SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Roller Hockey

2002-03 Fallbrook Hockey varsity high school team

Fallbrook Hockey skating to success

By Phillip Brents

Posted Feb. 16, 2003

Though roller hockey is not yet an official interscholastic sport at Fallbrook High School, that has not put a brake on student-athletes from making it their sport of choice. And for those students who do choose to participate, they have earned a share of respect for themselves – and their school – by their standard of play.

"They take a lot of pride in that they skate for their school even though the school doesn’t officially recognize it," said Bruce Craw, who serves as head coach for the Fallbrook Hockey team that competes in the San Diego County High School Roller Hockey Conference. "They know they represent the school and they do a good job of it – on and off the rink."

Fallbrook Hockey has yet to obtain official club status on campus, and thus cannot use the school’s official nickname "Warriors" in any fashion when representing itself on the playing surface.

Still, the team’s players are able to represent their school -- if only unofficially -- in weekly competition against teams from other high schools in the county.

There are 18 teams in the San Diego County High School Roller Hockey Conference this season. Fallbrook Hockey competes in the North County League alongside the Vista Panthers, Escondido Cougars, Carlsbad Lancers, Rancho Buena Vista Longhorns and San Marcos Knights.

With a 4-2-1 midseason record, the Fallbrook team counted itself among the conference’s top 10 teams.

Conference teams play a 10-game regular season schedule, followed by four rounds of single-elimination playoffs to mimic the format adopted by official CIF sports.

Twelve teams qualify for postseason play. First-round playoff action is scheduled Wednesday, Feb. 19, starting at 6:10 p.m. at the Escondido Sports Complex in Kit Carson Park. The four first-round winners will then pair up with the top four seeded teams that received byes in the opening round in quarterfinal-round action Monday, Feb. 24 at Skate San Diego in National City.

The semifinals return to North County on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at the Escondido Sports Complex with games scheduled at 7:10 p.m. and 8:10 p.m.

The championship game is Friday, Feb. 28 at Skate San Diego in National City. Start time is 7:30 p.m.

A North-South All-Star Game caps the conference’s eighth season on Saturday, March 1, starting at 6 p.m. at the Escondido Sports Complex.

The Rancho Bernardo Broncos, who compete in the Inland League, are the defending conference champion.

Other schools with either official club teams or affiliated teams include Poway, San Pasqual, Mount Carmel, Torrey Pines, La Costa Canyon, Monte Vista, West Hills, St. Augustine, La Jolla, Point Loma and Mission Bay high schools.

This is personally Craw’s fifth season as head coach of Fallbrook Hockey, which he said came into need because of player demand.

"We had a lot of kids who played a lot of hockey. We used to travel to Temecula to play. Our kids were getting into high school. We created a high school team," said Craw, who has had one son, Jeremy, already graduate through the program and has another son, Justin, currently playing on the team.

With its own dedicated practice facility located near school to enhance the program, the team is expected to prosper in coming seasons. The rink has been serving the program the past two seasons.

"Up to two years ago we didn’t have a rink, so the talent in the coming years will be better," said Craw, adding, "Now that we have a rink that will encourage a lot of kids to come out. We have a JV team and a junior high ream."

Bruce Craw is assisted by Rob Anatra and Paul Bruhn, both of whom have been with the program two years. Bruhn was the program’s junior varsity coach before moving up to the varsity level. Anatra is slated to take over the head coaching duties next season.

Six of the team's 13 players are seniors: Alex Ito, Alex Brust, Greg Bruhn, Justin Craw, Jacob Jett and Noland Torres. The team’s underclassmen include Adam Alvarez, Cory Kindler, Jacob Lovelady, Anthony Anatra, Chad Royer, Nick Brust and Brandon Kendricks.

Alex Brust and Justin Craw, both of whom are playing their fourth season at the varsity level, serve as the team’s captains while Anatra and Bruhn are assistant captains.

Fundamentals of the game are stressed, according to Rob Anatra, who added the team is somewhat behind the power curve in terms of player development when rated against the stronger teams in the county.

"Most of the stronger programs start developing players when they’re eight-years-old. We’re a couple years behind that," the elder Anatra said.

Still, the Fallbrook team has been able to hold its own this season – as in past seasons. The team has failed to qualify for the playoffs only once in its existence.

"We play all the teams tough. Defensively, we’re getting better," Bruce Craw said. "Our yearly goal is to make it to the playoffs. Anything after that is a bonus."