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Record winning streak helps girls lacrosse to league title

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A record winning streak has helped Ramona High’s girls earn a share of the school’s first lacrosse league championship.

An April 30 victory over San Dieguito Academy clinched at least a co-championship for the Bulldogs, whose May 5 game at El Camino to close out the regular season was played after this issue went to press.

“We’re super excited and we’re super proud of the girls and we hope they keep playing the way they’re playing because it seems to be working,” said assistant coach Al Cavell.

A non-league win May 1 at Serra extended Ramona’s winning streak to nine games, and after that victory the Bulldogs were second in the Division II power rankings. If the Bulldogs receive a first-round bye due to the second seed, they would have a home playoff game May 12. A first-round home game would take place May 9.

Ramona has had a girls lacrosse team since 2009, and the longest winning streak had been three games.

Ramona had not won nine games in an entire season until last year, when the Bulldogs’ 9-13 record included a playoff victory as well as a CIF quarterfinal loss. The win over Serra improved Ramona’s record to 14-4, including an 8-1 league mark.

“We seem to be making history this season,” Cavell said.

The girls were 1-13 in their inaugural season in 2009 with the only victory being a 9-8 contest against Fallbrook. The Warriors won that year’s match at Ramona by an 8-7 score, which still is Fallbrook’s only victory over the Bulldogs.

Ramona’s 11-3 victory April 21 at Fallbrook gave the Bulldogs a sweep of the two 2015 matches between the two teams. Ashley Wright scored eight goals against the Warriors with Caitlin Blanck, Danielle Vizcarra and Sierra Fields each scoring once. The win was the fourth in a row for Ramona, setting a school record for lacrosse’s longest win streak.

An April 22 non-league match at home against Monte Vista ended with the 10-6 score in Ramona’s favor, giving the Bulldogs their 10th win of the year to set that team record.

“It was a well-played game,” Cavell said.

Wright had four goals against the Monarchs while Vizcarra and Rachel Costan each scored twice. Emily Kramer contributed one goal as did Gina Gruneisen, who is normally Ramona’s goalkeeper.

Ramona’s 13-11 triumph April 24 at Valley Center was the girls’ first-ever win against the Jaguars.

“It was a huge deal, and they’re in our league so that was a big deal,” Cavell said. “Our defense won that game for us.”

Gruneisen played goalkeeper against the Jaguars. Ramona’s defenders were Megan Vandervort, Katie Scroggins and Mackenzie Griffin.

“They’re the reason why we won that game,” Cavell said.

Vizcarra and Kramer are wings, so they play both ends of the field.

“Danielle really stepped up defensively, as did Emily,” Cavell said. “The big key was to shut down Savanna Fiehler. Luckily we were able to do that.”

Fiehler has signed a letter of intent to play college lacrosse at the University of New Hampshire. Ramona’s defensive activities included double-teaming and triple-teaming the ball.

“They did very well with that,” Cavell said.

Ramona’s scoring offense consisted of seven goals by Wright, three off Vizcarra’s stick, two from Kramer, and one placed into the net by Costan.

Ramona had previously defeated San Dieguito Academy but had never swept the Mustangs prior to an April 28 home victory and an April 30 game at San Dieguito.

April 28 was Senior Night for the Bulldogs and saw Costan, Kramer, Scroggins, Vizcarra, Wright, Analise Hardin, Maddy Peila and Amy Trivelpiece honored before their final high school regular season home game.

“The underclassmen did a great job,” Cavell said of the Senior Night ceremony.

Three seniors accounted for Ramona’s goals in the 10-5 victory. Kramer had six of those, Wright added three scores, and Peila scored once.

“Ashley and Emily have very different shooting styles, and their goalie couldn’t stop Emily’s shots,” Cavell said.

The Mustangs’ goaltender did better against Kramer in the April 30 game, holding her to two goals, but Wright scored six times in the 13-6 victory. Vizcarra found the net three times with Fields and Alyxis Trampus adding a goal apiece.

“That was exciting because that was the first time we beat San Dieguito two times,” Cavell said.

The win also meant that Ramona would end the season with no more than the two league losses Valley Center and El Camino had at that point.

“At the very least we have a share of the league title,” Cavell said. “It’s very exciting. We’ll finally have something on a banner.”

Serra had a 5-2 halftime lead May 1, but Ramona dominated the second half of the 11-8 game.

“We had to come back,” Cavell said.

Wright scored five times, Kramer had four goals, and Blanck and Trampus scored once apiece.

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