LJ g BB 65, Mar Vista 23

Sophomore Reagan Bennett

fires from the right side.

She led all scorers

with 33 points.

By Ed Piper

Sophomore Reagan Bennett scored 33 points to lead the La Jolla girls to a smashing 65-23 win over visiting Mar Vista in their season opener Fri., Nov. 18.

Bennett topped off her high-scoring night with her only three-pointer on the night for her final score in the fourth quarter. In each of the first three quarters, Reagan made four two-pointers to keep her scoring through the night consistent.

Her twin sister, Drew Bennett, led all scorers from three-point range with four.

On Tues., Nov. 22, the Viking girls (1-0) play host to Canyon Hills in a 6 p.m. contest.

La Jolla has several girls who are waiting for their opportunities to start playing in December because of their transfer status from other schools. Maryam Khalil, a junior guard from Sarasota, Florida, sat watching the game with the other transfers.

Lefty Drew Bennett bombs from

three-point range in the

fourth quarter.

LJ soccer: 'You can sub with a 4-3-3'

By Ed Piper

"A 4-3-3 is easy to find players to plug in," said Brendan (not his real name), in his British accent as we discussed the advantages of different formations in soccer.

"Another common one is a 3-4-3, where you have balance without leaving only two players up top" in a 4-4-2, he pointed out.

The four-back, three-middie-, three-forward alignment is the one La Jolla employed in at least part of its Nov. 14 scrimmage against the Lincoln boys team.

With four backs, you put an emphasis--with a safety-catch--on defending your goal, as you help your goalie (junior Marley LaFond in this case), who is communicating what he sees from the far back and coordinating marking opponents along the back line.

La Jolla will probably show some more offensive pop in coming weeks, when forward Roman Altamirano completes his club commitment and can play for the school team. Jet Kyle, a sophomore, will likely grow into his position, as well. It's his first year of competition on the varsity level.

Rodrigo Romano, a senior returning from last year's CIF finalists, also played up there against the Hornets. Junior Antonio Lopez also started on the front line.

LJ b soccer: JV's play Bishop's Nov. 17

The Vikings play keep-away during practice

Wed., Nov. 16. Pilar Flores' team had a late

workout, from 7:45 to 9:15 p.m., in the

busy facilities schedule on the La Jolla campus.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Fabio Gomez, a Brazilian, was named new junior varsity coach in the boys' soccer program at La Jolla High, according to head coach Pilar Flores. He will begin duties immediately.

The Viking JV's were set to play a junior varsity representative outfit from Bishop's at Kate Sessions Park, which has "a beautiful field", Thurs., Nov. 17, Flores told his varsity and JV players from last year's team. Coach and players were working on arrangements for early release from class for the entire contingent--varsity and JV--to arrive at Kate Sessions on time. 

"The plan for tomorrow is to go support the Vikings players, with no team practice" on Thursday, Flores told his squad at a late workout session Wednesday night, Nov. 16.

The originally planned varsity scrimmage between La Jolla and Bishop's was scuttled when Bishop's informed La Jolla that CIF required a "cooling-off" period between preseason scrimmages, so a scrimmage so soon after Monday's practice game at Lincoln, which the Vikings lost, 3-0, on three second-half goals, wasn't going to conform to those regulations, Pilar told his players.

Koji Sakamoto, a senior back, has to work Mon., Nov. 21, from 1 to 9 p.m. waiting on tables, so he wasn't going to be able to take part in the practice from 4 to 6 p.m. that afternoon. He and Flores talked about noodles, but Flores said he didn't think an Italian restaurant served (Asian-style) noodles.

Mateo Peniche, a sophomore who started on defense with the backs at Lincoln, was talking about his preferences for the Qatar World Cup, which kicks off Sun., Nov. 20, with the host country playing its traditional opening match.

"Of course, I'd like Mexico, but I think Brazil and Spain have a chance to win the whole thing," the compact defender said. His mother had just made a pot of pozole with guajillo chiles that she shared with another soccer family. His parents are from Mexico City, and his dad works in Polanco, an upwardly mobile section of Mexico City.

The head coach introduced Jonatan Cohen, his newly-hired assistant coach, to the team. "He was one of the top goalies when we were growing up," Flores said. "He is extremely knowledgeable about playing goal and will coach the keepers as well as be an assistant coach in general."

LJ b soccer: 'Really young'

Senior Ricky Cabrera, goalie for La Jolla High,

warms up at halftime before playing the second

half at Lincoln in a scrimmage Mon., Nov. 14.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

 

By Ed Piper

Pilar Flores, the new boys soccer coach at La Jolla, was impressed with how hard his players worked, but allowed as how "they're really young", after a refereed scrimmage Mon., Nov. 14, at Lincoln High.

"I coached in the LJ-Lincoln game last year," said the La Jolla High alumnus and La Jolla youth soccer coaching veteran. "They scored a goal early in the game, and the other team had to work hard to come back from that (psychologically)," he said in a phone conversation Wed., Nov. 16.

This particular matchup ended up in a 0-0 tie after the first half. Marley LaFond, a junior in goal for the Vikings, was active, aggressive, and leaping high for a long kick that came his way during the first half.

"Marley's a really good athlete," said his new coach. "We're fortunate to have two really good goalies, Marley and Rickey Cabrera (a senior)." Cabrera played the second half against the Hornets.

Flores noted Liz Munoz-coached Lincoln "is pretty seasoned."

He talked about the fact Viking seniors Koji Sakamoto, a returning defender, and Roman Altamirano, a returning midfielder, among others, are still restricted from playing for their school team because of their club team responsibilities. Jet Kyle, a sophomore playing up top, still has club commitments as well.

Not too long ago, CIF instituted rules about student athletes playing for both club and school team. It allowed athletes to play for both, but not at the same time. It prevented students from being restricted from not playing for their school team the whole season, or for their club team exclusively.

Pilar returned to the issue of his team being young. "There's a huge difference from JV and varsity," he said. "There's the strain of playing at night (under the lights, as Monday).

"I thought were some mistakes and nervousness" in the scrimmage that led to errors.

Regarding La Jolla's tentatively scheduled scrimmage against Bishop's Thurs., Nov. 17, Flores said, "That's up in the air. CIF has a rule about time between scrimmages. I didn't know that."

He said the scrimmage may go ahead. "Their (Bishop's) JV and varsity teams are mixed right now."

LJ b soccer: Still more photos 11/14

Photos by Ed Piper

LJ b soccer: More photos 11/14

Photos by Ed Piper

Harrison Riley (red jersey)

Sean Trinh (10) and Jet Kyle (5), captains

for La Jolla, watch the coin flipped in the air

in the pregame referees' conference.

LJ b soccer: Scrimmage @ Lincoln

                    Viking Julian Zavala (in red jersey)

                      is fouled by Angel Organes of Lincoln,

                in first half of La Jolla's first scrimmage of the

                     2022-2023 season. (Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla's boys soccer team, having struggled through rush-hour traffic from the La Jolla campus to Lincoln, looked quick, fit, attentive to the ball, and generally competitive in a scrimmage--its first official action of the 2022-2023 season Monday night, Nov. 14.

The scrimmage followed a scant four days of tryouts and practice Nov. 8-11, as first-year Coach Pilar Flores was conscious of the immediacy of the moment for preparation. "We have to get ready," he said last week, "because we play at Lincoln Monday (and at Bishop's Thurs., Nov. 17)."

A reporter/photographer observed the first half on the Hornets' campus. In that time, in the Vikings' first foray under Flores, they played Lincoln to a 0-0 tie before taking a halftime break. Junior Marley La Fond started in goal for La Jolla, with senior Ricardo Cabrera warming up for the second half.

Lincoln scored three unanswered goals in the second half.