It took Elise Cardall less than a year to discover her favorite sport: girls lacrosse.
“I played soccer when I was five and my mom (Michelle) introduced me to lacrosse,” said the Del Norte High junior, looking back.
“It seemed cool and she wanted me to try a sport that was less known. I really liked lacrosse — especially the speed.”
That makes sense because Cardall not only appreciates how quickly the ball can fly downfield off the end of a 3-foot stick, she just happens to be the fastest player on the Nighthawks’ team, utilizing that speed to either score herself or set up a teammate.
Mind you, nothing came easy — it rarely does in a sport where at first catching the hard round ball in the webbing at the end of the stick can be challenging. And once you catch the ball, running with it at all, let alone all out, can only be accomplished with hard work, and lots of it.
“Being able to run full speed and not lose the ball comes with experience,” said Cardall. “Now it’s all automatic. Cradling the ball, you don’t think, so it’s muscle memory.
“I don’t even look at the stick. I either put the stick to the side opposite the defender or scan the field to find an open teammate. You have to judge the defender first and then the goalie. When the defender makes a move, you go the opposite way. I study the goalie to see if they like to come out or stay back.”
Cardall takes whatever the goalie gives her when she shoots, which she does often as the team’s leading scorer with 58 goals to go along with 15 assists for the Nighthawks who started the week 9-3. She scored a season-high eight goals against Rancho Bernardo.
“Usually, the most successful way to score is to aim for the lower corner, that’s the hardest to stop,” said the 16-year-old. “But there are other ways to score, too.”
Short-hopping the ball in front of the goalie or reaching the upper corners are others and she’s working hard to develop a behind-the-back shot that she saw while playing with the under-17 San Diego All-Star team in North Carolina last year.
“That was interesting to play against girls from all over the country who have a similar love for the sport,” said Cardall. “You learn and play, looking for things to make your game better.”
Coach Jose Soto, who is in his second year leading the Nighthawks, saw something special right away in Cardall.
“She is super dynamic offensively,” said Soto. “She finds ways through the tight lanes and has outstanding field awareness.
“But most of all, she’s fast. Elise uses that speed to separate herself from the defenders and she has that burst.
“It’s like night and day how her game has improved as she’s gotten more and more confident. I have no doubt she’ll be an All-American and All-CIF player this year.”
Cardall wasn’t sure how things would go with Soto, who heads up the Diamond Cut Crew traveling team. Soto graduated from Granite Hills High and San Diego State while playing lacrosse the whole time.
But he’d have his work cut out for him in the Avocado League with teams like Torrey Pines, Poway, San Dieguito and San Marcos. Sure enough, despite a fine 13-7 record last season, the Nighthawks placed fifth in the league, bowing out of the playoffs in the quarterfinals.
The final loss — 12-11 in overtime to Carlsbad.
Soto’s motto: Trust the System.
Cardall, who carries a 4.1 GPA, watched and adjusted, trusting the system, and is now upping her game in every aspect. She says she gets a kick out of scoring but setting up a teammate for a good goal is just as rewarding.
“It depends on the situation,” said Cardall, who also plays field hockey, but says she will drop that sport in college — too slow. “Quality goals are best, whether you get one in transition or to a teammate for one. It’s great when that happens.”
Always looking for something new and challenging, she plans to try out for the school’s first flag football team this fall.
“Running back, wide receiver, maybe defensive back,” she said with a chuckle. “I’ve played flag football. In fact, we’re practicing for the Powder Puff Derby game between the juniors and seniors and that just reminds me how much fun it is.”
Before anyone gets any ideas, though, she quickly adds, “but lacrosse is my sport.”
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You did send the art and permission. Thanks
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