Field hockey team places all eleven starters on all-league squads

For the second consecutive year, all 11 Fallbrook High School field hockey starters earned all-league recognition.

The Avocado League coaches gave first-team distinction to seniors Lauren Copeland, Jordan Dues, and Heather Williams. Junior Maddie Ashbrook and senior Kathryn Markham were named to the second team. Seniors Erika Gonzalez and Jenna Toppin and juniors Caroline Bishop, Hannah Snider, Emily Strickfaden, and Kayla Wilson were honorable mention selections.

“I’m really happy with this year. I pushed them really hard and they performed very well. I just really enjoyed coaching this year,” Fallbrook coach Kirstin Mueller said of having all of her starters on the all-league teams.

In both 2011 and 2012, Fallbrook shared the league title with two other teams after posting an 8-2 Avocado League record. Eight of Fallbrook’s 2011 all-league players were seniors with Copeland and Dues receiving second-team recognition and Williams garnering honorable mention accolades.

The five non-seniors who received all-league honors were the most for Fallbrook since four juniors and a sophomore were among the Warriors’ eight 2009 all-league selections. In 2008, Fallbrook had nine all-league players and only three seniors. The Warriors had six seniors among their eight all-league players both in 2006 and 2010 and had eight seniors among their 10 all-league players in 2007.

Dues was Fallbrook’s goalkeeper and made 81 saves during the season. “She’s an amazing player. She’s always been at the forefront and driving the team to do better,” Mueller said. “She’s a great team player.”

Copeland was one of Fallbrook’s midfielders in 2012. Her statistics included seven goals and eight assists. “She really has great ball control and it shows in her game,” Mueller said.

Since Williams was a defender her statistics only included one goal and one assist, but she contributed to other players’ totals. “She does a great job of just getting the ball back up to the forward line,” Mueller said.

Williams played both center defender and outside defender during the season.

“The girls that are on the first team, they’ve been in the forefront of my team the past two years,” Mueller said. “They played a huge role this year, winning our league and just driving the girls to do well.”

Ashbrook is a forward, as were Markham and Toppin. Bishop, Snider, and Strickfaden played midfield for the Warriors in 2012 while Gonzalez and Wilson were defenders.

“Great season. Really happy with the girls,” Mueller said. “I’m just really happy for those who are graduating and going on with their future.”