Thursday night brought the latest chapter of the “Battle for Del Mar Heights,” and while the energy was high at Ed Burke Stadium, both JV and Varsity walked off searching for answers after tough losses to Cathedral Catholic.
The JV squad showed grit from start to finish, but couldn’t quite close the gap in a 12–9 loss. Sophomores Kenzie Zunk and Lexi Mathis led the offensive push with three goals apiece, consistently finding ways to break through the Dons’ defense. Isobel Brewer and Whitney Rodgers added goals of their own, with Rodgers doing it all—controlling the tempo with seven draw controls in a dominant all-around performance.
Despite the loss, the effort was there. The pieces are clearly in place. Now it’s about tightening things up and finishing strong.
Varsity’s game followed a now-familiar script, but with a frustrating twist.
A slow start put the Falcons in an early 3–0 hole, and by halftime they trailed 6–3 after struggling to generate consistent offense. Then came the third quarter explosion.
The Falcons flipped the game on its head, storming out with six goals while holding the Dons to just two. Suddenly, it was a 9–8 Falcons lead, and all the momentum had shifted. You could feel it! This was their game to take!
But championship-level games come down to execution in the final minutes, and this time, it slipped away.
The Dons locked in defensively in the fourth quarter, shutting out the Falcons completely while adding two late goals to secure a 10–9 win. That makes back-to-back one-goal losses for a Varsity team that’s knocking on the door but not quite breaking through.
#22 Avery Stone delivered a standout performance with four goals on seven shots, leading the offensive charge. #10 Catherine Tonelli was everywhere, finishing the night with one goal and an impressive eight draw controls to give the Falcons crucial possessions. Katherine Janis, Reese Rohrbach, Katherine Zohn, and Lauren Brockman each added a goal in a balanced scoring effort.
At 3–4, the record doesn’t fully reflect how close this team is. The margin is razor-thin, and the breakthrough feels near.
With time to recover, refocus, and clean up the details, both squads will turn their attention to Del Norte on March 27. It’s the perfect opportunity to regroup, recharge, and get back in the win column.
The effort is there.
The fight is there.
Now it’s about finishing.
