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Boys Lacrosse: Poway hungry for another title

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Poway, the defending Open Division champion after a 9-8 win over Coronado in the semifinals and an 8-7 triumph over Torrey Pines in the championship game, is primed for another CIF title run.

The Titans return a handful of players already committed to playing in college. There are others on the team who have yet to commit but will do so eventually.

That’s why Poway opened the season with four straight wins.

Rancho Bernardo lost most of its team via graduation, but return two senior scorers and a bunch of underclassmen to help mature the newcomers.

Del Norte is in the same boat as Rancho Bernardo. The Nighthawks are still a little inexperienced but have a trio of players who scored 63 goals last season to lead the way.

Here is a closer look at the local teams:

Rancho Bernardo

Coach: Adam Morawski

2015 Record: 12-8

2016 Division: I

Key players: Midfield Duncan Copeland, Sr.; midfield Shane Modlin, Sr.; midfield Hunter Spence, Jr.; defense Noah Naigan, Jr.; midfield Cole Giles, Jr.; attack Sam Dooley, So.

Outlook: The Broncos graduated 15 seniors from last year’s Palomar League runner-up and will be very young this season.

Copeland is the leader after scoring 38 goals and collecting 15 assists last year. Modlin had 10 goals and six assists. Spence won 64 percent of his faceoffs.

How quickly the newcomers adapt will determine what kind of season the Broncos and their rugged schedule will have.

Poway

Coach: Zack Burke

2015 Record: 20-6-1

2016 Division: I

Key players: Attacker Nick Beeson, Jr.; longstick Jake Fiske, Sr.; midfield Zach Hodge, Sr.; midfield Brad Belasco, Sr.; midfield Owen Springett, Jr.; goalie Kellan Cutting, So.; defense Chase Crawford, So.; midfield Kobe Brown, So.; attack Harrison Greaves, So.; defense Bailey McLaughlin, Sr.

Outlook: Fiske was the CIF player of the year and Beeson, who tallied 13 goals in Poway’s four wins to open the season, was first-team All-CIF last year. Fiske has scored seven times.

Hodge tallied 29 goals, including three in the CIF finals.

Belasco brings some added strength to the field after an offseason in the weightroom.

Cutting claimed a CIF title in his freshman season, so the Titans will be strong to beat again this year.

Beeson is headed to Bryant, Hodge is going to Cleveland State, Belasco picked Westminster and Springett chose University of Maryland Baltimore.

Del Norte

Coach: Liam Mbuthia

2015 Record: 5-13

2016 Division: II

Key players: Midfield Dusty Yohner, Sr.; attacker Shervin Rafie, Sr.; midfield Jake Welch, Jr.; midfield Tim Doyle, Jr.; attacker Tyler Reinecke, So.; midfield Tyler Chambers, Sr.; goalie Jordan Penn, Jr.; midfield Luke Welch, Fr.

Outlook: The Nighthawks made a lot of progress last season despite an 0-8 record in Palomar League play. They won their first three games this season as proof.

Yohner is the top returning scorer after hitting the net 26 times last year. Rafie scored 22 times and added eight assists and Welch had 15 goals and six assists.

Mbuthia considers Penn one of the county’s best and likes what he sees on Luke Welch, the team’s leading scorer through those three wins.

Chambers was a second-team all-league longstick defender.

Monahan is a freelance writer

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