By Ed Piper, Jr.
Opening week for La Jolla's winter sports teams from Nov. 28 to Dec. 3 sees the Vikings' boys soccer team, the girls water polo team, and the boys and girls basketball teams in action.
Head coach Marcos Gonzales' boys soccer team defends its CIF Division IV title beginning Tues., Nov. 29, at Steele Canyon in a 5 p.m. game. The Vikings soccer players will get their touches on the newly-installed turf at home for the first time in competition next Tues., Dec. 8. against visiting Castle Park.
Meanwhile, Coach Darice Carnaje's girls basketball team will open up Tuesday evening, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m. in the Big Gym against Bonita Vista in the Matador Classic. Carnaje, the second-year coach, was an All-CIF performer in basketball and tennis during her days as a prep athlete at Mount Miguel, which is hosting the tournament.
Coach Paul Baranowski's boys basketball team opens its season Friday night, Dec. 2, at Hilltop High against host Hilltop in the feature game of the evening at 7:30 p.m. The Vikings have high hopes, with a bundle of talent to accompany four-year starter Reed Farley, who is a commit to Harvard.
The Vike girls soccer team, under new coach Valerie Strocco, an alumna of USDHS, doesn't open action until next week: a 4:15 p.m. match Mon., Dec. 5, at Santana. But Strocco, in her first year at LJHS, can look forward to her team's double-digit number of home games this season.
An added advantage both Gonzales' and Strocco's soccer teams will enjoy this season is the facilities newly constructed right next to the playing field. The boys locker room sits right off the midfield line. Matt Bridges' training room and strength coach Ryan Lennard's weight room are situated adjacent, with Lennard's weights toward the south end of the turf field.
It has already become a wonderful gathering place for students and athletes at the school, as exhibited during a recent girls field hockey playoff game when members of the football team were able to cheer on Lisa Griffiths' Vikes as they mingled on the walkway in front of the weight room, where they had been working out.
The geographical layout of the new facilities can only engender school spirit and pride in respective and overall school programs.
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