Girls soccer: Evans a big reason for CdM turnaround

Steve Virgen

CORONA DEL MAR - When the Corona del Mar High girls soccer team

huddled around Ron Evans after yet another semifinal loss, the Sea King

Coach refused to show depression or even signs of a letdown.

“Don’t let this get to you, girls,” said Evans, who completed his

third year with the Sea Kings Tuesday, when the hosts lost, 3-1, to

reigning CIF Southern Section Division IV co-champion Harvard-Westlake.

“You come back with pride. I want you all to wear your Pacific Coast

League champions T-shirts tomorrow. Show pride.”

Evans’ words are but of a reflection of what has transpired over the

course of his three years as coach of the Sea Kings. His positive, upbeat

approach, especially in this season’s battle with injuries, has been a

staple of the rise of the CdM program. CdM has has won the PCL the past

three years and has earned CIF Division IV semifinal appearances each

time. The year before Evans’ first year, CdM went 11-6-1, 3-6-1 in the

PCL and failed to reach the playoffs for the eighth straight year.

“We have a lot of heart and I plan to be back and take another go at

it next year,” Evans, 32, said. “We’re losing some quality seniors. We

lost some quality seniors last year, but we were right back into the

final four. And we’ll be back there again next year.”

In Evans’ three years, he has amassed a 58-12-14 record, which featured a 26-game unbeaten streak last year. Among this season’s

highlights was a regular-season-ending 1-0 home victory over Northwood. A

loss would have meant no playoffs for CdM. Allison Harvey responded to

her coach’s decision to bench her and scored in the 59th minute to lead

the Sea Kings to victory.

“The girls play for me,” Evans said of the reason CdM has been

successful the past three years. “They give me everything they’ve got.”

Before Evans took the CdM girls helm -- a year after coaching the CdM

boys -- he coached at Monrovia High for three years, leading the Wildcats

to their first CIF playoff appearance in 10 years in his first year. He

guided them into the playoffs his remaining two years.

When he came to Corona, he asked commitment from his players and

produced a tireless work ethic, which included a “hell week,” a prelude

of rigorous training before the first game of the season.

“He came my sophomore year and instantly it was a big turnaround,” CdM

senior Jaclyn Thayer said. “We were in the CIF playoffs and into

semifinals and it’s been the same ever since. He’s a great coach.”

“Before I came to Corona,” CdM junior Lauren Shepherdson said, “I

heard stories how the team wasn’t controlled. I heard half the players

didn’t show up to practice. Once he came in, he really turned things

around. He’s a tough coach, but he makes things really fun. He makes us

want it more. This is the third year in a row we lost in the semis. Every

year we get more anxious to get to the finals. All I ever wanted to do is

get to the finals. I know all the juniors like Paige (Janes), Elisha

(Morgan), Jenny (Long) and Alivia (Mazura), that’s all we ever wanted to

do. This loss just makes me more anxious for next year.”