Thursday, November 7, 2019

LJ FB annals: Disputed 1938 playoff

By Ed Piper

The Vikings' 1938 football season ended with a disputed playoff game against Calexico left without a winner or a replay.

Such was the state of things (according to partletonsports.com) after La Jolla took the opportunity to play in the so-called "minor league" playoff game (lower level of CIF) at home. LJHS went to a coin flip with Point Loma, both teams ending the Metro League season with 5-1 records, for the right to face Calexico in the playoff.

A game between the two Metro front-runners was considered, but both schools declined, feeling it would hinder the league representative in the playoffs.

In the Calexico game, the contest ended in a 6-6 tie. No official on hand kept track of the number of first downs for each team, a method for breaking ties.

The San Diego Union, the morning paper in the area (there was an afternoon paper also delivered daily, the San Diego Tribune), took a straw vote of reporters and others present. Four said La Jolla prevailed in the number of first downs; the fifth person called it a draw.

With the holidays approaching and the Metro League title still held by both the Vikings and Pointers before the playoffs, the decision to go to a coin flip instead of another game was made.

Curiously, Point Loma won the league championship in both 1936 and 1937, yet declined both years to represent the Metro League in the postseason playoffs.

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