Coronado sophomore attacker Breck Dunn, right, runs up the field in the game against San Ramon Valley on April 8. Photo by Kelly Moore.

The Coronado High School girls’ lacrosse team is off to a red hot start again this season, currently sitting at 13-0 and ranking 4th nationally, according to MaxPreps.

Each of the past two years, the Islanders finished the season ranked in the top 20 in California, and the team is coming off of a 2024 season in which they finished 15-4 (8-1 in City League) and fell to Torrey Pines in the CIF championship. 

The Islanders have outscored opponents 172 to 67 this year, including an impressive 11-10 victory over Virginia powerhouse St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School in late March.

Head Coach Caroline Carlson, a 2013 Coronado High school graduate and former player herself, said the opportunity to coach a team like this is not something she takes for granted. 

“Coming back to help rebuild the program has been incredibly meaningful,” said Carlson, who played collegiately at Fresno State University.  

“It’s an honor to coach such a driven and well-rounded group of girls who compete hard and truly love the sport.” 

The 2025 rendition of the Islanders includes a trio of juniors committed to Division I schools: Grace Elardo (Holy Cross), Brooklyn Parma (Mount St. Mary’s), and Sydney Dunn (Brown University). Carlson said that outside of these three, the team has a slew of other players who are in the midst of the recruiting process. 

“It’s genuinely hard to pick out individual standout players because we’re strong all over the field,” Carlson said. 

However, senior captain and defender Hannah Fabiszak said that the team’s ability to adjust on the fly is what really separates them. 

“Making a mistake is not seen as a bad thing during a practice or game, but it is the way you bounce back and learn from it that is important,” she said. “I believe our team has the skill to quickly change what is not working in the moment and can execute what needs to be fixed, especially in high stake situations.” 

Her goal for the 2025 season? Win the CIF open division championship. Made clear by both Carlson and Fabiszak, the Islanders have not forgotten their loss in the title game last year. 

Although this team has been perennially successful, Carlson said that it is the work she does with her players and the community that drives her to continue coaching. 

“What motivates me is seeing the growth in my players — not just as athletes, but as people,” Carlson added. “Watching them gain confidence, overcome challenges, and develop leadership on and off the field is incredibly rewarding.” 

“Our team is built on community, camaraderie and commitment — and those values are at the heart of everything we do. Whether it’s representing our school, honoring the work our teammates put in, or continuing the legacy of the program, we compete with pride and passion. It’s not just about winning — it’s about how we play, how we treat each other and the standard we hold ourselves to.” 

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Cade Cavin is a part-time reporter for The Coronado News. He was born in Poway, CA, but has lived in Escondido, CA, Basking Ridge, NJ, Durham, England, and Santa Clarita, CA. He will primarily be covering sports across Coronado and San Diego, but occasionally may work on other beats. He is currently in his second semester of his junior year at Point Loma Nazarene University with a double major in Business Administration and Multimedia Journalism with a focus in writing. As of right now, he is planning on taking the LSAT this summer with the goal of attending law school after undergrad. A fun fact about him is that he's been to 36 states and 12 countries.