LJ b soccer: Tryouts

By Ed Piper

"(Midfielder Jake) Penner is going to play for us this year," said Victor Zendejas, sixth-year assistant coach for La Jolla High's boys soccer team.

Penner, a senior, has played in the elite U.S. Development program through most of his high school career. This season, with COVID conditions throwing all three seasons' schedules out of whack, CIF has declared that athletes may play for club and school teams in the same year, but for 2020-2021 only.

But Zendejas, whose son Adrian plays goalkeeper for Minnesota FC in the MSL, said the rule change isn't the reason Penner is going to suit up for the Vikings instead.

"He said that (the U.S. Development team) is going a different direction," so Penner prefers to play for his high school team instead.

"We just had tryouts. We're going to have a strong team," said the assistant coach.

With the various sports' seasons overlapping this spring due to the mishmash the COVID situation has led to for their schedules, some athletes may face the difficult choice of choosing one sport over another or playing for both teams simultaneously.

For example, Devin Bale, a capable defender, also kicks and punts and has played receiver for the championship Viking football team. It would be difficult for him to double up on practice and game duties for both the soccer and football teams. The soccer team has games scheduled from March 19-May 6, with two games against Bishop's directly conflicting with Friday football games on March 19 and April 9. 

Most of the soccer team's nine games are scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. Football has five games on successive Fridays starting at 7 p.m.

Jessica Penner, Jake Penner's older sister, played for La Jolla High's girls soccer team, graduating in 2017.

2021 LJHS Boys Soccer Schedule

Date                        Opponent                Location                Time             Comment

Fri., 3/19                 Bishop's                  Home                     5:30 pm       Season opener

Fri., 4/9                   Bishop's                  Away                      4:30 pm

Tues., 4/13              Clairemont              Home                     6 pm            Eastern League opener

Thurs., 4/15            Crawford                 Away                      6 pm

Tues., 4/20              Serra                       Home                      6 pm

Thurs., 4/22            Kearny                    Home                      6 pm

Sat., 5/1                  Clairemont              Away                       10 am

Tues., 5/4               Crawford                 Home                       6 pm

Thurs., 5/6             Serra                        Away                        6 pm