LJ g soccer: Post-Jones era a challenge

Basanti Valerio (20), a sophomore
midfielder for La Jolla, vies
against a Henry defender
in the Jan. 16 game.
(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

The La Jolla High girls soccer team, which won the CIF Divison 2 title under long-time former coach Kristin Jones in March 2017, faced much greater challenges since Jones left the position as a requirement of  UCSD's transition to Division 1.

Most recently, the Vikings, once a top program, dropped a hard-fought 2-1 decision at Patrick Henry Jan. 16. Coach Trent Painter, in his second year at the helm, has had to send his troops out this season without two top players, Sara Evans and Haley Mossmer.

Both chose not to play for their school team in their senior year. Mossmer has accepted a scholarship to Stanford to play field hockey, and wants to guard against injury and protect her status, from all reports.

Someone failed to inform the local newspaper that Evans would not be playing for LJHS this season. Her name appeared in the list of "Players to Watch" Dec. 9.

Both Evans and Mossmer, seniors at La Jolla, were expected to play key roles on the present squad.

"Jonesy", as she is known, is a former All-American at UCSD. An NCAA regulation stipulates that coaches in Division 1 programs are restricted from coaching concurrently for a second institution. Jones coached the 2017-2018 squad with the knowledge she would probably not be able to continue in the post last year. Since then, she was named head coach of the UCSD women's program, which she served for over a decade as Associate Head Coach.

UCSD is transitioning from NCAA Division 2 to the more demanding Division 1 over a period of a few years, with its heightened requirements.