By Ed Piper
Coach Austin Mobley, in his fourth year (plus fifth, if you count a year as an assistant under former head coach Trent Painter) as La Jolla's girls coach, is a calm sideline presence, who seems to give confidence to his players, many of whom are new to the varsity level in Division 2.
The Vikings haven't won yet, through four games. Yet Mobley, poised, reassuring, hasn't hit the panic button. It's early in the season, and the LJHS program, though defending City League champions, is populated by several new starters plus several others who are just plain new to the varsity roster.
The black-and-red are still working at generating consistent offensive punch. The ball spent a lot of time at Westview Wed., Dec. 11, in the Wolverines' possession, with the ratio at about 70-30, at times even 80-20. These are estimates.
Yet Austin's personal style, which has gained the confidence of the Viking girls, communicates words that are soothing, reassuring. When a player exits for a sub, he touches base with both the replacement and the subbed-for player, keeping the temperature of the team.
In my last three years of observing the team in their games on an irregular basis (I cover all the Viking teams), this has been the Mobley way. It's professional, yielded from his years of experience in coaching (which also includes UCSD).
Last year's team, featuring league Player of the Year Tahlia Zadeyan and a raft of other seniors, swept through league play with great success. Forward Ruby Davis, with her speed, blazed down the sidelines. Zadeyan helped manage the field from the middle. (She's playing in Spain this year, building herself up for entering NCAA play next year after a "gap" year.)
In transition, with so many senior starters last year graduating, La Jolla had to go through this period of adjustment and growth. Mobley seems equipped to help newly-installed starters and other members of a developing rotation--the roster, at this point, is quite large--move through the present moment.
Returning starter Sadie Moseley stood out in an early game. There are a few players out with injury, so Austin seems good with that. He can wait.
He's got a bevy of experienced goalkeepers. Zoey Hagan worked hard and was outstanding with at least two strong saves at Westview, punching one attempt with her hand and having it fly up and over the goal harmlessly. Another one required a dive, which Hagan was totally up for.
Sam Cousino, who shared starting duties in goal last season with Heidi Weise, was solid in the first half. Weise, on the sidelines, said she warmed up and "it just didn't feel right", so she sat. It can be a nice situation to have three goalies.
Junior Lily Mebust, out with injury, will probably provide some speed when she returns.
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