LJ FB: 5 captains chosen at Big Bear

Second Team all-league

running back Aidan

"Carolina" McGill takes a 

breather during offensive

reps at Viking practice

Tues., Aug. 6.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

In the middle of bonding conversations, deriving team goals ("S-A-I-L the ship"), the infamous hike up a mountain (no one knows what the name of the mountain is), playing basketball, and eating cafeteria food during the past weekend at Big Bear, La Jolla's varsity football team selected a fivesome of captains for the upcoming 2024 football season.

They are: Hank Hansen, Hudson Smith, Aidan "Carolina" McGill, Ryan Kestler, and Jett Thomas.

All are seniors except for Huddy, who is a junior and the expected starting quarterback.

The quintet of "capitanes" (accent over the final "a") cover both platoons, offense and defense, with possible special teams involvement, as well.

Hansen has played on the varsity since his sophomore year. Smith has never started for the Vikings, and is penciled in and working with the starting offense for the first time in his high school career.

McGill had a breakout year last year, being named to the All-Eastern League Second Team while garnering several 100-yard rushing games as a running back and receiving option.

Newly-minted captain Hudson Smith

takes in some agua during a hydration

break at Viking workouts Tues., Aug. 6.

Kestler works at the back of the defense, playing safety. He is well-known for "saving" the non-league, rivalry victory at Mission Bay last season, stopping the oncoming Buc offense from scoring at the goal line, with an assist from big, since-graduated lineman Sawyer Moseley.

Thomas may have the biggest upside of any of the five in football, a mountain of a man at 305 pounds who has drawn attention from colleges since before his junior season a year ago. He was named First Team All-CIF last year.

Hansen, incidentally, made himself into a scoring threat during the league season in 2023 and receiving recognition on the First Team All-Eastern League team for his efforts.

None of the five is expected to play both ways for Coach Tyler Roach's Vikings this year, their contributions too valuable on one side of the ball to spend it over the course of a normal game. Jett, the big man, could play line for both offense and defense.

Hudson was a logical choice as a captain, since he will be internalizing Roach's imaginative "installs" of new plays and helping carry those to fruition as the only player who handles the ball--beside the center--on every snap on offense.

He is young, though, and has logged the fewest playing minutes on the varsity of any of the five. He served as QB Jackson Diehl's back-up last year as a sophomore. Diehl was the Second Team All-CIF selectee at their position a year ago after a phenomenal season. Jackson was a dual threat as a passer and runner.

Huddy will focus primarily on "spinning the ball" (passing--Roach's term).

LJ lineman Jett Thomas (L),

305 pounds, alongside

teammate Jack Long.

Hank Hansen (L), before

boarding the bus for

Big Bear camp Fri., Aug. 2.

Safety Ryan Kestler (R),

next to Jett, before

boarding the same bus.