Andrew Mitchell (47) sends Aztecs' Ardy Fieber (24)
sprawling on pass reception in second quarter.
(Photos by Ed Piper)
By Ed Piper, Jr.
The big story during La Jolla's first half in the Vikings' season opener was the boom-boom of behemoth bashers Daniel McColl and Andrew Mitchell.
The contact the two made--on offense and defense--drew multiple ooh's and aah's from their teammates on the sideline at the Montgomery football field Aug. 26.
McColl, who bulked up to 255 pounds between his sophomore and junior seasons through diligent work in the old Viking weight room, made a defensive stop on the second play from scrimmage of the 43-0 win.
Then, on La Jolla's second possession, the senior--who mostly starred at linebacker and on offensive line last year--carried the ball twice as things got rolling.
Daniel McColl (1) lambastes poor Anthony
Parra (10), Montgomery's quarterback,
from his inside linebacker position.
After one touchdown run of 26 yards, the nimble basketball forward battered a Montgomery defender near the goal line and trudged into the end zone unmolested for a second TD and a 14-0 La Jolla lead.
Meanwhile, Mitchell, who similarly worked with a personal coach during the offseason to increase muscle and speed, had the eyes of his teammates on the sidelines as he sacked Aztec quarterback Anthony Parra for a loss of five yards on second and eight on the hosts' second possession.
"I see you!", teammates nearby would call out on an impressive play. Their noise and acclaim for the star players were increased by the presence of several freshmen players--who won their earlier tilt 44-6--who, diminutive in size compared to the two bash brothers, were in awe of their elders.
On one pass attempt by quarterback Cole Dimich to Mitchell on the Vikings' second possession, defender Shan Ogir's leg got hit by Mitchell's powerful bulk and forced him to walk off the field after spending a couple of minutes on the ground in pain.
All of which served to heighten the aura around McColl and Mitchell after a long offseason of preparation and anticipation with the arrival of new coach Matt Morrison last spring.
It had been a long wait, with August 26 circled on people's calendars to start the new season against an unfamiliar opponent. The frustration showed, as the Vikings sputtered in the early going on offense and piled up yards of penalties.
After one physical encounter, Mitchell was confronted on the sideline by a defensive coach to check for a concussion. "Andrew, where are you?" Not sure how his coach wanted him to answer, the senior carried a quizzical look. "Where are you right now? What school are you at?"
Mitchell hesitated. "Maw--Mater Dei. No, Montgomery." Everybody around him laughed. He was okay, and it was a comical moment in what would become a wide margin of victory for the Vikings once they got the carbon out of the pipes.
"It feels good to hit someone," said McColl before the game. "It's hard to describe."
Mitchell's knee appears to strike Shan Ogir's leg
on failed pass from Cole Dimich. It put Ogir
on the ground for a few minutes before he
walked off.
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