SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Field Hockey

Youthful Hilltop Lancers to draw on tradition

By Phillip Brents

CHULA VISTA, Sept. 11, 2003 -- Tradition speaks for much at Hilltop and head coach Lynn Garcia will be counting on that this season with a young team.

The Lancers lost nine seniors to graduation. Many are currently attending Division I colleges. Briana Martinez is playing field hockey at the University of the Pacific. Carlene Garcia is playing club at UCLA and Geny Torres is a walk-on at Stanford.

“I am very proud of these players and all from last year’s team. The team was strong and we finished third in the Harbor League and went to postseason play. The team competed in the Field Hockey Festival in Palm Springs against all-star teams from all over the country. They showed themselves and others how good they were and how they never gave up. I am hoping the remaining players from that team can remember what it felt like and can share those feelings with this year’s team,” Garcia said.

This is Hilltop’s third year in Harbor League play. The Lancers are joined by fellow South Bay squads Eastlake and Bonita Vista as well as by City Conference residents Morse and Mission Bay.

Top returners include senior captains Erin Molina (goalie), Desirae Lucero (defense), Vivianna Zuniga (forward) and Amanda Padilla (midfield).

Molina was named to last year’s Serra tournament all-tournament team and appears to have recovered from a soccer injury that forced her to miss six games last season. “She had worked hard this summer and should be ready to go,” the Lancer coach said.

Lucero has played every defensive position and brings consistency to the field wherever she plays while Zuniga moves from the left to right side this season and is learning her new position quickly, according to Garcia.

Padilla anchors the midfield. Like Lucero and Zuniga, she also has a nice drive.

The team’s junior class is also strong, featuring midfielder/forward Courtney Crowe, sweeper Giselle Ibanez, forward Megan Morales and midfielder/defender Erica Martinez.

Garcia said she is looking particularly at Morales becoming a goalscorer this season. Ibanez was named to the all-defense team at last year’s Serra tournament while Martinez excelled on defense in last year’s playoffs.

Newcomers who rate to impact the team include senior transfer (from Eastlake) Sara Medevil, a defender/midfielder, and senior Chelsey Rhudy, who moves up from last year’s Harbor League junior varsity championship team.

Because of this year’s youth-laden team (only seven of the 17 rostered players are seniors), Garcia said she is counting on leadership from her team captains.

“We have chosen one captain from each field position. We hope they work within their positions to unify our young team. The most important games for us, as always, are against Bonita Vista and Eastlake. We have a tough preseason schedule. We will learn to work together and get ready for league,” Garcia said.

Hilltop will conclude play in the Serra varsity tournament Sept. 13, 20 and Oct. 4 while playing a number of non-league games (Vista, Serra, El Capitan, Fallbrook, University City, Bishop’s, Torrey Pines and San Pasqual) in advance of league play that opens Oct. 9 against Mission Bay.

Hilltop High School Field Hockey Schedule

September
10: Santana 1, Hilltop 0
12: Hilltop at Vista, 3:15 p.m.
13: Serra JV tournament
16: Serra 6, Hilltop 0
20: Serra varsity tournament
23: El Capitan 1, Hilltop 0
25: Fallbrook at Hilltop, 3:15 p.m.
29: University City at Hilltop, 3:15 p.m.

October
1: Hilltop at Bishop’s, 3:15 p.m.
3: Torrey Pines at Hilltop, 3:15 p.m.
4: Serra varsity tournament, TBA
7: Hilltop at San Pasqual, 3:15 p.m.
9: Mission Bay at Hilltop, 3:15 p.m. (Harbor League)
14: Chula Vista at Hilltop, 3:15 p.m. (JV)
16: Bonita Vista at Hilltop, 3:15 p.m. (Harbor League)
21: Morse at Hilltop, 3:30 (Harbor League)
23: Hilltop at Eastlake, 3:15 p.m. (Harbor League)
28: Hilltop at Mission Bay, 3:15 p.m. (Harbor League)
30: Hilltop at Chula Vista, 3:15 p.m. (JV)

November
4: Hilltop at Bonita Vista, 3 p.m. (Harbor League)
6: Hilltop at Morse, 3 p.m. (Harbor League)
10: Eastlake at Hilltop, 3 p.m. (Harbor League)

CIF playoffs: Nov. 16-22