Prep boys lacrosse: Challenging week ahead for Rancho Bernardo High

By Michael Bower

California high school lacrosse is growing up fast. It has only been 10 years since CIF sanctioned the sport that so many have grown to love.

But the level of play in California seems to be far beyond that of a 10-year-old project.

Youth lacrosse camps are growing each year and the talent level continues to improve. The hope is that one day the level of play in California will catch the level of play in New York and Maryland.

“They have been playing for a lot longer on the East Coast,” said Rancho Bernardo boys lacrosse coach Travis Begay, who played at the college level for four years in Baltimore. “Most of those kids have played since they have been walking or they have been in grade school. We have kids that have been playing since middle school or high school. It is their sport. But we are growing.”

Growing so much in talent level that teams from the East Coast will travel out to play some of the top teams in California each year. Rancho Bernardo is certainly one of the best in the state and will host Grays Lake North of Illinois today (Thursday) at 7 p.m. and DeMatha of Maryland Wednesday at 7 p.m.

In 2006, 2008 and 2010, the Broncos faced Mount Saint Joseph from Baltimore and lost all three games.

“We have not beat an East Coast team,” Begay said. “We have gotten closer to clipping them in the past, but still haven’t got them. It will be a good benchmark for us to see where we are at as a program. And everyone wants to see how good we are compared to teams out there. The only way you can grow as a program and a county is to play those teams.”

And that’s why Begay jumped at the opportunity to play DeMatha. The school was ranked No. 31 in Maryland last season, according to MaxPreps. And Begay had college teammates that had played at the high school.

“DeMatha is an extremely strong program,” he said. “To get a chance to play a team as competitive as they are is a great opportunity. I would never hesitate to play a strong program like DeMatha.”

Begay, who graduated in 2003 from Rancho Bernardo, added that playing the beefed-up competition can only help his players get ready for the next level. Rancho Bernardo often has at least one player recruited each year to a Division I college.

“We are trying to get these kids prepared to play at the collegiate level,” he said. “The only way to do that is to play the best and play teams like DeMatha. Even if you lose, you are playing a great program and getting a great experience.”

Grays Lake North and DeMatha are only part of a brutal slate of competition coming up for the Broncos.

Rancho Bernardo will also be traveling to Northern California on Monday to play St. Ignatius, the No. 1 team in the state and 35th-ranked team in the nation last year. Through Monday, Rancho Bernardo is 3-1 with its only loss coming to defending CIF San Diego Section Division I champion Torrey Pines.

The Broncos will be sending at least two players from this year’s team off to a Division I college next year.

Senior Jack Yeatman, younger brother of former Rancho Bernardo lacrosse and football star Will Yeatman, has committed to Providence. Goalkeeper Caleb Pryle has committed to Virginia Military Institute. A few others are committed to Division III colleges.

The two along with their teammates will have the exciting opportunity to be the first team in school history to get a win against a school from Maryland or Illinois. But win or lose, Begay expects both contests to be competitive.

“We will always be competitive,” he said. “We will always play hard and always be prepared. It should be a couple of great games.”