Bulldogs to host lacrosse playoff game Thursday

By Joe Naiman

Ramona High School’s girls lacrosse team was given the sixth seed in the CIF Division II playoffs and will host Pacific Ridge in the first-round playoff match Thursday.

“We’re very excited,” co-captain Mady Stone said of the Bulldogs making the playoffs. “We’re looking forward to our playoff game because we had a good game against Pacific Ridge last year.”

Should the Bulldogs defeat 11th-seeded Pacific Ridge, Ramona will travel to third-seeded San Marcos for Saturday’s quarterfinal competition. That would constitute the third game of the season between the Bulldogs and their Valley League opponent, who was on the winning side of the 12-4 score in the April 30 game at San Marcos.

“It’s just that small team thing again,” Stone said of the loss to San Marcos. “I think every team has a little bit more on the bench than we do.”

The Bulldogs’ May 2 loss at San Dieguito Academy gave both teams 1-9 Valley League records to conclude the league season.

“It was really disappointing because it was a team we had already beat,” Stone said.

Ramona’s only Valley League win was an 11-9 home victory over the Mustangs on March 19. San Dieguito’s 9-8 triumph May 2 saw the Mustangs overcome a Ramona lead and score the winning goal late in the second half.

“It was a very physical game,” Stone said.

The Bulldogs held their composure during that intensity.

“It was really a game that showed our team that we had a lot of self-control,” Stone said. “It just brought us together.”

A 14-3 non-league loss at Mission Hills closed out Ramona’s regular season May 3.

“They’re a really good team that we hope to be able to compete with in the future,” Stone said of the Grizzlies.

The loss to Mission Hills gave Ramona a 12-game losing streak as well as a final regular-season record of 4-15. The Bulldogs will seek to improve that record and break the losing streak in the playoff against Pacific Ridge.

“We’re just gearing up and we’re going to do our best,” Stone said.