By Ed Piper
Literally for decades, the local field hockey universe revolved around Serra/Canyon Hills and Scripps Ranch.
For 20-plus years, each school's superior coach--in the case of Scripps Ranch, Jane Morrill (my former boss's wife when I taught in Juvenile Court schools)--led their programs to CIF San Diego Section dominance, as the two schools were basically in competition with each other in the finals, and everyone else were below looking upward.
Well, the center of the universe has since shifted. The final marker of that was last fall's CIF Open finals, when La Jolla--guided by eight-year veteran coach Amanda Combs Warford--and Bishop's--served by long-time La Jolla and Olympic Development coach Paula Conway (also both schools' Athletic Director at different times)--met in the faceoff.
Each took different paths to get there, Combs Warford over a building youth program at Muirlands and La Jolla High, Conway with a perfect storm of talent and her young daughter, Lola--named CIF Player of the Year as a freshman--landing at the private school across town from the Vikings.
This fall is a continuation of what came to fruition for the first time a year ago. As Combs Warford and her Vikings opened Western League play last Friday, Sept. 12, at one of the "scenes of the crime" of dominance through the aughts and teens, Canyon Hills, the stick skills of Allison Hawthorne, Savannah Putnam, Lilly Ferrari and their teammates won out in a come-from-behind 2-1 victory.
The facility at the former Serra High continues to be under construction--noticeable, especially, as a new track has yet to be installed and the football field is enclosed by temporary fencing--just as the progress of this fall's campaign will become evident as the season progresses.
Ed Piper studied journalism at Chico State. Career highlights include covering the Pan Am Games in Mexico City, and scooping the main newspaper in Santa Barbara with the news that a new pro soccer team was coming to the area. In junior high, his column was called "Eddie the Editor"; in high school, "Physical Ed".
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