ENCINITAS — In the runup to the CIF San Diego Section Division II boys lacrosse championship on May 17, San Dieguito Academy understood the assignment.
Cut down on forced passes, back up their shots and move the ball more freely to break through the Westview defense that had stifled them in an earlier regular-season overtime loss.
Repetitious film study and team-wide self-assessment were key.
“When we lost to them in overtime, we made our players do film homework — self-assessing what went right, what went wrong, and what we could improve,” Mustangs fourth-year head coach Kyle Allen told The Coast News. “We knew Westview was a very physical, defensive team that can score, but we also knew a lot of our mistakes cost us that first game. So, we focused on limiting those mistakes, working together on offense, and trusting each other to make the right plays for the rematch.”
The adjustments paid off. San Dieguito Academy defeated Westview 5-1, locking down its league rivals behind a commanding performance from senior goalie Logan Reynaga and a swarming defensive unit that blanketed the Wolverines’ scoring attack.
In the championship game, Reynaga, who is heading to San Diego State University in the fall and hoping to make the team, was an unbreakable wall, boasting a 94% save percentage and saving 17 out of 18 shots.
“My goalie was amazing,” Allen said. “He is first team all-league [Palomar], and Player of the Year for the league, as well as CIF second team.”
On the offensive end, the Mustangs were equally composed. Senior attack Thomas Walsh led the way with two goals, while senior midfielder Jordan Rausa and sophomore attack Zander Cinzori each added one.
“This is a team sport — we can’t do this without one another,” Allen said. “I think we just capitalized on fixing our mistakes, knowing our assignments, and locking in. There’s no tomorrow in a game like that — either you finish first, or you finish second.”
A brief moment of early tension struck when Rausa had to leave the field in the opening minutes with a deep laceration on his finger, forcing the Mustangs to regroup.
“It was a very deep cut to his finger — we weren’t sure if he was going to play again,” Allen said. “He came off and said, ‘Coach, I can see bone. Oh boy, I can see bone.’ I told him, ‘Go see the trainer.’ It was just one of those freak accidents. I don’t even know how it got that deep, but his glove must have shifted and then he got checked right on top of it. Still, he ended up going back in, got it taped up, and if you look at the photo of him pinning the San Dieguito name on the championship board, you can see his finger all wrapped up and bloody. He’s been with me all four years — same with a few of those guys — and winning this has been their goal since freshman year.”
The win, Allen emphasized, was the result of total team buy-in — a blend of clutch scoring, physical toughness, and defensive execution.
“I’ve got to give credit to Thomas Walsh for getting two goals, and to Jordan for his grit and hard work going back in,” Allen said. “And then I’ve got to give credit to my defense — everyone who played out there locked in. A lot of guys did great things to help us get there, whether it was putting points on the board or making stops. But at the end of the day, it’s a team sport, and everybody was ready to go.”
The section championship is the first in school history for lacrosse.
“San Dieguito Academy has never really been known for lacrosse — more for basketball, soccer, and track and field,” Allen said. “But now, we’re putting SDA lacrosse on the map in a very competitive North County with programs like San Marcos, Carlsbad, La Costa Canyon and Torrey Pines, as well as just more great Division 1 teams. We’ve got dedicated players, motivated coaches, and a tight-knit community — and we’re already working hard to grow even more this offseason.”
The Mustangs finish the season 18-3. There is no regional or state championship in California for lacrosse.
“We only lost to two teams all season — one from Simi Valley, and Westview in overtime during the regular season,” Allen said. “These boys deserve all the credit; they’ve put in the heart, time, and dedication to get better. It’s not just the players — our coaches are constantly improving too, attending camps and clinics, meeting regularly, and working together as a unit.”
