Scripps Ranch coach Jane Morrill walked off the field at Serra High yesterday, exhausted. She then took a moment to reflect after her Falcons were crowned champions of the annual Serra Field Hockey Tournament.
“I've won five (San Diego Section) championships, but had only won this tournament twice,” Morrill said. “Winning this tournament is tougher than winning CIF. If you make the finals, that's three games on the final day. It all comes down to whoever has something left in the tank.”
The Falcons' 3-1 victory over host Serra in the title game is the first Serra tournament title for Scripps Ranch since winning back-to-back crowns in 2002-03.
At the opening whistle, Serra appeared to be the fresher squad. The Conquistadors took a 1-0 lead just 45 seconds into the contest on a Katie Sirota goal. But the Q's then spent most of the next 29:15 of the first half pinned on their side of the field. But while the Falcons applied heavy pressure, they were unable to convert.
Despite being down 1-0 at halftime, Scripps Ranch's Deanna Kennedy said the team remained poised.
“There was a little panic, but not much,” said Kennedy, who was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. “We knew we were playing well and eventually we'd break through.”
And they did, scoring three second-half goals – two coming on short corners, which are set plays similar to soccer throw-ins. Andrea Earle scored the first short corner goal. Minutes later Maggie Seville put the Falcons ahead to stay, 2-1, on another short corner.
For good measure, Jessica Nguyen added a goal in the closing seconds to secure the victory. Scripps Ranch, the defending Division II champs, finished with an 11-3 advantage in short corner opportunities.
“We work on those so much in practice and have gotten so much better at them,” Earle said.
Serra, which beat Torrey Pines in the semifinals, put on a late charge in the second half, but was unable to convert as the heat and grind of three straight games took its toll.
“It's exhausting,” said Scripps Ranch's Ashley Kyle, named the tourney's outstanding offensive player. “But we knew if we kept working hard, we could win it.”
Torrey Pines took home the “unofficial” third-place trophy with a 5-2 strokes win over RBV. In lieu of playing the third-place game, the teams opted to just play strokes. Neither counted it as an official game. Torrey Pines's Alexa Golden was named the tournament's outstanding defensive player and teammate Ashlee Schlesier was named outstanding goalie.
