Saturday, August 13, 2022

LJ FB: Tune-up @ SDFNL

Viking junior QB Jackson Diehl
looks to pass as he's pursued by
a UC defender in the second
quarter Fri., Aug. 12.
(Photo by Ed Piper)


By Ed Piper

La Jolla's 2022 football team engaged in its first competition against a squad other than themselves Fri., Aug. 12, and came up better prepared for the Vikings' season opener against Bishop's at Edwards Stadium Thurs., Aug. 17.

The Viking offense featured new quarterback Jackson Diehl, a junior, engineering Coach Tyler Roach's attack, featuring running back Justin Scully and receiver Ryan Weinberg, both seniors. The ball was fairly equally shared in touches by the three offensive leaders as La Jolla faced event host University City at the UC campus field in the evening 7:30 p.m. game.

"This is absolutely meaningless," Roach told his assembled troops after the tussle, which started belatedly at 8:05 p.m. as the third of three games for the afternoon/evening. "The real game is our opener Thursday against Bishop's. It's a crosstown rivalry game. The results count. Take care of your body. Hydrate yourselves. We have an 8 a.m. practice tomorrow morning (Sat.), so it will be a quick turnaround."

Added Roach, "Some did well, others not so well. That's more reason to hit practice hard and put in the work this week."

Diehl, at QB, connected with senior receiver Matthieu Princen for a 12-yard TD pass late in the third quarter to bring the Vikings within 13-6 to UC. The play came on a fourth-and-two at the end of a 12-play drive, La Jolla's fifth possession of the night. Evan Martin converted the PAT kick to make the score 13-7.

On the productive march, beginning on their own 25-yard line, La Jolla called on Scully three times, including a nine-yard gainer on second down late in the drive. Weinberg also caught a Diehl aerial for six yards on second-and-10 earlier in the possession. Diehl had a keeper on the second play of the drive, but scrimmage rules dictated that a quarterback could not run the ball and was also protected from being tackled by a "touch" rule for sacks.


No comments:

Post a Comment