Monte Vista Lacrosse Teams Aim High

While Monte Vista High School boys' lacrosse coach Mike Lambrecht says his team aims to win the East Bay Athletic League, girls' coach Dearborn Ramos just wants her squad to get through the season with no regrets.

But for both teams, the talent level is high, and the expectations are even higher.

The Monte Vista girls return nine starters from a team that finished 19-4 and won both the EBAL and North Coast Section championships, making them the favorites to win both titles again.

"After you win a championship, and accomplish all of these goals, there can be a sense of, 'Where do we go from here?'" says Ramos. "And it's empty if you're just playing for wins and losses, so we want to play for something more. We want the team to leave every practice and every game without having any regrets about the way they've played."

Ramos characterized her team as tall, fast and strong, playing with a physicality that will cause matchup problems for most opponents. Currently ranked as the No. 12 team in the state by LAXpower.com, the girls will rely on an experienced core of veterans to push them toward a second consecutive sectional championship.

Lauren Goerz, a senior who has committed to play collegiately at Cal, will be counted on as the team's leader. Goerz will be joined on the team this year by her younger sister Ashlynn, a freshman who Ramos called a "rising superstar." Detroit-Mercy signee Leah Tremblay-Adams will also be looked to as the anchor of the team's defense.

If her team has any weaknesses, Ramos says, they come from overexcitement and an occasional tendency of the players to lose control of their emotions.

"They're very hungry," Ramos says of her players. "They're very active. But I want to control that energy and funnel it toward being productive."

The boys, who finished second in the league last year and are currently ranked as the No. 2 team in the state by LAXpower.com, enter the season with similar expectations. While the Mustangs lack significant depth, Lambrecht calls the team the most talented he has ever coached, and he says that he believes they have the necessary ingredients to win both the EBAL and the NCS. Rather than pointing to any individuals he's counting on to carry the team, Lambrecht emphasizes the cohesiveness of the group.

"There's a lot of heart and a lot of desire on this team," Lambrecht said. "Right from the start they've committed themselves to being a great team."