By Ed Piper
Two of the most enjoyable facets of Spring Training include mingling with the players--or at least getting close and feeling like you are mingling--and jawing with any other baseball fan who is relaxed, enjoying the Arizona sun and doing something they and you love.
I dropped by the Rangers' training facility, which was a bit of a trek from my motel in Mesa, way up in the northeast of the Valley of the Sun (Phoenix/Tempe area)--45 minutes to an hour away, depending on Phoenix traffic, which is horrible like any other large metropolitan area's at rush hour or in the case of an accident.
It was my second year in a row visiting the Rangers, and, like last year, the visit paid dividends. At no other Cactus League facility (there are 10 ballparks, hosting 15 ball clubs in a mix from both National and American Leagues) have I been able to get as close to the players. I don't collect autographs, though other adults do. I figure that is the best thing for the kids to have the opportunity to do. But I do snap shots of players signing for other fans, and any other kind of interaction or "baseball flavor" that may illustrate the Spring Training experience and possibly even be usable on my blog. (I'm even writing a feature for the La Jolla Village News on this year's trip, probably accompanied by a photo of new Padre first baseman Eric Hosmer during infield drills.)
I watched an older woman, presumably from Texas, asking a Ranger for his signature. This was during workouts, yet the young gentleman (I asked someone if it was Rougned Odor, and they said, "No, it's his little brother. They're both named Rougned") took time and signed, not only for her, but for someone else, as well.
It was this relaxed, friendly atmosphere I found characterized the Ranger camp a year ago, too. One of the reasons for the accessibility of the players is that, in contrast to, say, the crowded Dodgers or Cubs camps, the Rangers don't draw large numbers of people. That way, employees don't have to spend time keeping over-aggressive fans away from players. The players relax and allow fans to approach them, though not on the practice fields.
Another contributing factor is the absence of what one gentleman called "the eBay guys" (dealers who are just there to have players sign memorabilia and sell the items for profit). There was one person who looked like a dealer at the Texas camp, carrying a thick binder of photos around, but there weren't hordes at the morning practice. (It starts at 9:30 a.m. Temperatures were chilly throughout my four days, Fri.-Mon., Feb. 23-26).
Many players show a willingness to sign for fans. I think they get gun-shy, though, wary, if dealers are around and they think their autograph is just going to be used to make someone else money.
I walked up to two high-school-age boys who held binders and were spotting players to collect autographs from. "Do you guys sell your autographs?" I asked them. "No, we do it for ourselves. We keep everything we get in our bedrooms," answered the taller, more-outgoing one nearer me. "That's good," I commented. "That's what this is for--for you young people to be able to get autographs."
"The dealers push us out of the way," the teenager said. I agreed that was bad stuff. They said they were from L.A. I asked where, that I was from California. "Santa Monica." I guess they were collecting Rangers autographs because they like players from all over.
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
ST2018: Dylan and baby
By Ed Piper
"We're down here (at Spring Training) for a week," said a young father named Dylan, who was holding his adorable three-and-a-half-month-old baby daughter in a chest pouch as he watched the game, standing on a walkway. Baby was wearing a pink floppy hat to protect her head from the Arizona sun, which wasn't intense (yet). At one point Dad adjusted the green plastic sunglasses she was wearing as eye protection. She cried, as apparently she didn't prefer the eye accoutrement. Everyone else was enjoying the game in progress.
"You're blowing my mind," I told the young dad. Dylan and his wife were down from Manitoba. "I didn't know Canadians are that into baseball."
He smiled. He said he and his brother were both baseball nuts, and I believe he said they both grew up playing youth ball. Was his wife as into the sport as they were? "She's coming around," he said with a grin.
I mentioned Steve Nash, a well-known Canadian who was two-time NBA MVP for the un-Canadian Phoenix Suns. "He was really good at soccer." Dylan: "What? No, basketball." I told him Steve Nash had been a stellar soccer player when he was younger, and may have been better at that sport than the one he will end up in the Hall of Fame for. He didn't know that.
But, as he put baby's sunglasses back in place, and his tiny daughter cried, he shared lots of details about baseball teams and individual players that evinced a wide knowledge of the game.
It was fun talking with him. One of the best things about Spring Training each year, besides being able to get closer to the major league players in the smaller (but picturesque) stadiums in the Cactus League in the Phoenix/Tempe area, is the ability to rub elbows with fans from Manitoba, like Dylan, Saskatchewan, Milwaukee, and a million other places. A 30-something young man at Padres practice Sat., Feb. 24, had flown in from Arkansas, where he now lives and works. He grew up in Victorville, right up the highway from San Diego.
"We're down here (at Spring Training) for a week," said a young father named Dylan, who was holding his adorable three-and-a-half-month-old baby daughter in a chest pouch as he watched the game, standing on a walkway. Baby was wearing a pink floppy hat to protect her head from the Arizona sun, which wasn't intense (yet). At one point Dad adjusted the green plastic sunglasses she was wearing as eye protection. She cried, as apparently she didn't prefer the eye accoutrement. Everyone else was enjoying the game in progress.
"You're blowing my mind," I told the young dad. Dylan and his wife were down from Manitoba. "I didn't know Canadians are that into baseball."
He smiled. He said he and his brother were both baseball nuts, and I believe he said they both grew up playing youth ball. Was his wife as into the sport as they were? "She's coming around," he said with a grin.
I mentioned Steve Nash, a well-known Canadian who was two-time NBA MVP for the un-Canadian Phoenix Suns. "He was really good at soccer." Dylan: "What? No, basketball." I told him Steve Nash had been a stellar soccer player when he was younger, and may have been better at that sport than the one he will end up in the Hall of Fame for. He didn't know that.
But, as he put baby's sunglasses back in place, and his tiny daughter cried, he shared lots of details about baseball teams and individual players that evinced a wide knowledge of the game.
It was fun talking with him. One of the best things about Spring Training each year, besides being able to get closer to the major league players in the smaller (but picturesque) stadiums in the Cactus League in the Phoenix/Tempe area, is the ability to rub elbows with fans from Manitoba, like Dylan, Saskatchewan, Milwaukee, and a million other places. A 30-something young man at Padres practice Sat., Feb. 24, had flown in from Arkansas, where he now lives and works. He grew up in Victorville, right up the highway from San Diego.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
LJ g water polo: Dominant
By Ed Piper
Second-year coach Amy Jennings' Vikings girls water polo team just saw the conclusion of their season, but statistics through Feb. 7 (prior to the recent playoffs) show the dominance of the La Jolla swimmers.
"These are elite high school players," the veteran coach--who also coaches at Miramar College--agreed in a discussion of her girls' numbers.
On offense, junior Jensine Bugelli scored 58 goals to lead the squad, while junior Katy Koenig followed with 43, and senior Leslie Rendon and sophomore Jessica "Jess" Newell with 38 each.
Bugelli also led the team with 47 steals, Newell 40.
Rendon, with Koenig a co-captain, drew 33 ejections (causing a defender to foul and have to sit out for 20 seconds, similar to ice hockey). Bugelli drew 31, Newell 27. Ejections are a key statistic in water polo.
In the cage, sophomore goalies MC (Maricarmen) Rendon, Leslie's younger sister, and Shauna Franke were a potent combination. MC made 159 saves, while Franke recorded 94. A key component of that total is the number of 5/6 saves--shot blocks made when the team is one player down due to an ejection: Rendon had 28, Franke 10.
The goalies' totals are partly explained by the number of quarters each played: MC sitting in goal in 68 quarters, Shauna in 43 quarters.
Franke made saves on 58 percent of shots taken against her. Rendon carried a 57 percent. "These show their efficiency," Jennings commented. These are good percentages.
The Vikings recording the most quarters played in formed the core of the team: Newell at 108, Leslie Rendon 102, and senior Julie Shriver 100. These were the three in triple figures in quarters played. Koenig played in 98 quarters, sophomore Paige Olson back at 86.
Koenig missed playing time early in the season due to injury. Franke was out for a couple of games later in the season, as was Bugelli (77 quarters).
On offense, junior Jensine Bugelli scored 58 goals to lead the squad, while junior Katy Koenig followed with 43, and senior Leslie Rendon and sophomore Jessica "Jess" Newell with 38 each.
Bugelli also led the team with 47 steals, Newell 40.
Rendon, with Koenig a co-captain, drew 33 ejections (causing a defender to foul and have to sit out for 20 seconds, similar to ice hockey). Bugelli drew 31, Newell 27. Ejections are a key statistic in water polo.
In the cage, sophomore goalies MC (Maricarmen) Rendon, Leslie's younger sister, and Shauna Franke were a potent combination. MC made 159 saves, while Franke recorded 94. A key component of that total is the number of 5/6 saves--shot blocks made when the team is one player down due to an ejection: Rendon had 28, Franke 10.
The goalies' totals are partly explained by the number of quarters each played: MC sitting in goal in 68 quarters, Shauna in 43 quarters.
Franke made saves on 58 percent of shots taken against her. Rendon carried a 57 percent. "These show their efficiency," Jennings commented. These are good percentages.
The Vikings recording the most quarters played in formed the core of the team: Newell at 108, Leslie Rendon 102, and senior Julie Shriver 100. These were the three in triple figures in quarters played. Koenig played in 98 quarters, sophomore Paige Olson back at 86.
Koenig missed playing time early in the season due to injury. Franke was out for a couple of games later in the season, as was Bugelli (77 quarters).
ST 2018: Travel day
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| A mama owl sits protectively on her two eggs atop the D Building at Canyon Crest Academy, where I am subbing prior to Spring Training trek #17. (Photo by Ed Piper) |
Baseball teams can have travel days, so I can have one, too.
Today, Thurs., Feb. 22, is my travel day to baseball Spring Training in Phoenix/Tempe. I substitute-teach during the day in North County (to help pay for my National Pastime pleasures), then drive straight to the Valley of the Sun this afternoon and evening (about a six-hour transit to Mesa). While the 15 Major League teams at 10 different training complexes continue working out today, I start my baseball activities tomorrow.
This will be my 17th visit to Spring Training in Arizona, the 16th in the 25 years since the Padres first opened their combined Peoria facility with the White Sox way back in 1994. (The next year, my wife Dianna and I bought our wedding engagement rings at a store in a shopping center behind the outfield.) Four of those ST trips have been to Yuma, when the Padres still trained there. The other 13 will have been to Phoenix/Tempe.
Though forsaking the San Diego organization that my wife was willing to attend games with me for (for a while), since going back to my childhood roots with the "True Blue" group, I do include the ever-earnest Padres in my frenzied tour of as many of the 10 Spring Training ballparks as I can fit in during my four days in the valley.
I perfected a system in pursuit of baseball Nirvana last year, catching, for example, the Rangers in a 9 a.m. workout during which we fans could mosey feet away from the athletes, doing conditioning on a turf field in Goodyear, Arizona (way over on the west side of the valley). By going to parks in the morning to view practice, before the daily 1 p.m. games, I could hit nearly all 10 sites and many of the 15 teams--which are spread among National and American League clubs.
While I was able to mingle with players from the Rangers, along with excited fans from Texas, who had traveled a good distance to Arizona (I'm not a Rangers fan, or a Padres fan--more like a baseball fan in general), at other facilities you really can't get too near the players.
At the Padres' fields last year, for example, I could only view players taking swings in a batting cage from a distance.
A hilarious story from my 16 visits so far is one of Audra, our friends' older daughter. Going to the ballpark in Maryvale, Spring Training home of the Brewers, years ago, I encouraged Joe and Cathy's two daughters--then children--to go secure some autographs from players.
Audra, growing frustrated, didn't wait for a player to agree to sign. Instead, from the stands above the bullpen, she dropped her souvenir baseball down toward the player (whose name I forget). The ball didn't hit him, but it thudded as it hit the ground near him. He was visibly ticked. Dropping the ball toward the player was a total break in protocol, which dictates that you wait until the player is receptive and then you hand or gently toss the object you want signed to him.
The player in question walked away with an expression of disgust on his face, before a teammate picked up the ball and tossed it back up to Audra sans autograph. She was a little mortified. Dad Joe and I watched all this from a short distance away, chuckling a little.
LJ g BB 30, Otay Ranch 49
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| Vikings at attention (from left) Sina Anae, Kat Kurtchi (10), Maxwell Lloyd. (Photos by Ed Piper) |
Junior transfer Brooke Strowbridge helped lead La Jolla's solving of the Otay Ranch press early, and the Vikings showed discipline to hold things together till late in the first half before falling to the host Mustangs, 49-30, in a first-round Division 3 playoff game Wednesday night, Feb. 21.
"The girls set a goal of making the playoffs," said third-year Viking head coach Darice Carnaje before the game. This was La Jolla's second time qualifying for CIF under Carnaje, the squad sporting a fine 6-4 record in the Central League.
And without featuring a lot of players who also play on travel or club teams, that is saying a lot in these highly-competitive days.
Viking Kat Kurtchi displayed her usual combination of driving and shooting savvy, as La Jolla came back from an early deficit to lead 9-8 late in the opening period, which ended with Otay Ranch ahead 15-11.
The red-and-black then battled the three-point barrage the Mustangs employ (now 15-14) by staying to their heavily-practiced, ball-control movement of the ball up the court against the three-quarter-court press. Senior guard Petra Eaton took a pass from post player Sina Anae to score on a layup to bring the Vikings within a point at 17-16 with four minutes left in the second quarter.
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| Coach Darice Carnaje (center, in black coat) huddles with the Vikings in the first quarter. |
In the earlier rally, in the first quarter, Anae, big and physical though still fairly new to the sport, took a feed from point guard Rebecca Saul and laid the ball in. The visitors pulled within four. After traveling calls on both teams, Kurtchi drove and was fouled. She sank both free throws. La Jolla only trailed 8-6 with three minutes left in the period.
Kat's three-point bomb banked off the glass, not looking totally intended but good nevertheless, and the Vikings led briefly, 9-8.
After each spurt, Otay Ranch redoubled its efforts to harry and harass the less-experienced Vikings.
Strowbridge, who moved here from Washington state last summer, had a nice steal to open the second quarter, though Eaton couldn't capitalize on a shot beyond the arc that followed.
Between the first two periods, Carnaje, reflecting the importance of the playoff game with her heightened intensity, told her team in the huddle, "They want you to dribble the ball, so they can play you tight. Do we need to dribble in our offense? No."
Under relentless pressure, the Vikings trailed at halftime, 23-16, then at the end of three quarters, 34-22. Eventually, the gap ballooned to 21 at 43-22 in the final period with a minute and a half gone.
Imani Trinadad-Gallagher, Saul, Eaton, and Anae all were playing their final game in high school, the first three after four years together on the varsity under two coaches.
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
LJ b BB 67, Mission Hills 73
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| What almost was: The scoreboard shows the Vikings' three-point lead with 26 seconds left in the fourth period. (Photos by Ed Piper) |
The Vikings got the Chris Olave treatment.
The 6'1" wide receiver from Mission Hills, a commit to Urban Meyer and Ohio State, turns out to be a pretty fair basketball player, too, as he showed down the stretch of the Grizzlies-La Jolla first-round Division 1 playoff game in San Marcos Tuesday night, Feb. 20.
Coach Curtis Hofmeister had the Grizzlies (the sixth seed) clear the floor on offense for the athletic Olave, a CIF record-setter in football, throughout the fourth quarter, then overtime. The fleet receiver went one-on-one against La Jolla's Jacob Ohara, who did an excellent job of shadowing him. Olave scored every point for his side in those two periods except for teammate Robert Ligayon's lone three-pointer in the fourth.
Meanwhile, La Jolla (seeded 11th) played ball worthy of a strong finish to their season. Coming off an upset of number-three-ranked Mission Bay four nights before, the Vikings--in contrast to the Grizzlies' two-man show, with 6'11" Warren Washington scoring lots earlier in the game--had contributions from all members.
Point guard Behzad Hashemi hit well, shooting frequently, from the outside, as the visitors cancelled a 10-point deficit at 30-20 late in the second quarter to trail only 32-30 at halftime.
Viking big man Charlie Gal, despite giving up five inches to the towering Washington, took up space inside and combo guard Nick Hulquist canned some key jump shots as La Jolla, down again midway through the third quarter, 41-37, rallied to tie at 41-all.
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| La Jolla's Charlie Gal (22) and Coach Paul Baranowski (to his right) in the pregame conference with the Grizzlies' Chris Olave (left, behind Gal) and 6'11" Warren Washington. |
In the fourth quarter, Coach Paul Baranowski's unit went ahead, 62-58, with 1:47 left on Jacob Ohara's drive after the half-court offense used up key seconds on the shot clock.
But it wasn't enough against Olave's late one-man heroics, as La Jolla fell, 73-67, before a modest crowd at the San Marcos school.
Ohara's layup followed Hashemi's drive for the lead versus a hounding Olave.
After Ligayon broke Olave's skein with his three, Behzad again scored, this time on a 10-foot bank shot that didn't look totally intended as a bank off the backboard. La Jolla led, 64-61.
After the San Diego Section career receiving yards record-holder, with 1,764, scored, Hashemi drove and drew a foul. He made both free throws. Baranowski called a timeout with 53 seconds left, the Vikings leading by three.
Coming out of the timeout, Ligayon missed a set shot from the left, which Gal rebounded against opposition. At the other end, with the ball in La Jolla's half of the court, Baranowski tried to call timeout but the possession went to Mission Hills. 26 seconds left. Timeout.
Olave, isolating, scored on a layup inside. 66-65, the Vikings still leading. Another timeout was called at 16.9 on the clock.
Hashemi, fouled to stop the clock, missed the front end of a one-and-one. Then, at the other end, Olave missed a layup. Big Washington was fouled on a shot with 0.2 second left. The referees restored time to 0.5 second left.
The 6'11" giant, one of four starting transfers on Mission Hills last year, made the first free throw, missed the second.
The game went to overtime, where it was pretty much Olave, who scored on two baskets and a pair of free throws to seal the Vikings' season.
The game was the swan song for seniors Ohara, Gal, and Quinn Rawdin, the latter two who were teammates on the varsity for last three years.
Olave scored six baskets in the fourth quarter.
Saturday, February 17, 2018
LJ wrestling: Austin 2nd in CIF Division 4
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| La Jolla 128-pounder Elliot Austin (in black singlet) moves toward his pin of Neven Hart of Imperial in 24 seconds in the CIF quarterfinals. (Photos by Ed Piper) |
Elliot Austin, La Jolla's top wrestler, was in usual lightning form in the CIF Division 4 individual finals.
The 128-pound Briton, who wore bright red warm-up pants to the divisional meet at Mater Dei Sat., Feb. 17, pinned his first opponent, Neven Hart of Imperial, in 24 seconds.
The martial arts veteran then proceeded to hold the shoulders of Jason Harlan of Bonita to the mat for the requisite three seconds in the semifinals.
He met his match in Moises Pacheco of Chula Vista in the final, suffering a pin in the last minute of the second round.
But by then, Austin, a senior who carries the hopes of the La Jolla wrestling program for a potential college career, had secured a place in the Masters meet. (The top four wrestlers in each weight class in Division 4 advance to next Friday's Masters finals. That is a two-day meet.)
Asked about a bag of ice taped to his left knee after his first bout, the good-natured grappler said, "I was jogging around the (Mater Dei) gym in warm-ups, and I ran into the elbow of another wrestler sitting on the mat."
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| The mat clock shows the 24 seconds elapsed for Austin's pin in the opening period of his first bout of the day. He garnered a second place finish in CIF Division 4. |
He was guffawing at the unlikelihood of the bruise, but it didn't appear to hold the Viking star back in his bouts.
He has been on a hot streak ever since he won the Outstanding Wrestler award for the lower weights at the El Cajon Invitational in December, held at nearby San Ysidro High.
Elliot then went on to take fifth at the huge Holtville Rotary Invitational in Imperial County on the last weekend of January. "It was a much tougher bracket this year," said La Jolla coach Kellen Delaney at that time, of the 128-pound weight class that Austin competed in. Austin finished fourth in 2017 as a junior in the tourney.
An encouraging sign for the La Jollans was that their other senior, Christophe Naviaux, returned to competition at the CIF meet following several weeks on the shelf. The night before the Holtville tourney back in January, he went out and played pickup basketball, and suffered a sprained ankle.
He drove some of his teammates the 130 miles to Holtville the next morning, then hobbled around the tournament, unable to wrestle, on crutches. It was quite a sight to see.
At least he didn't have to wonder how his senior experience at Holtville was going to go. There wasn't any experience. He drove home that afternoon, then his mother drove back to Holtville the next day because the team needed another vehicle to get all eight active wrestlers back to La Jolla.
LJ g BB: Otay Ranch first playoff opponent
By Ed Piper
La Jolla's girls are pretty excited about how they have done this year.
"We've been winning games," said guard-forward Imani Trinadad-Gallagher, a senior, earlier this week.
Coach Darice Carnaje's Vikings, carrying a 6-4 league record and a respectable 10-10 record overall, draw Otay Ranch (2-10, 14-14) as their first round opponent in the CIF playoffs Wed., Feb. 21. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the South Bay school.
One of the head-scratchers of playoff brackets is the fact that a team like the Mustangs, who only won two games while losing five times that many in their conference play, can receive a higher seed than La Jolla, which had a winning record in its conference play.
The difference between the fourth-seed Otayers and the 13th-seed Norseladies is strength of schedule: the Mustangs' opponents across the span of the season have been better teams.
However, all of that is a wash as soon as the ball is tipped off Wednesday night. It has been a few years coming for the LJ'ers, since La Jolla had failed to field a team capable of qualifying for the postseason in Carnaje's first two years at the helm, in addition to the season prior in which the Viking cupboard was pretty bare after star center Madeleine Gates decided she had to cut down on her commitments and focus on volleyball alone.
With Gates choosing not to return for her junior season after leading the team to the CIF championship game against Central Union, other Vikings also chose not to return. It was back to rebuild mode at that point.
One thing notable about Carnaje's team is that, when a player leaves the floor for a substitute, the entire team stands from their seats on the bench and extends a hand to the exiting player. On some teams such behavior may be superficial, but Carnaje, a veteran coach who led multiple championship teams at OLP over a decade's time prior to her three years at LJHS, preaches and demands team cohesiveness and unity. It has served the team well this year.
La Jolla's girls are pretty excited about how they have done this year.
"We've been winning games," said guard-forward Imani Trinadad-Gallagher, a senior, earlier this week.
Coach Darice Carnaje's Vikings, carrying a 6-4 league record and a respectable 10-10 record overall, draw Otay Ranch (2-10, 14-14) as their first round opponent in the CIF playoffs Wed., Feb. 21. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the South Bay school.
One of the head-scratchers of playoff brackets is the fact that a team like the Mustangs, who only won two games while losing five times that many in their conference play, can receive a higher seed than La Jolla, which had a winning record in its conference play.
The difference between the fourth-seed Otayers and the 13th-seed Norseladies is strength of schedule: the Mustangs' opponents across the span of the season have been better teams.
However, all of that is a wash as soon as the ball is tipped off Wednesday night. It has been a few years coming for the LJ'ers, since La Jolla had failed to field a team capable of qualifying for the postseason in Carnaje's first two years at the helm, in addition to the season prior in which the Viking cupboard was pretty bare after star center Madeleine Gates decided she had to cut down on her commitments and focus on volleyball alone.
With Gates choosing not to return for her junior season after leading the team to the CIF championship game against Central Union, other Vikings also chose not to return. It was back to rebuild mode at that point.
One thing notable about Carnaje's team is that, when a player leaves the floor for a substitute, the entire team stands from their seats on the bench and extends a hand to the exiting player. On some teams such behavior may be superficial, but Carnaje, a veteran coach who led multiple championship teams at OLP over a decade's time prior to her three years at LJHS, preaches and demands team cohesiveness and unity. It has served the team well this year.
LJ wrestling - CIF Finals - Photos 2/17
By Ed Piper
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| Time of Elliot Austin's first pin: 24 seconds elapsed |
Friday, February 16, 2018
LJ g BB 37, Christian 63
By Ed Piper
Coach Darice Carnaje's Vikings showed more of the same fine play they've exhibited during the Eastern League schedule, earning a 6-4 record. But it wasn't enough, as the talent of private-school Christian High eventually broke down the floodgates and resulted in a 63-37 decision on Senior Night at La Jolla.
The Vikings led much of the first quarter against the recruited skill level of the Lady Patriots. In fact, with speedster Petra Eaton stealing the ball and scoring layups, the hosts still held a lead at 18-17 early in the second quarter.
Eaton, an outstanding hurdler and relay runner for the Viking track squad, hit a three-pointer for a 6-2 Viking lead after an initial three by teammate Brooke Strowbridge. Eaton, an identical twin, then stole the ball and got fouled on her shot at the other end of the floor. She made both free throws for an 8-5 edge. She followed with another transition basket for 10-5.
It was then that teammate Imani Trinadad-Gallagher, a fellow senior, took over to score on an assist from Strowbridge, who got a pass from Eaton. That ended the first quarter, with the red and black leading, 16-13. The fans in attendance, including family and classmates, were loud in support of their players.
Eaton, Trinadad-Gallagher, point guard Rebecca Saul and their senior teammates had walked through the Viking football tunnel with their families before the game in Senior Night ceremonies. The three have played together on the varsity for the past four years, three of those under Carnaje's coaching.
Imani hit a jumper early in the second quarter for La Jolla's last lead. From there, it got ugly, as Christian's athletes, sparked by 5'11" sophomore Simone James inside and junior Zoe Nordling, the latter on suicide drives inside at all costs, began to flow.
The Lady Patriots, from the East County school, proceeded to outscore the hosts in one stretch 33-12 through late in the third quarter to blow the game open.
To a high school sports reporter, the following dynamics seemed to be in play during the evening: the "PS rule", interacting with "RTTO". "PS" stands for private school: Christian, as a private institution, can draw athletes from all over the county with the lure of a free education at its school. Vickie Carrington, the Lady Patriots' coach, is the former coach and athletic director at Horizon, which closed last summer. The lady has winning teams for a reason: She (and her schools) draw (I am avoiding using the term "recruit") top athletes, and she trains them well.
The PS rule took a quarter to finally show itself. That was because the phenomenon called RTTO was in effect: Rising to the Occasion. The Viking players, aroused by the emotion and pomp of Senior Night, played their hearts out and it carried them to a lead into the second quarter. Does any of this make sense?
Coach Darice Carnaje's Vikings showed more of the same fine play they've exhibited during the Eastern League schedule, earning a 6-4 record. But it wasn't enough, as the talent of private-school Christian High eventually broke down the floodgates and resulted in a 63-37 decision on Senior Night at La Jolla.
The Vikings led much of the first quarter against the recruited skill level of the Lady Patriots. In fact, with speedster Petra Eaton stealing the ball and scoring layups, the hosts still held a lead at 18-17 early in the second quarter.
Eaton, an outstanding hurdler and relay runner for the Viking track squad, hit a three-pointer for a 6-2 Viking lead after an initial three by teammate Brooke Strowbridge. Eaton, an identical twin, then stole the ball and got fouled on her shot at the other end of the floor. She made both free throws for an 8-5 edge. She followed with another transition basket for 10-5.
It was then that teammate Imani Trinadad-Gallagher, a fellow senior, took over to score on an assist from Strowbridge, who got a pass from Eaton. That ended the first quarter, with the red and black leading, 16-13. The fans in attendance, including family and classmates, were loud in support of their players.
Eaton, Trinadad-Gallagher, point guard Rebecca Saul and their senior teammates had walked through the Viking football tunnel with their families before the game in Senior Night ceremonies. The three have played together on the varsity for the past four years, three of those under Carnaje's coaching.
Imani hit a jumper early in the second quarter for La Jolla's last lead. From there, it got ugly, as Christian's athletes, sparked by 5'11" sophomore Simone James inside and junior Zoe Nordling, the latter on suicide drives inside at all costs, began to flow.
The Lady Patriots, from the East County school, proceeded to outscore the hosts in one stretch 33-12 through late in the third quarter to blow the game open.
To a high school sports reporter, the following dynamics seemed to be in play during the evening: the "PS rule", interacting with "RTTO". "PS" stands for private school: Christian, as a private institution, can draw athletes from all over the county with the lure of a free education at its school. Vickie Carrington, the Lady Patriots' coach, is the former coach and athletic director at Horizon, which closed last summer. The lady has winning teams for a reason: She (and her schools) draw (I am avoiding using the term "recruit") top athletes, and she trains them well.
The PS rule took a quarter to finally show itself. That was because the phenomenon called RTTO was in effect: Rising to the Occasion. The Viking players, aroused by the emotion and pomp of Senior Night, played their hearts out and it carried them to a lead into the second quarter. Does any of this make sense?
LJ b BB: Playoff approach
"The drop of rain maketh a hole in the stone, not by violence, but by oft falling."
Hugh Latimer, English churchman
By Ed Piper
For La Jolla's basketball team to progress through the first round of the CIF playoffs Tues., Feb. 20--something I know nothing about personally, since my high school team finished second to last, with only the league champion advancing to the playoffs back in the day in the CIF Southern Section--they're going to have to be patient and persistent, but also quick.
The proverbial drop is predictable and keeps falling. The Vikings' constants need to be Jacob Ohara's lightning-quick layups in transition, Behzad Hashemi's outside shooting, and big man Charlie Gal's physical play underneath.
For Ohara to sneak behind the defense, he needs feeds from his backcourt mate, Hashemi. Some of that dynamic was discombobulated in the Vikings' 57-41 win over Kearny Feb. 15: Ohara was missing layups, then Behzad, who is super quick but who has to play under control, sat down in the second quarter.
Gal, though primarily called upon to rebound, and work inside and outside on offense, has shown himself to be a good passer lately. Jacob, lately, has largely overcome some of the tactics teams who have scouted the Vikings well used to stymie him. His strong suit is driving right; he isn't great at going left, but he's no longer as surprised when defenders jump to his right to block his path.
Meekness. Definition: Strength under control. The Vikings are going to be on the road before a hostile home crowd. They need to arrive unfrazzled by traffic (it's going to be a bear getting to North County for a 7 p.m. start). They need to start quick, but poised, just as they did against St. Augustine, Cathedral Catholic (both ending in eventual losses), and Mission Bay (they held on for the win) in the second round of Western League play.
If Behzad can hit a few outside shots, it is really going to help ignite the explosion. Charlie will be crashing inside, but his outside jumper adds a valuable weapon, as well.
Then, any three's guard Quinn Rawdin can contribute will be a plus. He has shot well his last couple of games.
Coach Paul Baranowski has been very sparing in his substitutions down the stretch. We will probably see Evan Brown at forward and Diego Solis at guard in the first substitution. Langston Aron, like Brown counted on for rebounding to help Gal, may follow.
The opposing team is probably going to press in the backcourt at some time, so La Jolla needs to work the ball methodically up court. They have the training and skills to do that. They have to minimize their mistakes.
Ohara and Gal, both, need to avoid traveling calls. Both also need to be wise about charging calls. Don't bull your way in. Finesse and find a path to the basket.
Be like the drop of water. Keep attacking. Be persistent. The Vikings can't afford to give up a big lead. But, they don't need to panic at the first sign of a small lead by the other team.
Hugh Latimer, English churchman
By Ed Piper
For La Jolla's basketball team to progress through the first round of the CIF playoffs Tues., Feb. 20--something I know nothing about personally, since my high school team finished second to last, with only the league champion advancing to the playoffs back in the day in the CIF Southern Section--they're going to have to be patient and persistent, but also quick.
The proverbial drop is predictable and keeps falling. The Vikings' constants need to be Jacob Ohara's lightning-quick layups in transition, Behzad Hashemi's outside shooting, and big man Charlie Gal's physical play underneath.
For Ohara to sneak behind the defense, he needs feeds from his backcourt mate, Hashemi. Some of that dynamic was discombobulated in the Vikings' 57-41 win over Kearny Feb. 15: Ohara was missing layups, then Behzad, who is super quick but who has to play under control, sat down in the second quarter.
Gal, though primarily called upon to rebound, and work inside and outside on offense, has shown himself to be a good passer lately. Jacob, lately, has largely overcome some of the tactics teams who have scouted the Vikings well used to stymie him. His strong suit is driving right; he isn't great at going left, but he's no longer as surprised when defenders jump to his right to block his path.
Meekness. Definition: Strength under control. The Vikings are going to be on the road before a hostile home crowd. They need to arrive unfrazzled by traffic (it's going to be a bear getting to North County for a 7 p.m. start). They need to start quick, but poised, just as they did against St. Augustine, Cathedral Catholic (both ending in eventual losses), and Mission Bay (they held on for the win) in the second round of Western League play.
If Behzad can hit a few outside shots, it is really going to help ignite the explosion. Charlie will be crashing inside, but his outside jumper adds a valuable weapon, as well.
Then, any three's guard Quinn Rawdin can contribute will be a plus. He has shot well his last couple of games.
Coach Paul Baranowski has been very sparing in his substitutions down the stretch. We will probably see Evan Brown at forward and Diego Solis at guard in the first substitution. Langston Aron, like Brown counted on for rebounding to help Gal, may follow.
The opposing team is probably going to press in the backcourt at some time, so La Jolla needs to work the ball methodically up court. They have the training and skills to do that. They have to minimize their mistakes.
Ohara and Gal, both, need to avoid traveling calls. Both also need to be wise about charging calls. Don't bull your way in. Finesse and find a path to the basket.
Be like the drop of water. Keep attacking. Be persistent. The Vikings can't afford to give up a big lead. But, they don't need to panic at the first sign of a small lead by the other team.
LJ b BB: Bracketology
By Ed Piper
At this writing (Friday morning, Feb. 16, 8:13 a.m.), La Jolla's basketball team sits in the 14th place of 16 teams in the MaxPreps Division 1 rankings.
If the playoff brackets were drawn up off the data that is entered in MaxPreps right now, the Vikings (5-7 in the Western League, 12-14 overall) would travel to a place like Canyon Crest Academy in the first round of the CIF playoffs Tues., Feb. 20.
The Ravens are slotted in the third spot in Division 1 (the top eight teams in Division 1 go up to the Open Division playoffs). If and when additional information is entered into MaxPreps that affects teams' ranks between now and tomorrow's CIF seeding meeting, then these things can change.
What Coach Paul Baranowski's Vikings did by downing Kearny 57-41 in their final Western League game is improve their record and their potential seeding in the postseason tournament.
Every little bit helps. The tricky thing is that MaxPreps doesn't reveal the algorithm it uses to calculate team ratings, and, frustratingly, you can end up ranked below a team that you have previously beaten in a head-to-head game. It's not a perfect system.
What the Power Rankings system of seeding replaced was the Saturday morning free-for-all known as the seeding meetings, when coaches with magnetic personalities and the ability to pontificate could show up and plead the case for their team to be ranked higher. The higher your team's ranking, the easier the draw (opposing team), so it was worth a battle.
I haven't personally witnessed one of these meetings, but I have read and heard stories. Also, I know from experience that played out in my favor what can happen when subjective votes decide fates: My high school team finished fifth in a six-team lead, yet--bless his heart--our coach somehow got both us forwards on the all-league first team. There's no way that should have happened. (Personally, I thought my statistics showed I had the better season.)
At this writing (Friday morning, Feb. 16, 8:13 a.m.), La Jolla's basketball team sits in the 14th place of 16 teams in the MaxPreps Division 1 rankings.
If the playoff brackets were drawn up off the data that is entered in MaxPreps right now, the Vikings (5-7 in the Western League, 12-14 overall) would travel to a place like Canyon Crest Academy in the first round of the CIF playoffs Tues., Feb. 20.
The Ravens are slotted in the third spot in Division 1 (the top eight teams in Division 1 go up to the Open Division playoffs). If and when additional information is entered into MaxPreps that affects teams' ranks between now and tomorrow's CIF seeding meeting, then these things can change.
What Coach Paul Baranowski's Vikings did by downing Kearny 57-41 in their final Western League game is improve their record and their potential seeding in the postseason tournament.
Every little bit helps. The tricky thing is that MaxPreps doesn't reveal the algorithm it uses to calculate team ratings, and, frustratingly, you can end up ranked below a team that you have previously beaten in a head-to-head game. It's not a perfect system.
What the Power Rankings system of seeding replaced was the Saturday morning free-for-all known as the seeding meetings, when coaches with magnetic personalities and the ability to pontificate could show up and plead the case for their team to be ranked higher. The higher your team's ranking, the easier the draw (opposing team), so it was worth a battle.
I haven't personally witnessed one of these meetings, but I have read and heard stories. Also, I know from experience that played out in my favor what can happen when subjective votes decide fates: My high school team finished fifth in a six-team lead, yet--bless his heart--our coach somehow got both us forwards on the all-league first team. There's no way that should have happened. (Personally, I thought my statistics showed I had the better season.)
LJ b BB 57, Kearny 41
By Ed Piper
La Jolla, behind Charlie Gal's 15 points and 14 from Quinn Rawdin, steadily put away visiting Kearny, 57-41, Thurs., Feb. 15, to finish their Western League schedule with a respectable 5-7 record.
Viking coach Paul Baranowski said before the Senior Night game that his team's likely first-round opponent in the CIF Division 1 playoffs Tues., Feb. 20, is Mission Hills or Orange Glen. So the big win, in front of a vocal home crowd, sets La Jolla up nicely to attempt to upset either higher-ranked foe.
Gal and Rawdin, after having walked with their parents out of the inflatable football tunnel set up in the corner of the gym for senior recognition, helped lead the Vikings to a 28-17 halftime lead. The two teams, which had played close in their first meeting at Kearny, had started slowly, ending the first quarter with the Komets leading, 10-9.
La Jolla's 11-point lead after two quarters really took off in the third quarter, ballooning to 39-23 by the end of the period.
In the decisive second quarter, Rawdin hit his first three-point attempt--if the lefty starts well, that can help his confidence--fellow senior Jacob Ohara dropped a bomb from beyond the arc along the left baseline, and the 6'2" Rawdin followed with another long-range basket.
Gal drove for a layup and completed the and-one with a free throw early in the spurt for a five-point lead. Late in the half, the 6'6" big man made a deft pass to teammate Jacob Duffy for a basket inside, the Viking advantage now 13.
In the rout, nine Vikings scored, including Gabe Solis, who really sparkled when he entered the game. Inserted with two minutes left in the third quarter, the junior made a layup on another assist from Gal. On the next play, the wide receiver in football stole the ball, then fed Ohara for a layup basket.
A short time later, Solis grabbed a rebound to begin filling out other parts of his stat sheet. By then, La Jolla led by 19, after Rawdin sank his third three-pointer. Gabe finished with seven points in his best cameo of the season.
La Jolla, behind Charlie Gal's 15 points and 14 from Quinn Rawdin, steadily put away visiting Kearny, 57-41, Thurs., Feb. 15, to finish their Western League schedule with a respectable 5-7 record.
Viking coach Paul Baranowski said before the Senior Night game that his team's likely first-round opponent in the CIF Division 1 playoffs Tues., Feb. 20, is Mission Hills or Orange Glen. So the big win, in front of a vocal home crowd, sets La Jolla up nicely to attempt to upset either higher-ranked foe.
Gal and Rawdin, after having walked with their parents out of the inflatable football tunnel set up in the corner of the gym for senior recognition, helped lead the Vikings to a 28-17 halftime lead. The two teams, which had played close in their first meeting at Kearny, had started slowly, ending the first quarter with the Komets leading, 10-9.
La Jolla's 11-point lead after two quarters really took off in the third quarter, ballooning to 39-23 by the end of the period.
In the decisive second quarter, Rawdin hit his first three-point attempt--if the lefty starts well, that can help his confidence--fellow senior Jacob Ohara dropped a bomb from beyond the arc along the left baseline, and the 6'2" Rawdin followed with another long-range basket.
Gal drove for a layup and completed the and-one with a free throw early in the spurt for a five-point lead. Late in the half, the 6'6" big man made a deft pass to teammate Jacob Duffy for a basket inside, the Viking advantage now 13.
In the rout, nine Vikings scored, including Gabe Solis, who really sparkled when he entered the game. Inserted with two minutes left in the third quarter, the junior made a layup on another assist from Gal. On the next play, the wide receiver in football stole the ball, then fed Ohara for a layup basket.
A short time later, Solis grabbed a rebound to begin filling out other parts of his stat sheet. By then, La Jolla led by 19, after Rawdin sank his third three-pointer. Gabe finished with seven points in his best cameo of the season.
Thursday, February 15, 2018
LJ b BB: Down the stretch
By Ed Piper
Point guard Behzad Hashemi, who had had an uneven shooting night, hit a three-pointer to give La Jolla a five-point lead over powerhouse Mission Bay with 4:53 left in their game Feb. 13.
The shot from beyond the arc came at an opportune time for the Vikings, who have struggled to close in several games the past two months. The "44 days of Western League play" have largely been an exercise in frustration for Coach Paul Baranowski's team, struggling to win four of 11 games in the newly-elevated Division 1 conference.
Unfortunately for La Jolla's prospects to pin down the win on the Buccaneers' Senior Night in front of a big home crowd, lefty Jaymarree Norton then hit a three, one of a sparse number of shots the guard hit on the night. Norton had helped hold Mission Bay together when the two teams met previously at La Jolla, with star guard Boogie Ellis filling a lesser role.
Two-point lead. Less than four minutes to play.
Viking reserve Langston Aron (named after African-American writer Langston Hughes), one of only three substitutes Baranowski employed in a conservative approach on this night, then had his shot attempt blocked out of bounds. Teammate Nick Hulquist scored on the resultant inbounds play. La Jolla up, 45-41.
At 3:20, big man Charlie Gal put in a layup with his left hand as La Jolla sneaked in a basket behind the Bucs' inconsistent coverage. Six-point lead. Things were looking good, but there was still a lot of time left.
Buc coach Marshawn Cherry called a timeout.
When Mission Bay took the ball down court after the timeout, Ellis, who finished with 17 points, drove and missed on his layup attempt. As he and Gal tied up in the battle for the rebound, Charlie was called for a foul. Mission Bay got the ball out of bounds.
Point guard Behzad Hashemi, who had had an uneven shooting night, hit a three-pointer to give La Jolla a five-point lead over powerhouse Mission Bay with 4:53 left in their game Feb. 13.
The shot from beyond the arc came at an opportune time for the Vikings, who have struggled to close in several games the past two months. The "44 days of Western League play" have largely been an exercise in frustration for Coach Paul Baranowski's team, struggling to win four of 11 games in the newly-elevated Division 1 conference.
Unfortunately for La Jolla's prospects to pin down the win on the Buccaneers' Senior Night in front of a big home crowd, lefty Jaymarree Norton then hit a three, one of a sparse number of shots the guard hit on the night. Norton had helped hold Mission Bay together when the two teams met previously at La Jolla, with star guard Boogie Ellis filling a lesser role.
Two-point lead. Less than four minutes to play.
Viking reserve Langston Aron (named after African-American writer Langston Hughes), one of only three substitutes Baranowski employed in a conservative approach on this night, then had his shot attempt blocked out of bounds. Teammate Nick Hulquist scored on the resultant inbounds play. La Jolla up, 45-41.
At 3:20, big man Charlie Gal put in a layup with his left hand as La Jolla sneaked in a basket behind the Bucs' inconsistent coverage. Six-point lead. Things were looking good, but there was still a lot of time left.
Buc coach Marshawn Cherry called a timeout.
When Mission Bay took the ball down court after the timeout, Ellis, who finished with 17 points, drove and missed on his layup attempt. As he and Gal tied up in the battle for the rebound, Charlie was called for a foul. Mission Bay got the ball out of bounds.
LJ b soccer 3, Hoover 1
By Ed Piper
On Valentine's Day, there was no love.
No love for the referees, who failed to set a line on complaints and behavior. No love between the two combatting teams, host La Jolla and Hoover.
As yet another player got knocked flying, a coach said: "See, look, ref..." Yet it was in Spanish, because that was the senior referee's dominant language.
A player complained again, whining over a call.
It was a situation, with no boundaries set or maintained by the sole people able to do so, the officials, that brought out the worst in fans, players, and coaches. The flip side of good sportsmanship and honest competition.
In essentially a meaningless game, since the Vikings' boys soccer team, though low in the Power Rankings, was already among teams qualifying for the playoffs, the two opponents were playing like there was no tomorrow.
Maybe that was the positive point: that the players took the game so seriously and played so hard.
Striker Luis Goehler of La Jolla scored the initial goal 10 minutes into the game. That 1-0 lead for the home team held up through the rest of the first half.
The Vikings then outscored the visiting Cardinals 2-1 in the second half to take away the win.
The CIF seeding meeting comes Saturday morning, Feb. 17. Playoffs start next week.
On Valentine's Day, there was no love.
No love for the referees, who failed to set a line on complaints and behavior. No love between the two combatting teams, host La Jolla and Hoover.
As yet another player got knocked flying, a coach said: "See, look, ref..." Yet it was in Spanish, because that was the senior referee's dominant language.
A player complained again, whining over a call.
It was a situation, with no boundaries set or maintained by the sole people able to do so, the officials, that brought out the worst in fans, players, and coaches. The flip side of good sportsmanship and honest competition.
In essentially a meaningless game, since the Vikings' boys soccer team, though low in the Power Rankings, was already among teams qualifying for the playoffs, the two opponents were playing like there was no tomorrow.
Maybe that was the positive point: that the players took the game so seriously and played so hard.
Striker Luis Goehler of La Jolla scored the initial goal 10 minutes into the game. That 1-0 lead for the home team held up through the rest of the first half.
The Vikings then outscored the visiting Cardinals 2-1 in the second half to take away the win.
The CIF seeding meeting comes Saturday morning, Feb. 17. Playoffs start next week.
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
LJ b BB: A second look
By Ed Piper
The Vikings' 54-51 upset of top-ten-ranked Mission Bay Feb. 13 was more than just a gratifying win for Coach Paul Baranowski's squad after facing adversity. The win was a shock to the Bucs and their fans, who were intent on celebrating Senior Night. With an 11-0 record and the Western League title in the bag, Coach Marshawn Cherry and his team were supposed to supply the automatic win to fill out the night's festivities.
La Jolla, which has struggled with holding leads after going ahead early, went out to a 9-2 lead in the first quarter--after a second pregame warm-up following Senior Night presentations--and two conversations had to be taking place in Viking fans' heads: This is it, we're going to take the win to the bank, or Oh, no, here we go again.
An advantage for the visitors was that, as has been the case more than once, Mission Bay, though ranked number three, looked vulnerable. They don't automatically play as a unit. And Jaymarree Norton, who terrorized the Vikings with his left-handed jumper in their first meeting, wasn't in the starting lineup. When he was inserted by Cherry, he could hardly hit the broad side of a barn.
The Vikings' 9-2 streak in the first 4:43 went this way: Junior Nick Hulmquist, coming more and more into his own (with his famous 'do of fluffy hair on top), drove and was fouled. He made two free throws.
Senior Jacob Ohara, who has victimized many La Jolla opponents this year, got downcourt quicker than anyone else and scored on a layup. 4-0.
After Buc leader Boogie Ellis missed a jump shot from the top of the key--Cherry had his team work through an offensive passing rotation several times on each of their possessions in the first quarter--senior Charlie Gal punched in a layup at the Vikings' end of the court. 6-0.
After 6'7" Ronnie Latting countered for Mission Bay, La Jolla's Quinn Rawdin hit the first of two shots from beyond the arc. 9-2, Vikings. 4:17 on the clock.
Baranowski's crew looked ready, quick, and focused. They weren't scared, like in their loss at St. Augustine. After all, in the first round La Jolla had played Mission Bay, then ranked number one in the county, to a close finish before falling.
The Vikings' 54-51 upset of top-ten-ranked Mission Bay Feb. 13 was more than just a gratifying win for Coach Paul Baranowski's squad after facing adversity. The win was a shock to the Bucs and their fans, who were intent on celebrating Senior Night. With an 11-0 record and the Western League title in the bag, Coach Marshawn Cherry and his team were supposed to supply the automatic win to fill out the night's festivities.
La Jolla, which has struggled with holding leads after going ahead early, went out to a 9-2 lead in the first quarter--after a second pregame warm-up following Senior Night presentations--and two conversations had to be taking place in Viking fans' heads: This is it, we're going to take the win to the bank, or Oh, no, here we go again.
An advantage for the visitors was that, as has been the case more than once, Mission Bay, though ranked number three, looked vulnerable. They don't automatically play as a unit. And Jaymarree Norton, who terrorized the Vikings with his left-handed jumper in their first meeting, wasn't in the starting lineup. When he was inserted by Cherry, he could hardly hit the broad side of a barn.
The Vikings' 9-2 streak in the first 4:43 went this way: Junior Nick Hulmquist, coming more and more into his own (with his famous 'do of fluffy hair on top), drove and was fouled. He made two free throws.
Senior Jacob Ohara, who has victimized many La Jolla opponents this year, got downcourt quicker than anyone else and scored on a layup. 4-0.
After Buc leader Boogie Ellis missed a jump shot from the top of the key--Cherry had his team work through an offensive passing rotation several times on each of their possessions in the first quarter--senior Charlie Gal punched in a layup at the Vikings' end of the court. 6-0.
After 6'7" Ronnie Latting countered for Mission Bay, La Jolla's Quinn Rawdin hit the first of two shots from beyond the arc. 9-2, Vikings. 4:17 on the clock.
Baranowski's crew looked ready, quick, and focused. They weren't scared, like in their loss at St. Augustine. After all, in the first round La Jolla had played Mission Bay, then ranked number one in the county, to a close finish before falling.
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
LJ b BB 54, Mission Bay 51
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| The Vikings begin the second half, down by two, by taking the ball out (Behzad Hashemi, background right, dribbling upcourt). (Photos by Ed Piper) |
The third time's a charm.
La Jolla's basketball team, having led St. Augustine late before losing by three points, then leading Cathedral Catholic in the Dons' gym by 20 in the second quarter before losing, finally nailed the coffin shut by holding onto a 54-51 win over Mission Bay Tues., Feb. 13.
The Vikings' upset victory over the number-three team in the county is the Buccaneers' sole loss in the Western League after 11 wins, severely disappointing a Senior Night crowd in the Bucs' gym in Pacific Beach.
La Jolla, after Charlie Gal sank a jump shot to tie the game 29-29 early in the third quarter, scored the next points of the period on Behzad Hashemi's 10-foot jumper three minutes later. The Vikings never gave up their lead, forging a six-point edge minutes later, then again at 47-41 with 3:30 remaining in the game.
But the final minutes were nervous time before the supportive home crowd, the visitors fighting for pride and to salvage a seesaw season now at 4-7 in league, 11-14 overall with their own Senior Night coming at LJHS Thursday night, Feb. 15.
The Bucs, with point guard Boogie Ellis pushing them hard, closed to within two on his pair of free throws with 1:08 left.
But then Viking guard Jacob Ohara, who had helped shadow Mission Bay's star scorer all night, stuffed Ellis' layup shot at 37.3 seconds on a drive down the middle of the lane.
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| The Buccaneers recognize their two seniors on Senior Night before the game. (Coach Marshawn Cherry is third from right.) |
Teammate Nick Hulquist then canned two free throws with 22.3 on the clock, giving La Jolla a three-point lead. With all eyes on Ellis, the 6'2" guard was unable to get a clear three-point attempt off before the buzzer, and the Vikings took home their precious win.
Coach Paul Baranowski's team distributed the scoring: Gal had 13 points, Ohara and Hashemi 11 each, and Hulquist 10. Guard Quinn Rawdin added two three-pointers.
Ellis, a junior, led all scorers with 17 points. His season average is close to 25 points per game.
The latest upset provides a bookend to the Vikings' league schedule with their win in their first meeting with Cathedral Catholic at home Jan. 9, a 54-47 decision. Along with the team's championship in the Hilltop Invitational Tournament to commence the season in December, these are La Jolla's high points this winter.
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