CIF-SAN DIEGO SECTION GIRLS

The Team to Beat: Torrey Pines

The Falcons graduated just five seniors off the 2009 team that lost by one goal to La Costa Canyon in the San Diego Section championship game, and they are looking good heading into 2010. Torrey Pines has one of its best teams in years, with several standouts, including one of the top players in San Diego.

Junior middie Katie Trees, who has committed to play NCAA Division I lacrosse and soccer at Duke University, is a major impact player and will be the player who leads Torrey Pines into the playoffs. Trees is aggressive and physical, and she knows how to score and set up goals.

Trees will be joined by a solid supporting cast that includes senior middie Chelsea Yogerst, a returning first-team All-CIF selection, senior attack Annelyse Eggold and junior attack Anna Knowles.

Contenders: Coronado, La Costa Canyon, Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Bishop’s, Westview

Coronado graduated six seniors and has seven returning starters from its 2009 semifinalist team. The Islanders will be led by senior attack Coco O’Brien, a first-team All-CIF selection last season, and junior attack Michaela Guerrera, who is a returning second-team All-CIF selection. Junior middies Caitlin Couture and Alex Reidy, each of whom are the younger siblings of former Coronado lax standouts, will add a little heritage to the lineup.

Three-time defending San Diego Section champion La Costa Canyon is not the overwhelming favorite for the first time in a while. The Mavericks have a new head coach in Sara Fraschetti, and they must replace 10 graduated seniors. La Costa Canyon is, however, the only team in the county with two returning first-team All-CIF picks in senior middie Roxy Alei and junior attack Jackie Mills. Look for junior goalie Taylor Langston and junior attack Jenna Hempsey to also step up.

Poway will be looking to reignite its program behind eight returning starters. The Titans graduated six seniors and will be favored to reclaim its spot in the Final Four. Senior attack Krista Morgan leads a group that includes senior middie Christina Ricciardulli, junior goalie Kellie Roddy and junior defender Robin Taylor.

Rancho Bernardo brings back seven starters, but the Broncos lost three major contributors to graduation. Still, this is a team that should not be overlooked. Senior attack Katie Meyers, senior attack Hannah Smith, junior attack Rachel Bokmeyer, junior middie Ali Proehl and senior defender Rachael Crosby are all solid players.

Bishop’s brings back the core of its team, with seven starters and three first-team All-Coastal Conference players back in the fold. Senior middie Hillary Halter, a four-year starter, was the Coastal Conference’s Player of the Year and a U.S. Lacrosse Academic All-American selection as a junior. She’ll be joined by the team’s top scorer, senior attack Sophia Muller, as well as by junior middie Elyse Tierney and junior goalie Dana Christensen.

Westview only graduated six seniors and has eight returning starters from a team that upset Rancho Bernardo and was competitive with almost everyone last year. Fresno State-bound senior middie-attack Rachel Minarovich is one of San Diego’s top players. She’ll have plenty of support from Fort Lewis-bound senior attack Toki Prodnuk, senior middie Holly Hayes and senior goalie Lindsey Warrick.

Sleeper: Santa Fe Christian

This will be the fourth season of girls varsity lacrosse at Santa Fe Christian, and the Eagles have improved by leaps and bounds every year to this point. This year will be no different for a team that returns nine starters. Senior middie Christa Nelson, junior attack Amy Robertson and senior middie Nicole Wimsatt will make a formidable trio.

NCAA Division I Recruits: Rachel Minarovich, MF-Att., Westview (Fresno State); Katie Trees, MF, Torrey Pines (Duke).

Before she chose Duke, Trees was hotly pursued by the lacrosse and soccer programs at several of the top academic universities in the country, including Harvard, Pennsylvania, Stanford and California.

Other Top Players: Roxy Alei, MF, La Costa Canyon; Lex Becker, MF, La Jolla; Rachel Bokmeyer, Att., Rancho Bernardo; Amanda Cawker, MF, Valley Center (Fort Lewis); Camie Chapatte, Att., Mt. Carmel; Dana Christensen, G, Bishop’s; Catie Collins, MF, Cathedral Catholic; Caitlin Couture, MF, Coronado; Rachael Crosby, Def., Rancho Bernardo; Nicole Diehl, MF, Scripps Ranch; Annelysse Eggold, Att., Torrey Pines; Michaela Guerrera, Att., Coronado; Hillary Halter, MF, Bishop’s; Holly Hayes, MF, Westview; Jenna Hempsey, Att., La Costa Canyon; Tace Higuchi, MF, Canyon Crest; Anna Knowles, Att., Torrey Pines; April Lamar, Att., Scripps Ranch; Taylor Langston, G, La Costa Canyon; Erin Menefee, Att., Mt. Carmel; Katie Meyers, Att., Rancho Bernardo; Jackie Mills, Att., La Costa Canyon; Hanna Moore, MF, Carlsbad; Krista Morgan, Att, Poway; Lauren Nardi, MF, Cathedral Catholic; Christa Nelson, MF, Santa Fe Christian; Amy Nham, Att., Helix Charter; Coco O’Brien, Att., Coronado; Alyssa Padberg, MF, Santana; Brittany Parrish, Att., Scripps Ranch; Julia Poincenot, MF, San Dieguito Academy; Toki Prodnuk, Att., Westview (Fort Lewis); Ali Proehl, MF, Rancho Bernardo; Alex Reidy, MF, Coronado; Christina Ricciardulli, MF, Poway; Amy Robertson, Att., Santa Fe Christian; Kellie Roddy, G, Poway; Hannah Smith, Att., Rancho Bernardo; Robin Taylor, Def., Poway; Carly Voris, MF, Mt. Carmel; Lindsey Warrick, G, Westview; Nicole Wimsatt, MF, Santa Fe Christian; Alexandra Winey, Def., Scripps Ranch; Chelsea Yogerst, Att., Torrey Pines.

Preseason Top 10: 1. Torrey Pines, 2. Coronado, 3. La Costa Canyon, 4. Poway, 5. Rancho Bernardo, 6 Bishop’s, 7. Westview, 8. Cathedral Catholic, 9. Santa Fe Christian, 10. Scripps Ranch.

Notes: Mt. Carmel should have a very competitive team this season. The Sun Devils return several first-team All-Avocado League selections, including senior attack Camie Chapatte, senior middie Carly Voris and senior attack Erin Menefee. Chapatte was named last year’s Avocado League Player of the Year. However, the team will have to overcome some adversity, because head coach Rob Alarcon was fired on Jan. 7 after being arrested the day before for allegedly sexting a female student at Del Norte, where he was an assistant soccer coach for the freshman team....Laura Fortney has replaced Kadie Stamper as head coach at Rancho Bernardo. Stamper, who played at Johns Hopkins, will stay on with the program as an assistant....Former assistant coach Aly Josephs has replaced Nick Holslag at Scripps Ranch. Holslag is the father of former Scripps Ranch standout Gina Holslag, who is a freshman this season at California. Scripps Ranch graduated just two seniors off last year’s team, but both were major impact players who have gone on to NCAA Division I programs....Former assistant coach Aubrey Cline has taken over for Kelsey Grover at Westview....Wendy Fiehler has taken over as head coach at Valley Center.