Lacrosse coaches pleased with play despite two losses

By Joe Naiman

The first week of games for Ramona High School’s girls lacrosse team produced a 1-2 record for the Bulldogs.

Ramona had three home games between March 10 and 14. The girls opened their season March 10 with an 18-8 loss to Rancho Bernardo, defeated Fallbrook by a 14-4 score March 12, and were on the short end of the 16-5 score March 14 against Poway.

“We’re actually thrilled,” said assistant coach Al Cavell. “The coaches were super happy with how the girls played. They played through the end and they didn’t give up.”

Cavell is also Ramona’s junior varsity lacrosse head coach. The Bulldogs have a varsity roster of 19 girls while 25 student-athletes started the season on the junior varsity team.

“We have a very large JV compared to what we’ve had in the past,” Cavell said.

The Bulldogs’ junior varsity failed to score during the week, losing 9-0 to Rancho Bernardo and 18-0 to Poway. Fallbrook does not have a JV squad this year.

Neither the junior varsity losses nor the varsity losses to Rancho Bernardo or Poway concerned Ramona’s coaching staff.

“They’re some of the best teams in the county,” said Cavell.

“Rancho Bernardo’s just a tough team,” he added.

Poway opened its season at Ramona.

“They were coming out pretty hard,” said the coach.

Fallbrook is fielding a girls lacrosse team for the first time since the 2009-10 season.

“It was nice to see the girls back out there,” Cavell said.

The inexperienced Warriors struggled against Ramona.

“It wasn’t necessarily an even competition,” Cavell said.

The Bulldogs have a match Friday at Francis Parker High School.