Something has been other at each Canyon Hills and Scripps Ranch highs since ahead of the primary day of field hockey observe.
Various gamers are the similar, however each coaches — Laurie Berger at Canyon Hills (previously Serra) and Jane Morrill at Scripps Ranch — retired on the conclusion of remaining season after illustrious careers.
Berger left with 17 San Diego Section championships; Morrill received 11.
Women with robust ties to each faculties took their puts.
Kat Keivens, who performed for Berger at Serra and graduated in 2005, and Elizabeth Jacobs, who performed for Morrill at Scripps Ranch and graduated in 2005, are the brand new coaches. Both are 35.
Canyon Hills and Scripps Ranch are, as soon as once more, the highest two methods within the county.
The groups confronted every different Sept. 25 within the championship recreation of the yearly Serra match, now referred to as the Berger Invitational, in its forty fifth yr.
Canyon Hills received the primary assembly 1-0 and took a Western League recreation 2-0 simply 4 days later.
The groups meet once more Friday at Scripps Ranch.
Canyon Hills is 17-0, 4-0 in league play.
Scripps Ranch is 13-5 total, 3-1 in league play.
The groups are ranked 1-2 within the weekly ballot.
Canyon Hills head trainer Kat Keivens has taken over for Laurie Berger, winner of 17 CIF titles.
(Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Jacobs, whose maiden identify was once Gilroy, has coached at Scripps Ranch on and off since 2009 after her collegiate profession at Miami (Ohio) concluded.
Despite having small children of her personal — son Tyler (21/2) and daughter Cora (6 months), Jacobs authorised the activity as the top trainer.
“I really wanted to do this when Jane retired,” stated Jacobs a second-grade instructor. “I’m passionate about coaching, and I just love this program, always have.
“With kids of my own, coaching at Scripps Ranch is a very big deal to me.”
The something Jacobs cautioned her gamers about was once to not glance for the following Jane Morrill.
Jacobs desires to write down a brand new bankruptcy that resembles the previous Scripps Ranch.
“Jane is intimidating,” Jacobs stated. “I’m not Jane. I’ll never be Jane. She had that Jane personality no one else has.
“I plan to keep this program as a winning tradition.”
The Falcons’ field hockey tradition is safely in Jacobs’ arms.
“I wouldn’t have come back if this place wasn’t special,” Jacobs stated. “At first, I coached here to have some fun.
“I thought Berger and Jane would coach forever.”
The Falcons gamers concept the similar factor.
“It’s all pretty weird since Jane has been with the program and an influence on us over the years,” Scripps Ranch senior Cassidy Lacey stated. “The dream was to go play four years for Jane, so it was a big shock when she retired.”
Keivens was once stuck off guard at one in all Berger’s retirement events when Berger requested her if she’d be interested by taking on as trainer.
“She was recruiting her replacement,” Keivens stated.
At a moment retirement celebration, Berger were given the solution she was once hoping for when Keivens agreed to be the Rattlers’ new trainer.
“I thought she was crazy asking me to replace her,” stated Keivens, who works from house for Events.com. “The play today compared to when I played here is way better.
“I did have a moment where I wondered what have I done, agreeing to come after Berger.
“Berger always used to say if it’s not broken, don’t fix it, so I just want to keep the program going in the same direction.’’
Berger’s former players weren’t quite sure what to expect from a new coaching staff.
It didn’t take long to figure out Keivens was more like Berg 2.0.
“Berger has a big legacy for all field hockey players in the county,” Canyon Hills senior Lindsay Griffin stated. “We did a lot of scrimmaging under Berg, and now we seem to work on individual skills a lot.
“I knew how much the players respected Berger before I got here and that hasn’t changed. I don’t see it changing under Coach Kat.”
Keivens stated it took about two weeks for her to seek out her personal coaching rhythm.
But, like Jacobs at Scripps Ranch, Keivens nonetheless believes in her new crew.
“I wasn’t as upset about all the changes to the school (new nickname, colors and buildings) as Berger was, but I took a lot of pride in the brown (team colors),” Keivens stated. “I was lucky to have played for one of the greats.”
Jacobs stated the similar factor about taking part in for Morrill.
“It’s pretty simple,” Jacobs stated, “there’s no Jane and no Berger on the field.
“Just us.”
Monahan is a contract creator