Story by Amber Chen
Staff Writer
Photo by Tony Chen
Contributor
The SPHS Athletic Department named Francisco Lopez as the varsity girls’ soccer head coach Monday, July 1. He will lead the two-time reigning Rio Hondo League champions following former coach Victoria Lathrop’s exit from the program.
Lopez coached for four years at San Gabriel Mission High School, leading the Pioneers to a CIF Southern Section (CIF-SS) Division V state regional championship victory and three consecutive Horizon League titles. He was also named CIF-SS Coach of the Year twice for back-to-back CIF-SS title runs in 2017 (Division VII) and 2018 (Division VI).
The Tigers have dominated the Rio Hondo League in the past two years, with a 11-3-2 record. However, without the support of last year’s seniors, the future of the South Pas girls’ soccer team is still uncertain. With only a handful of returning starters, Lopez will be tasked with rebuilding the program while still maintaining success.
