stroke each; RBV missed the first swat, but Priya Devasirvatham converted to give Torrey the win.

   In their previous game, the junior varsity beat Rancho Bernardo 2-0. The visiting Broncos couldn't muster much offense, bit their defense and keeper kept the Falcons scoreless for much of the first half despite constant pressure and five good shots on goal. Just before intermission, Dana Manheim dribbled the ball past several defenders and found a sliver of daylight in the upper corner of the cage to give Torrey the lead. The Falcons scored again on a fast break counterattack with about ten minutes to play as Manheim carried the ball up the right side of the field and crossed to Caroline Boucher sprinting towards the goal.
JV at Rancho Buena Vista (RBV) photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

Torrey Tames Broncos on Home Turf
   [Oct 3, '08] “Home sweet home” could have been the theme of the Torrey Pines contest against Rancho Bernardo on Friday afternoon, their first home game in almost three weeks after a string of nine straight on the road. And boy did the Falcons enjoy the familiar surroundings, exploding for five goals against an RB team that had not given up more than one per game previously this season. Stephanie Cowles got things going about ten minutes into the first half with a fast-break pass to Chelsea Yogerst, who zigzagged around the last remaining defender and fired the ball into the upper right-hand corner of the cage. The Broncos kept things close until the second half, when Torrey’s high-powered offense really kicked into gear. Paige Simmons fired off a rocket from the top of the circle to make it 2-0. Minutes later, Sheridan Edwards scored off a short corner. Yogerst snagged her second goal off a long pinpoint pass from Kendra Bills. And then Simmons finished things off just before the final whistle when she scored off a short corner pass from Edwards. The Falcons defense limited the visiting Broncos to no shots on goals and no short corners; RB managed to push the ball into the Torrey circle just once in 60 minutes of hockey. 

   JV shut out Rancho Bernardo 2-0.
JV vs. Rancho Bernardo photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

Torrey Trips Titans in Triple Digits
   [Sept 30, '08] With the field temperature hovering around 100 degrees, Torrey Pines beat Poway 2-0 on Tuesday afternoon. The Falcons ninth straight road game fell into a similar routine as a number of others this season, with Torrey constantly attacking and the other team barely able to move the ball across midfield. The defense made sure that Falcons keeper Ashlee Schlesier didn’t touch the ball once in 60 minutes of play. And neither did the Titans earn a short corner or shot on goal. The defense also stepped up at the other end of the field, scoring both Torrey goals. Meghan O’Rourke put the Falcons ahead just before halftime when she deftly knocked in a loose ball after a short corner. And Jessica Brown scored her first-ever varsity goal in the second half to pad the Falcons lead.

    [JV, new update Oct 1] The Falcons JV beat Poway 1-0 in overtime. Despite controlling the flow for much of regulation and outshooting the Titans, the Falcons found themselves in a scoreless tie at the end of regulation. About seven minutes into seven-on-seven extra time, Dana Manheim dribbled the ball into the circle from the right side and crossed to a wide open Zoey Zobell, who got control of the ball and quickly shot into the upper left corner of the cage for the game winner.
JV at Poway photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

   Despite finishing third in last weekend’s Serra tournament, the Falcons held onto second place in the weekly rankings of the top field hockey teams in San Diego County. 

North County Times High School Field Hockey Rankings
   (September 29)
   1. Scripps Ranch
   2. Torrey Pines
   3. Serra
   4. Rancho Buena Vista
   5. San Dieguito Academy
   6. La Costa Canyon
   7. San Pasqual
   8. Fallbrook
   9. Cathedral Catholic
   10. Westview

Others: Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Helix, Vista, La Jolla, Valley Center, Hilltop
Compiled by NCT staff writer John Maffei with input from area coaches.

Torrey Third at Serra Tourney
   [Sept 27, '08] Torrey Pines came up against an immovable object in the semifinals of the 33rd annual Serra Field Hockey Tournament – a home team bound and determined to make the final of their own event – and as a result had to play for third place instead of the championship. The silver lining on a hot and humid Saturday in Tierrasanta was the fact that Falcons scooped so many spots on the tourney all-star team and captured half of the tourney MVP trophies.

   The Falcons got off to a slow start on Saturday morning, looking slow, tired and uninspired in the quarterfinals against a Helix team that could barely get the ball out of their own end of the field. The game was tied 0-0 at intermission. Chelsea Yogerst finally got Torrey on the board when she slammed home a goal off a defensive stop. That seemed to ignite the Falcon attack, which responded with two more goals in quick order. Following a short corner, Sheridan Edwards flicked a short pass to Paige Simmons who fired the ball into the cage. Not long after, Simmons scored again, this time on a perfectly executed give-and-go with Kendra Bills.

   That set up the semifinal showdown with Serra, a team the Falcons had already beat twice in the last month, both times by a wide margin. And that might have been the key to victory – the Conquistadors were determined not to lose three times to Torrey in a single season, especially in front of their boisterous home fans. For a while it looked like the Falcons might fly away with the game again. Torrey scored in the first minute when Yogerst took the ball up the right side and fired a pinpoint pass across the seam to Julia Colley on the left post. But Serra came right back, tying the game after a mad scramble in front of the cage drew keeper Ashlee Schlesier out of position. Five minutes later the Qs drew a penalty shot when Schlesier was accused of lying on the ball. The Serra keeper missed wide left. But the same ref who had whistled the controversial penalty awarded the Qs a second attempt because Schlesier allegedly moved before the shot was taken. This time Serra converted for a 2-1 lead they would never relinquish. The second half was hot and brutal, momentum waging back and forth as the Qs tried to pad their lead and the Falcons trying to snatch a tying goal that was never to be. Serra earned another penalty shot on a similar call against Schlesier, but this time the Falcons senior keeper easily blocked the shot. The Falcon defense kept the Qs at bay the rest of the way – with Alexa Golden and Meghan O’Rourke turning in big games.

   Rather than play another 60 minutes in 90-degree heat, Torrey coach Kari DiGiulio and Rancho Buena Vista coach Kaci Bronson decided on best-out-of-seven strokes for third place in the tournament. Simmons, Edwards, Golden, Caitlin Mackey and Stephanie Cowles hit their strokes for Torrey, against just two for RVB. In the title game, Serra took an early 1-0 lead against No. 1 ranked Scripps Ranch, but surrendered two second half short corner goals to hand the title to the “inland” Falcons. 

   Simmons, Edwards, Bills, Golden and Schlesier were named to the all-tournament team. Golden also scooped the tourney Defensive MVP award while Schlesier was named the event’s Outstanding Goalkeeper. Torrey finished second in the tourney in both most goals scored (16) and fewest goals against (3). Yogerst (3 goals, 3 assists) and Simmons (3 goals, 2 assists) were the top Falcon scorers, followed by Colley (2 goals, 1 assist) and Cowles (2 goals). Schlesier bagged a goals-against average of 0.60 per game. And for those who are interested in Falcon field hockey history, the team finished 4th in the Serra Tourney last year, 3rd in 2006, out of the medals in 2005, and 1st in 2004.
Awards ceremony photos

Mustangs Shoot Down Falcons
   [Sept 25, '08] The Falcons ventured to Encinitas on Thursday to play San Dieguito Academy and came back scratching their heads, wondering how much you can dominate a game and still not win. In nearly every count by which performance is judged Torrey Pines came out on top. Accept one, of course – the final score – a 1-0 “golden goal” overtime victory for SDA. The Falcons won the short corner battle 16-3 and out-shot the Mustangs by an even greater margin. But one standout play, about three minutes into overtime, was all the home team needed to beat Torrey – a breakaway by senior forward Liz Simeon, who threaded the Falcon defense and scored on a big sweeping shot from the left side that beat Falcon keeper Ashlee Schlesier. During regulation, SDA could muster only two attacks of any significance and managed just one shot on goal. For much of the game they were bottled up in their own end of the field with as many as 10 players in the circle at times. Both Paige Simmons and Chelsea Yogerst got off several good shots, but they were either blocked by the SDA keeper (who had a superb game) or somehow deflected out of harm’s way by a defensive foot or stick and in one case one of the Falcon’s own players. Sheridan Edwards put the ball into the Mustang cage about midway through the second half, but the goal was disallowed on a controversial call by the ref (who said the ball was too high off the ground). The way the Mustangs snatched victory may have been a surprise, but their win certainly was not. SDA came into the game riding the momentum of a big victory over arch-rival LCC last Saturday. And they have always played well against Torrey, winning three out of the last six games at the varsity level going back to 2003.

  Torrey's JV shut out the Mustangs JV squad 4-0. 
JV at SDA photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

Falcons in the News
   [Sept 24, '08] The North County Times newspaper just published its annual high school field hockey preview and a sidebar called “Players to Watch.” Torrey Pines features prominently in both stories. The paper picks the Falcons to finished second in the newly shuffled Avocado League behind defending CIF champ La Costa Canyon and just ahead of San Pasqual and Fallbrook. Check out the stories at:
     PREP FIELD HOCKEY: Team-by-team capsules
       and . . .
     PREP FIELD HOCKEY: Players to watch

Freshman Falcons Take Two
   [Sept 22&23, '08] The Torrey Pines frosh got their season off to a great start with a pair of victories earlier this week. The Falcons topped Canyon Crest Academy 1-0 on Sept 22, with Chloe Liu scoring the game’s only goal. The following day, they topped the Helix freshmen 3-0 on goals by Rachel Hasse, Ava Rockman and Chloe Liu. 

North County Times, San Diego County Field Hockey Rankings
   [Sept 22, '08] The following list appeared in the North County Times.  However, after reviewing the recent Serra Tournament results you might feel that a slightly different order in the ranking would be more appropriate. 
     1. Scripps Ranch
     2. Torrey Pines
     3. Serra
     4. La Costa Canyon
     5. San Pasqual
     6. San Dieguito Academy
     7. Fallbrook
     8. Rancho Buena Vista
     9. Cathedral Catholic
     10. Westview
    Others: Poway, Helix, Hilltop, Valley Center, University City.
    Compiled by NCT staff writer John Maffei with input from area coaches.

Falcons Glide Through Serra First Round
   [Sept 20, '08] For the third consecutive year, Torrey Pines sailed through the first day of the Serra Tournament undefeated, although the last few minutes did provide some drama and tension. 

   The Falcons started off the day with a resounding 6-0 win over University City, sprinting out to an early lead on goals by Julia Colley (off a Chelsea Yogerst pass) and Meghan O’Rourke (off a dish from Colley). Keeping up the pressure, Torrey scored again when Paige Simmons sent a short pass to Brittany Norfleet, who slipped a shot past the UC keeper. Dorian O’Leary made it 4-0 at the half when she knocked in a pass from Alexa Golden. The Falcons padded their lead after intermission on two short corner scores: the first by Kendra Bills (unassisted after a defensive save) and the second by Simmons, off an O’Rourke push and Golden stop. The Centurion attack breached Falcon territory just twice during the game, but couldn’t get a shot off either time.

   The Falcons played what was probably their best game of the day against Poway, one of their old rivals from the Palomar League, who they beat 4-0 on crisp passing, excellent shot selection and great defense. Once again Torrey jumped out to a quick lead, this time on a marvelous fast break goal that Stephanie Cowles fired into the upper left-hand corner of the cage off a pass by Yogerst. A few minutes later, Yogerst made it 2-0 on a pass from Sheridan Edwards. Edwards notched her own goal later, on an assist from Simmons. And then Cowles finished things off when she slammed a blocked shot by the Poway keeper into the cage. Once again, the Falcon defense was stellar, not giving up a short corner or shot on goal the entire game against the gritty Titans.

   In terms of pure excitement, Torrey saved the best for last – a grudge match against Carmel Valley rival Cathedral Catholic, located less than a mile from the Torrey campus. Many of the off the Falcons and Lady Dons played middle school hockey together or live on the same street, but this is the first time the two teams have clashed at the varsity level since 2004 (when Cathedral was known as University High). True to form, the Falcons went on the attack from the opening whistle, pressing again and again into the Cathedral circle. Chelsea Yogerst finally gave Torrey the lead when she pounced on a loose ball to the left of the Cathedral cage and fired a backhand shot past the Dons goalie. A few moments later, one of the Cathedral defenders cleared a Falcon shot off the line, but Kendra Bills was there to slam it right back into the goal for two-goal lead at intermission. But to their credit, the Lady Dons wouldn’t give up. It took them awhile to build momentum, but they finally earned a short corner (the first Torrey had given up all day) with about eight minutes to play and converted to cut the lead to just one. Cathedral kept up the pressure, earning several more short corners and shots as the clock wound down, but could not get the ball past Ashlee Schlesier. 

   So Torrey moves on to quarterfinal match against Helix next Saturday. The Highlanders finished second in Pool C, losing to Serra 4-0, beating Hilltop 3-0 and tying Vista 1-1. Other pool winners included Scripps Ranch and a very surprising SDA team that not only beat defending CIF champion La Costa Canyon 2-0 but helped knock the Mavericks out of the tournament. Other pool runners-up included RBV, Fallbrook and Cathedral. If the Falcons get past Helix, they are seeded to play the winner of the Serra-Cathedral quarterfinal contest.
Tournament results
Tournament game schedule for first-round pool games

Panthers Give Falcons All They Can Handle
   [Sept 18, '08] Playing a day after their big showdown with Scripps Ranch, the Falcons hopped on a bus again and headed north to Vista for a game against the always tough Panthers. Most of the game was played in Vista’s end of the field, and the Falcons drew 12 short corners to only one for the home team, but the defense-minded Panthers managed to hang on until around midway through the second half. Chelsea Yogerst finally put Torrey ahead when she scored on a pass from Stephanie Cowles after a short corner. And that was all the Falcons attack needed on a hot afternoon in north county. The defense did the rest, holding the Panthers to just two shots on goal. 

JV Update: Falcons Beat Scripps, Reach Tourney Final Four
   [Sept 18, '08] The news is late in arriving, but we have word on how the junior varsity Falcons have been fairing of late. The JV lost to Serra 1-0 last week in a game that came down to the final play – a short corner that Serra converted with zero time left on the clock. Two days later the same teams went at each other again in the semifinals of the Serra Tournament, with the Conquistadors prevailing again, this time on strokes after regulation ended 0-0. Earlier this week, the Falcons JV beat Scripps Ranch 1-0 on the road to raise their season record to five wins and two losses. 
JV Serra Tournament photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

JV Falcons Claw Their Way Past the Panthers
   [Sept 18, '08 (report just released, Sept 21)] The JV Falcons went into their road game against Vista with two initial goals: earning a short corner in the first ten minutes and not giving up the same to the Panthers. On both counts the Falcons came through with flying colors, taking the lead seven minutes into the game on a short corner goal by Alex Moreno on a pass from Zoey Zobell at the top of the circle. Torrey kept up their attack for much of the game, the Vista goalie making five saves to keep the margin at one. With around three minutes left, midfielder Kimia Rahmati sent a 15-yard pass to forward Caroline Boucher, who dribbled the ball into the circle and scored, making the final score 2-0 in favor of Torrey. 
JV at Vista photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

Last Stroke Lifts Scripps Over Torrey
   [Sept 17, '08] In another early season meeting between two of the top teams in San Diego, proverbial field hockey powerhouse Scripps Ranch slipped past Torrey Pines on strokes Wednesday afternoon at (the other) Falcon Stadium. The game couldn’t have been closer: tied 1-1 after regulation and ten minutes of overtime. It all came down to the tenth and final stroke, which Scripps converted for the win.

   It was a game of stark contrasts. Scripps dominated the first half, earning seven short corners to Torrey’s two. Scripps finally took the lead about 17 minutes into the game when they scored on a deflection off a Falcon defender’s stick that blooped over the head of keeper Ashlee Schlesier. For much of the first 30 minutes, the Falcons looked flat-footed and were getting beat to the ball. But head coach Kari DiGiulio must have said something inspiring to her players at halftime, because Torrey came out blazing in the second half. The Falcons mustered a number of fast breaks which Scripps only managed to slow down by drawing fouls. But it was enough to earn the visitors seven short corners, one of which Sheridan Edwards slammed into the cage off a stop by Kendra Bills and push by Meghan O’Rourke. The last eight minutes of regulation was a mad scramble, both teams just missing chances to take the lead. 

   With the teams paired to seven-aside, Torrey dominated the opening minutes of the overtime but couldn’t draw a clean shot on goal. The momentum suddenly shifted when Torrey midfielder Paige Simmons was forced to leave the game with a leg cramp. Scripps found their second wind and began to attack, earning six corners over the next six minutes to none for Torrey Pines. Even then – with such an advantage and playing at home – Scripps couldn’t punch home the go-ahead goal. And so it came down to strokes: Torrey hitting two out of five (Stephanie Cowles and Caitlin Mackey) and Scripps landing three out of five including the all-important final stroke. 

   Despite the razor-thin loss, Torrey Pines bolstered its pre-season position as one of the CIF favorites (as did Scripps Ranch). And the win was a vast improvement over last year, when Scripps trounced Torrey both times they met. Scripps heads into this weekend’s Serra Tournament as the presumptive No. 1 team in San Diego County, with Torrey Pines breathing right down their neck. There is also some consolation in the fact that the last time the Falcons won the CIF title, they lost to Scripps during the regular season. 

JV Action: Our Falcons Down Their Falcons
   [Sept 17, '08 (report just released, Sept 21)] Sophie Edelman scored on a pass from Kimia Rahmati just three minutes into the game and the JV Falcons held on for a hard-fought 1-0 win over Scripps Ranch. The remainder of the game went back-and-forth with great plays, awesome goalie saves and strong defense from both sides. One especially great play was made by Torrey keeper Heather Schlesier, who made a great sliding tackle against a Serra break away, keeping them from scoring. “This was a very close game,” said Torrey JV coach Ana Carlsson. “And we knew it would be. We had barely beat Scripps at the tournament a few days earlier, and knew that they would come out strong and determined to not let that happen again on their home turf.”
JV at Scripps photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

Falcons Shift Into High Gear Against Serra 
   [Sept 11, '08] In an early season showdown between two of San Diego County’s top five teams, Torrey Pines blew past Serra 4-0 on Thursday afternoon at Falcon Stadium. The visiting Conquistadors came into the game having won three of the last four regular season contests against the Falcons stretching back to 2005. But it was almost all Torrey this time, as the Falcons took an early lead and then pulled away in the second half. Paige Simmons kicked off the lightning-fast sequence that lead to Torrey’s first goal when she took the ball straight up the middle through three Serra defenders, hooked up with Chelsea Yogerst on a give-and-go and then tapped the ball to Stephanie Cowles in front of the cage. Cowles notched her second goal not long after intermission, when she slammed home a rebound off a Yogerst shot. A few minutes later, Shelby Brown scored on an awesome pass from Sheridan Edwards off a short corner. The Falcons finished things off with a fast break that ended with Yogerst sending a laser pass between two defenders to Julia Colley on the left post. At the other end of the field, keeper Ashley Schlesier blocked everything the Qs sent her way with help from defensive stalwarts Alexa Golden, Kendra Bills, Sharon Wiley and Meghan O’Rourke. The four-goal margin was the Torrey’s largest over Serra in the past decade and could be the largest ever. 

Serra Tops JV in Heartbreaker
   [Sept 11, '08 (report just released, Sept 21)] Over on the JV side, the Falcons had a devastating and heartbreaking loss against Serra. The first half was pretty even and ended scoreless. Torrey came into the second half determined to score, with plenty of shots on goal, penalty corners, and dominant ball control. At one point the Falcons stayed in the Serra circle for a full five minutes but couldn’t put the ball in the cage, the Serra goalie making a number of great saves. Then with around one minute left in the game, the visiting Conquistadors got a break-away after a missed Torrey shot and too the ball all the way up the field into the Torrey circle, drawing a foul. The whistle to end the game blew after the call was made, so the short corner had to be played out. Serra’s Maddy Foglia took an extremely strong short corner drive into the corner of the goal, giving the Q’s a 1-0 win with no time left on the clock.
JV vs. Serra photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

Westview Game Photos
   Click here to see excellent photos of the Varsity Falcons vs. Westview game on Sept 9th.
Photos of the JV vs. Freshmen on Sept 9 are here (by Anna Scipione) and a group of photos by Ricki Bettencourt.

Falcons Whip Wolverines in Season Opener
   [Sept 9, '08]  Displaying talent and determination at both ends of the field, Torrey Pines kicked off the 2008 regular season with a decisive 4-0 victory over visiting Westview, Tuesday afternoon at Falcon Stadium. Senior midfielder Paige Simmons put the Falcons out in front in the first few minutes when she chipped the ball over the Westview keeper’s head. Even though Torrey dominated the rest of the half, the Wolverines somehow managed to keep the ball out of the cage and trailed by just one at halftime. But the Falcon’s relentless pressure paid off in the second half. Senior midfielder Sheridan Edwards scored off a short corner. Sophomore Meghan O’Rourke notched her first varsity goal when she tipped in a hard shot from senior defender Sharon Wiley. And then sophomore forward Brittany Norfleet scored her first varsity goal when she slammed in a rebound in front of the Wolverine goal. The victory was Torrey’s eighth straight over Westview. 
Varsity vs. Westview photos (by Anna Scipione)

Frosh Falcons Fall to Junior Varsity
   [Sept 9, '08 (report just released, Sept 21)] The freshmen Falcons put up a great fight, but eventually lost to their JV counterparts 5-0 at Falcon Stadium. Alex Moreno got the JV on the board inside the first two minutes, off a pass from Sophie Edelman. The frosh defense came together and held the older girls scoreless for the rest of the half. But the JV came out blazing after intermission. Dana Manheim made it 2-0 on an assist from Lucy Busby. Two minutes later, Edelman scored off a pass from Manheim, who soon made it 4-0 on her second goal of the game. The last JV goal was scored with three minutes remaining by Caroline Boucher off an assist from Lucy Busby. Freshman goalie Erika Cohan had an awesome game, making 11 saves.
JV vs. Frosh photos (by Anna Scipione)
JV vs. Frosh photos (by Ricki Bettencourt)

Falcon Alums Excel in College Action
   [Sept 7, '08] The NCAA field hockey season is already two weeks old and Falcon alums have played pivotal rolls on several Top 20 teams. Torrey's influence is most obvious at No. 9 ranked Michigan, where Heather Wiley (TP grad 2005) has started all four games for the Wolverines, picking up assists in a 5-3 loss to No. 3 Wake Forest and 5-1 loss to No. 2 Maryland. Goalkeeper Christi Barwick (2007) made her college Michigan debut in the Wake Forest, playing the entire second half. Katie Griswold (2007) scored in Indiana University's 3-1 win over St Josephs. Defender Danielle Neault (2005) has started two out of three games thus far for the University of Pacific after playing in 15 out of 18 Tigers games last year. Jessica Reading (2005) has started all four games at midfield for Miami of Ohio, picking up a goal against Sacred Heart and assists against both Northwestern and Richmond. Johnna Simoes (2007) has seen action in two games for the Bucknell Bisons, including a loss to Villanova and win over Longwood.

Falcons Scramble Past Serra in Pre-Season Scrimmage
   [Sept 3, '08] Head coach Kari DiGiulio marked her return to Torrey Pines field hockey with a 4-2 win over Serra in a pre-season scrimmage Wednesday afternoon in Tierrasanta. It had been more than 21 months since DiGiulio was last on the sidelines for the Falcons – the 2006 CIF championship game against LCC – a team which featured just two of her current players (Alexa Golden and Paige Simmons). But the new crew didn’t look half bad against Serra, always one of San Diego’s best teams. With a solid group of seniors anchoring the midfield and defense, it was up to the juniors to provide most of the scoring. And they didn’t waste any time, Stephanie Cowles chipping a shot over the Serra keeper in the first five minutes to give Torrey an early 1-0 lead. Serra dominated the closing moments of the first half, but couldn’t get the ball past Falcons keeper Ashlee Schlesier. Chelsea Yogerst put the Falcons ahead by two early in the second half when she slammed home a cross from Julia Colley. Serra closed the gap with a goal of their own, but Torrey responded with a blistering attack that earned two more goals over the next five minutes – the first by Annelysse Eggold off a dish from Yogerst and the second on a short corner shot by Sheridan Edwards off a push from Eggold. On a day when everyone saw considerable playing time, some performances stood out including excellent midfield by Simmons and great defense from Golden, Sharon Wiley and Kendra Bills.

   It took the JV Falcons a little longer to get started, but they also came out on top in their first and only scrimmage of the pre-season, beating Serra 2-0. The first half was quite a struggle, as the girls adjusted to the field, their new positions and each other. Serra had around ten short corners in the first half to none for Torrey. But the Falcons really stepped up the second half, looking like a completely different team. Torrey finally got on the board when Alex Moreno tapped in a pass from Dana Manheim. They scored again in the last five minutes after Priya Devasirvatham cleared the ball up the field from a 16 yard hit. Manheim picked it up from around midfield, dribbled to the circle and shot from the top into the upper right corner of the goal.
 

Kari DiGiulio featured in SignOnSanDiego.com article...
   We're glad the "decade" away from coaching passed by quickly... click here to read the article.

New look to TPFieldHockey.com...
   We decided it was time for a slightly new look.  All of the game write-ups, photos, videos, schedules and scores, etc. from past years are still available in the old format by clicking the links on the left.

Girls' Team Room Fund Raising [message from Colleen Golden]
   Hi all, we are hosting an exciting opportunity to help raise the remaining funds needed to complete the new Girls' Team Room.  The liaisons for soccer and lacrosse and field hockey attended a TPHS Foundation Board meeting to request approval for an additional fund raising project. The project consists of creating a "donor wall" of personalized tiles to memorialize your daughter's high school experience as a field hockey, soccer or lacrosse player (or multiple sports).  White 6x6 tiles will be painted with the names of the girls or families and their sports. It will hopefully be a focal point/piece of art that will be meaningful for the girls now and for years to come. Each tile will cost $250.00 and all proceeds will be used to fund the lockers and furnishings for our new team room. We hope to have it ready by the beginning of school this fall. I hope you will consider buying a tile for your daughter.  Seniors and alumni, you are welcome to order a tile also! 
   I hope you will consider reserving a tile to help fund this project.  You can pre-order a tile by making a check to:
            TPHS Foundation    $250.00
            Memo: Girl's Team Room (FH/LAX or both)
You can mail the check to me: Colleen Golden
   Click here to see a rough draft of the plans for the room.  An order form for the tile specifics will be forthcoming. 

Important Fall Schedule Information from Colleen... 
  To help with planning your fall schedule, following is a preliminary fall game schedule for Varsity and JV.  This schedule is also posted on the schedule page.  The freshman schedule has not been finalized at this time.  Please note that some of this information will undoubtedly change down the road!

Tryouts for the Fall...
  will start on SATURDAY, August 16th from 8:00am - 11:30am and Monday the 18th from 8:00am - 11:30am. Tryouts will continue on the 19th through the 22nd but the time has not been determined. Be sure to download and turn in your athletic packet, which is due in the TPHS Athletic office by August 1st at the latest. A physical is required; read the athletic packet for details about this. You must have your athletic packet turned in to the TPHS Athletic Office and be cleared by the dates they specify in order to try out to play field hockey in the Fall. Refer to the TPHS Athletics page for details, and they might also post a list of athletes who are cleared to try out for fall sports.

  Other items:
     * During the Labor Day weekend, Kari will NOT be having practices. Enjoy the long weekend!
     * The JV Serra tournament date is Saturday, September 13th, games TBA.
     * The Varsity Serra tournament dates are Saturday, September 20th and 27th, games TBA.
     * The winter formal will be held on January 31st, 2009 (tidbit from the cheer meeting).

Olympic Field Hockey TV Schedule [from Ana, Deeg, and Colleen]
  * Sunday, Aug. 10, MSNBC [Ch 50 on TWC]: United States women vs. Argentina, 6:30 a.m. Eastern Time (3:30am Pacific Time) DAY 2 LIVE
  * Tuesday, Aug. 12, USA Network [Ch 34 on TWC]: United States women vs. Japan, 6 a.m. Eastern Time (3:00am Pacific Time) DAY 4 LIVE
  * Thursday, Aug. 14, USA Network [Ch 34 on TWC], United States women vs. Germany, taped coverage between 2 a.m. Eastern Time and noon (game actually live 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time the night before) DAY 6
  * Saturday, Aug. 16, USA Network [Ch 34 on TWC], United States women vs. New Zealand, taped coverage between 2 a.m. Eastern Time and 2 p.m. (game actually live 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time the night before) DAY 8 
  * Monday, Aug. 18, USA Network [Ch 34 on TWC], United States women vs. Great Britain, 6 a.m. Eastern Time DAY 10 LIVE
  * Friday, Aug. 22, MSNBC [Ch 50 on TWC], womens field hockey bronze-medal match, taped coverage between 5 a.m. Eastern Time and 5 p.m (game actually live at 6 a.m.) DAY 14
  * Friday, Aug. 22, Oxygen Network [Ch 201? on TWC], womens field hockey gold-medal match, taped coverage between 6-8 p.m Eastern and Pacific Time (game actually live at 8:30 a.m.) DAY 14 
  * Saturday, Aug. 23, USA Network [Ch 34 on TWC], mens field hockey gold-medal match, 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time DAY 15

So, "My daughter has been playing field hockey for years, and this game still seems so confusing.  What's a parent to do?" 
Simple, take a look at the US Field Hockey basic rules. It's only about a 5-minute read and will clarify most of the questions you may have about the game. 

We would appreciate your help with the team website!  No previous experience or web design knowledge is required! We need photos at the games and anything related to team activites would be fun to share with everyone.  Also, for the JV games we need reports of game scores or even a short write-up about the game (or whatever you're motivated to write).  We can accept information in any form: electronic images or write-ups by email to or 

All of your favorite photos and videos from past years are still available in the following places:
 
2007 Season Website 2006 Season Website 2005 Season Website 2004 Season Website 2003 Season Website TP Field Hockey
Archives
TPHS Lacrosse Website

Questions or comments regarding this page may be sent to or

visitors since 8/17/08

page last updated August 16, 2009 8:45pm
http://www.tpfieldhockey.com/index.html