Soccer: FSHA's Kathy Desmond and Frank Pace Earn CIF Coach of the Year Honors

The Flintridge Sacred Heart soccer team had a historic run through the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 playoffs last month, culminating in a 1-0 win over San Clemente for the school's first ever divisional title. And on Tuesday the Tologs dominated the CIF-SS postseason honors. Co-coaches Kathy Desmond and Frank Pace were named Division 1 coaches of the year, while Katie Johnson, Kayla Mills, Tera Trujillo and Natalie Zeenni all earned first team honors.

“I haven’t thoughout about it really, it’s kind of cool," Desmond said.  "I guess it hasn’t really sunk in. But when I think about all the people we coached against, it makes it a pretty special accomplishment.”

The Tologs earned the most spots on the Division 1 team, followed by San Clemente, Santa Margarita and Esperanza, who all had three players represented.

"Obviously it’s big time; this is the best of the best — it’s Division 1," Desmond said. "It is a team game. You can’t get four individual awards and not win it as a team, I don’t think. They really came together as a team, so I’m very proud of them.”

Here are the divisions in which the San Gabriel Valley patches had players earn first-team selections: 

Division 1 Boys

SGV Patch Members on First Team — Eric Verso, Sr. F (St. Francis); Mark Verso, Soph. F (St. Francis).

Division 4 Boys

SGV Patch Members on First Team — Pavle Atanackovic, Jr. F (Crescenta Valley).

Division 5 Boys

SGV Patch Members on First Team — Matthew Cannata, Sr. F (La Canada); Cameron Meeker, Sr. F (La Canada); Marcos Naccarati, Sr. F (Monrovia).

Division 1 Girls

Coach of the Year — Frank Pace and Kathy Desmond (FSHA).

SGV Patch Members on First Team — Katie Johnson, Jr. F (FSHA); Kayla Mills, Soph. D (FSHA); Tera Trujillo, Jr. M (FSHA); Natalie Zeenni, Sr. D (FSHA).

Division 2 Girls 

SGV Patch Members on First Team — Mallory Carcich, Jr. D (Crescenta Valley).

Division 3 Girls

SGV Patch Members on First Team — Brooke Elby, Sr. F/M (Flintridge Prep); Connell Studenmund, Jr. M (Flintridge Prep).

Division 6 Girls

SGV Patch Members on First Team — Malia Abdallah, Sr. D (Alverno); Megan Siepler, Sr. F (La Canada); Annie Wenzlau, Sr. M (San Marino); Angelique Ulmer, Soph. GK (South Pasadena).