Last year saw the Coronado Islanders’ girls’ lacrosse team put together the best possible season, going 19-0 en route to a CIF championship win over Cathedral Catholic in the open division.
Though the start to this year hasn’t lived up the undefeated season of last, the Islanders – who retained many of the players on last year’s championship-winning team – are still on track to make a playoff push. With their recent double overtime loss to Agnes Irwin, the team is now 6-3, including a 20-4 win over Scripps Ranch in their lone league game thus far.
Following the end of the season, head coach Caroline Carlson departed from the school. The void has been filled by a pair of leaders who also are coaches for the Coronado LaCrosse Club: Jada Cade and David Kieffer. Cade is married to the Coronado High boys’ coach, Alex Cade, and their daughter, Lilah, plays for the Islanders. Kieffer’s daughter, Siena, also is a lacrosse player.
The Coronado Lacrosse Club is a nonprofit organization for girls under age 16. Cade and Kieffer coach together for the 10-and-under team.
Cade and Kieffer each played college lacrosse – Cade at William & Mary, Kieffer at Michigan State.
Although the record hasn’t lived up to last year’s achievement, Cade said the Islanders are in a good position, with room to improve down the stretch.
“I think all of the girls are performing at a really high level individually,” Cade said. “They’re all sort of taking their play to the next level … Many of them are going to go on to play at a higher level in college.”
Sydney Dunn has been one of the key players for the Islanders, notching a few scores and assists in the loss to Agnes Irwin on March 27. Dunn is optimistic not just because of the talent on the roster, but the commitment to each other and a willingness to work.
“Every single person on this team wants to be here working outside of practice, and we’ve all been playing together for 10 years now,” Dunn said. “Everyone just really wants it. There’s never an off moment. We’re all just really locked and we all want to win.”
Despite the Islanders having three losses, they post an impressive goal differential of +87, as Coronado has netted 148 while only allowing 61. Of their wins, the closest games were against San Marcos and Mt. Carmel, both of which the Islanders won by 12 scores.
Cade said she believes the pressure that’s come with the expectations from last season is positive.
“When you’re coming off a season that was clearly, you know, exceptional and incredibly successful, there’s always pressure to kind of continue to maintain that steam and that level of intensity,” Cade added. “It’s been good to sort of challenge the girls to remain focused and handle that pressure.”
This year’s Islanders features nine seniors, according to the roster on the Islander Sports Foundation’s website. Of that group, six are committed to play lacrosse collegiately. Five of the juniors are also committed to various colleges to play at the next level.
“We have a tremendous amount of leadership, but we’re also really trying to make sure we’re looking to develop the younger players, and sort of keep the momentum of the program going,” Cade said.
Cade said the team’s goal remains the same: to play solid lacrosse and win the CIF championship.
The Islanders will look to bounce back from the Agnes Irwin loss with a league game against La Jolla on April 7. The game is on the road, at La Jolla High.
