LJ FB: Sailing the ship better, further

By Ed Piper

Back in August, when heatwaves were threatening and the cold temperatures of November were a long way aways, we really didn't know what the 2022 Viking football team's fortunes would hold.

The squad had enjoyed two years of Jackson Stratton's quarterbacking heroics--as well as his bad luck with his throwing shoulder due to an injury at Del Norte. Another Jackson, this one Jackson Diehl, had athleticism and promise from his earlier days, just as Stratton had before his ascension to the varsity.

And Tyler Roach, a middle linebacker and running back in his prep days at University City, was eager to continue to use his offensive mentoring skills for yet another player coming through the La Jolla pipeline.

I viewed Friday's (Nov. 11) season closer at Granite Hills from close-up, on the La Jolla sideline, as I always do. And it finally dawned on me, the addressing-the-need-as-it-rises, as I stood near Roach with a view of his 2022 quarterback, Diehl, and watched as Roach calmly scanned the team's play sheet (laminated, which he holds in his hand when the offense is in), then relayed, even switching, the play he was calling for that down.

And Diehl was good with it. So was Justin Scully, the Vikings' running back, so was Ryan Weinberg, the Vikings' receiver/occasional running back. And so was the whole offense, as they have been trained up into this approach on their attack--memorized call words, with a number or letter or word added, to signify the particular scheme Roach is calling out.

Roach, in his regime at La Jolla, has brought this dynamic aspect of play-calling, as well as other positives, like an ethic that makes playing both ways (offense and defense) a given for key core athletes, a mental toughness that expects to win and doesn't like any other result. These are the values I see, as an outside observer, during this handful of years struggling through COVID and coming out of COVID as football continues.

The Vikings, after dropping the season opener to Bishop's by a big margin, 28-7, won three straight, edging Scripps Ranch, 28-21, beating El Capitan by a wide margin, 32-7, and squeaking by Del Norte, 27-20, in week four. At that point, La Jolla stood at 3-1, which looked pretty good.

Then, two non-league losses to Morse and Point Loma dropped the program to 3-3, and things were looking more mediocre.

All the time, Roach was keeping his awareness of his quarterback's frame of mind and outlook in close view. The loss at Morse, 39-21, was particularly difficult. Jackson seemed to be struggling with an old bugaboo, throwing too high or too wide, launching flutterballs or balls without a real target.

But Roach, keenly aware how important Diehl's development was to the progress of his offense, stayed with him, challenged him, encouraged him. There's nothing indirect about Tyler Roach--he was talking straight-turkey to his offensive leader right there on the sidelines between possessions, even between downs.

The positive side for a young athlete is to have a coach who believes in you. And Diehl has that.

Meanwhile, Scully performed almost heroic feats in charging the ball upfield while doubling his duties playing defense. (Last year he was named an all-league linebacker.) It was so important for Weinberg, with his incredible pass-catching skills, to be in the mix as often as the La Jolla brain trust could plot him into the game plan.

Mike Dutra's defense, for the most part, played solid ball and summoned up courage especially when it was needed in many key moments during the season. La Jolla's defense seems always to be a given.