LJ b BB 70, Westview 47 - 11/21

Conlan Rute (1) attempts

a layup against Westview's

Brody Alexander (0)

in opening moments.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Senior guard Leo Hawkinson led La Jolla in a long-range shooting barrage against visiting Westview in the second quarter, to bury the Warriors in a 70-47 win at home before a small, vocal group of devotees Fri., Nov. 21.

In their home opener for 2025-2026, Coach Paul Baranowski's 47th team--14th at the coastal school--took off on an offensive streak behind Cole Hein and Hawkinson to go up from an 18-12 lead to 46-25 near the end of the period.

During the quarter, La Jolla showed a playing style reminiscent of the first half of last season, when Hawkinson joined Brody Sessa as a transfer and the team could go on successful runs in brief streaks.

Leo hit four bombs from distance, three from the top of the paint, while Hein dropped three, including a set shot outside the right elbow at 1:01 for a commanding 19-point lead.

Leo Hawkinson (left) passes

along the baseline against

6'6" Lawrence Lamb in the

second quarter.

In one crowd-pleasing sequence after Cole's last three, "Hawk" fired a pass downcourt to a streaking Sessa for a layup ahead of Westview defenders. That put the scoreboard at 46-25 with 32.3 left in the half, and La Jolla would never allow their advantage to drop below 14 again, going as high as 23 points.

Meanwhile, Warrior head coach Chase Fraser was having fits from the visiting bench, shouting "Wake up!" over and over as 6'6" Lawrence Lam and his teammates struggled to respond.

For the game, Hawkinson made five of seven threes, Hein three of nine. The 6'3" Sessa had seven rebounds. The Vikings are going to struggle against bigger teams in that latter department.

What seemed most effective for Baranowski on the night was the shorter lineup, with every player basically a guard. Newcomer Nick Muus, a junior, helped move the ball in the offense.

LJ b water polo: What an arc of success

By Ed Piper

Tom Atwell, in his 25th year teaching at La Jolla High, floating in the Coggan pool with his two assistants, a smile on his face. It doesn't get better than that.

The grin came after the Vikings' 15-12 win over Cathedral Catholic, the dreaded "new" giant, in the San Diego Section Open Division finals. Atwell and his La Jolla water polo players had to deal with Bishop's before that.

The "slog"--a long time of trying to climb the mountain. Tries again and again, losing in the Open playoffs last year, the year before...

"It means everything for us," said Dexter Black, the star attacker whose brother Kiefer even came up through the system, yet wasn't able to help secure an Open title for Atwell. "For us, the team, Coach Atwell," Dexter went on. "What is it, 29 years or something like that? (25, actually.) 

"His jump in the pool was one of the best memories I'll ever have."

Echoed teammate Tor Martin, the center, "What we've been through as a team..." His brother Soren, too, preceded him by two years, yet they didn't win a title.

*  *  *

Freshman Matthew Shomo was in the starting lineup for La Jolla against Cathedral in their latest engagement, in the semifinals of the Southern California Regionals Thurs., Nov. 20. Shomo has pretty much been a starter the last few games as the Vikings went into the regionals, after significant minutes in the earlier playoffs.

Atwell, obviously, views him as a go-to guy lately, putting him with the core of Nate Thomson, Martin, Black, Henry Glenister, and Ryder Jaseniuk. He also gained the spot when Quinn Daniels went down with a concussion in the section finals, six stitches under his right eye.

Daniels showed his bandage, covering the stitches, proudly during the regionals matchup with the Dons. He announced loudly to a reporter, "I'm on a one-week protocol for a concussion." Teammates around him smiled. He said it with a big smile.

*  *  *

Dave Adams sat in a folding chair near the team benches, a red Scottish-pattern blanket over his legs in the cold, during La Jolla's 10-9 loss to Cathedral Catholic in the regional semifinals. He interacted with a reporter, showing a lot of knowledge of water polo in general and the Vikings' 2025 outfit in particular.

He explained that the team MVP award was named after his son Matt, who died of metastatic melanoma in 2018 at about age 37. Matt was in the Class of 1999, playing water polo for the Vikings. That would have been right before or as Tom Atwell began his coaching at La Jolla.

The elder Adams, whose wife is Joyce, was obviously proud to be attached to the Viking water polo program and to keep the memory of their son alive with his name on the award that goes to the team's best player each year.

LJ b water polo 9, Cathedral Catholic 10 - So Cal Regional semifinals 11/20

Dexter Black (4) scores with time running out,

but it was too little, too late as the Vikings

dropped a 10-9 decision to Cathedral Catholic

in the Southern California Regionals Thurs.,

Nov. 20. (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

The Vikings put on a furious comeback attempt after Cathedral Catholic tried to bury La Jolla with a 6-1 lead at 3:13 of the first quarter Thurs., Nov. 20 in the semifinals of the Southern California Regionals.

But the attempt, which closed the gap--of course, on a goal by leader Dexter Black--to 8-7 with less than four minutes left, ultimately fell short. Coach Tom Atwell's best team, winners of the Open Division of the San Diego Section over these same Dons only five days before, saw their dream season end with a 10-9 loss.

With the promised rain holding off until right after the final buzzer, it was apparent that Coach Tommy Corcoran's Cathedral unit were going to do everything they could to avoid a repeat of Nov. 15's upset by the host Vikings at Coggan Complex.

In a psychological bit of gamesmanship prior to the contest, Atwell had Saturday's 15-12 score posted on the scoreboard as spectators filled the seating area.

But in a gesture of sportsmanship, the Dons held out their player who caused La Jolla starter Quinn Daniels' concussion in the section championship. Daniels did not play in either the Tuesday, Nov. 18 Southern California Regional quarterfinal win over Loyola, or Thursday's game.

At the start of the match, it looked like Cathedral was going to blow La Jolla out. Diego Dantas scored three of the Dons' first six goals, broken up only by Henry Glenister's goal to make the score 3-1 ending the first quarter.

Corcoran's game plan was to smother the high-scoring Black. Defenders alternated covering the 6'6" lefty, at times physically pushing against him at the point. Jack Davis and others kept Dexter from setting up on his favorite 4-5 side on the right side of the imaginary rectangle. Dexter could only struggle and push back to get out from under, being called for a foul more than once.

Down 7-2 after the beginning of the second half, Vike center Tor Martin--playing his final game as a prep--scored. Then fellow senior Nate Thomson, under duress, netted a goal. Black, shut out from the field for the most part, took a penalty shot and scored. Finally, Martin scored again to edge within 7-6 with 44 seconds left in the third quarter.

A misdirected throw-in of a replacement ball from the bench caused La Jolla goalie George Gayner to sit out temporarily. The Vikings' defense was strong enough to get them through that unscathed.

Later, Black's goal put the scoreboard at 8-7, before Corcoran was kicked out of the game by the referee on the scorer's side of the pool. That didn't seem to weaken the Dons, who added goals by Max Arnold and Dantas to secure the win.

LJ b water polo: Photos 11/18

Photos by Ed Piper

Dexter Black (tallest player) during the playing

of the National Anthem. Barney Pearce is

right behind him in the robe.

LJ's Ryder Jaseniuk (9) is literally on top

of Ethan Eng (17) of Loyola on the Cubs'

first trip down the pool on offense.

Center Tor Martin (11) fades away from defender

Marcus Wooler (2) of the Cubs in helping set up

the offense.

Tor Martin (facing camera, right) participates

in the handshake with Loyola prior to the match.

Martin is a senior, enjoying the only Open Division

title in the history of LJHS.

Ryder Jaseniuk's upper body definition pops out

in this image, with Loyola's Ethan Eng (17)

guarding him.

Attacker Dexter Black (4) is ridden by

Loyola defender Max Keldorf (12)

in the first quarter.

Henry Glenister (13), the Vikings' second leading

scorer this season.

Viking Tor Martin (11) pressures Cubs'

Caleb Yost (8) on perimeter.

LJ goalie George Gayner (far right) with teammates.

LJ b water polo 15, Loyola (LA) 12 - So Cal Regionals - quarterfinals 11/18

Ethan Eng (17) of Loyola makes a shot attempt

in the first quarter against LJ goalie George

Gayner (behind) and Ryder Jaseniuk (9).

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

The Vikings are peaking at the right time. After a stunning upset of Cathedral Catholic to win the Open Division championship three days before, Coach Tom Atwell's crew topped Loyola (Los Angeles), 15-12, in a show of confidence and skill Tues., Nov. 18, at Coggan Complex.

The occasion was the quarterfinals of the Southern California Regionals.

Star scorer Dexter Black said before the match that his squad had had a few things to fix, and once they got them fixed, the Vikings have been launched to play their best water polo of the past two years.

Once again distributing the scoring among different team members, the Vikings went on a run after halftime to increase a two-goal lead to four with 2:17 left in the third quarter.

First, Lev Kevorkian scored for a 9-6 lead. Then after the Cubs answered, Black grabbed a rebound and put it in--by then, his fifth goal of the game.

Finally, teammate and fellow All-CIFer Tor Martin, the Vikings' powerful center, smashed a ball in for his second goal of the afternoon.

It was a fitting display of the team-oriented approach that Atwell and the players have honed to a fine edge, supported by a drop-and-press defense at the other end of the pool.

Loyola, with a loyal bunch of supporters making the 240-mile round trip from Venice Blvd. for the match, gave the locals a scare late in the fourth quarter. With their season on the line, the Cubs tightened the match to two goals--down from five with 3:39 left--behind scores by Marcus Wooler, Ethan Eng, and lefty Caleb Yost before succumbing.

The Vikings' Nate Thomson, once again, "did the dirty work", as Black termed it, "not getting any of the credit." He scored two timely goals in the first half, and was the face of La Jolla's fierce defense that made it difficult for Loyola to maneuver.

LJ b water polo: Whitley and Tudor vied

John Whitley, grandfather of Henry and Simon

Glenister, attends the Viking-Don playoff

with his wife Vicky Sat., Nov. 15,

at Coggan Complex. (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

For two playoff games, while taking photos of the Vikings and following their games as they progressed through the CIF Open Division playoffs Nov. 5 and 11, I caught verbal snippets of the lives of Vicky and John Whitley, the grandparents of La Jolla twins Henry and Simon Glenister, from Vicky. She has a beguiling accent, very South African and evoking the old country.

I also saw and met their daughter, Vanessa, mom of the field player (Henry, a top scorer this season) and the goalie (Simon, a reserve goalkeeper). Vicky said, "She was chased by rhinos twice." I was dying to hear more, but the confines of the games and the venue limited that.

Vicky said at the second game, "John took our daughter on safari." That's when Vanessa Whitley (later Glenister) got chased by rhinos as a child.

Finally, before the CIF Open final Sat., Nov. 15, I asked John Whitley about his experiences. "Your daughter got chased by rhinos twice. That's all I've been able to gain."

We were interrupted by introductions of the players. But I was happy to learn the following:

John, as Vicky proudly told me, was a champion swimmer in his prep days. He swam for Natal, the province they lived in in South Africa. He was a big star. He was a sprinter who swam freestyle and backstroke.

The best part of it was that John Whitley swam against Tudor Lacey, who sadly passed away this past summer. Tudor and he competed in 1960. "Tudor beat me," John admitted.

They were rivals then, but miraculously, their lives both led them to La Jolla years later, where Tudor served as the conditioning coach for the Viking water polo and swim teams for many years until his passing.

Tudor had told me only last year that when he was 14, his older sister was threatened by a crocodile. Their family dog, being very protective, moved to defend her and was promptly swallowed by the croc. I told the Whitleys that story.

Of course, to them, stories of rhinos and crocs are nothing new, because that was the environment that they grew up in in Africa.

LJ b water polo: Photos 11/15

Photos by Ed Piper

From left, goalie coach Cam Ravanbach, assistant

Cole Martinez (back to camera), and LJHS

head coach Tom Atwell jump in the pool

after the Vikings' 13-12 win over Cathedral.

LJ students begin to jump in the pool as Barney Pearce

(cap number 5, right) and Addie Calhoon (1A,

far right) join the celebration in the "agua".

Vikes' Nate Thomson (white cap, center) defends

Eamon Bruhn (7, red cap) of the Dons. Henry

Glenister (white cap, back left) also defends along with

George Gayner (in goal, back right, partially hidden).

Dexter Black (4) gets pushback from Jett Taylor

(defending). Henry Glenister swims far left.

A reporter's soaked notepad the next morning.

It fell, open to a page, flat onto the wet

pool deck during the rain.

Junior Carter Brown (14) represents La Jolla in the

captains' meeting with senior Tosh Hawkins (10)

of the Dons before the match.

Center Tor Martin (left), a senior, stands with

his teammates for the National Anthem.

NCAA water polo balls are displayed on the

officials' table prior to the match.

More boys join the pool jump as things escalate.

The PA announcer declared, "La Jolla students,

please leave the pool."

LJ b water polo: Wins CIF Open title, 13-12

A Cathedral Catholic player walks down the deck

as La Jolla players and students join in the pool

following the Vikings' 13-12 win

for the CIF Open Division championship

Sat., Nov. 15. (Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

There are going to be a lot of La Jolla High boys--and the three coaches--calling in sick Monday, Nov. 17, with the flu after they all jumped in the pool following Saturday's CIF Open title game.

Well, probably, not really.

But it was a thought, after the Vikings--recently in the shadow of Cathedral Catholic's water polo team, and before that, Bishop's--took a neck-and-neck 13-12 victory over the Dons.

For three quarters, Coach Tom Atwell's squad (he being one of the wet ones afterwards) played Cathedral evenly.

With the score tied 8-8 late in the third period, the Vike offense made a mistake and threw a pass out of bounds. The Dons capitalized, scoring on a goal by senior Colin McPhail.

Coach Tommy Corcoran's visitors to Coggan Pool added another goal by sophomore Diego Dantas to go up 10-8, ending the third period.

You wondered if it all was going to unravel for La Jolla, after playing such a strong three quarters against a number-one-seeded Don team that had won the teams' two Western League matches and came in heavily favored.

Dexter Black (4, white cap) of La Jolla winds up

for the winning goal on a penalty shot

with 29 seconds remaining.

But with the students, now soaking wet after a midgame downpour, cheering them on, the Vikings' Dexter Black scored only his second goal of the game to begin the final quarter. He followed with another goal less than a minute later.

With the score 11-10, Cathedral leading, Lev Kevorkian, who scored the key goal in La Jolla's win over Poway in the semifinals, knotted the game at 11-11 with a dagger.

Henry Glenister again tied the game 12-12 with 1:04 left.

That set the stage for Black's penalty shot with 29 seconds left to take the title 13-12 and the San Diego Section's number-one seed into the Southern California Regionals Tues., Nov. 18, at home against Loyola (LA) (5 p.m. start).

The entire game, Corcoran's game-planning had put a double team on Dexter to check his role in the offense. The Vikings found a way to spread the scoring around, as senior Nate Thomson, who won the sprints to open each of the last three quarters, scored a pair. Center Tor Martin, in his final season as a senior, added two more.

Junior Quinn Daniels was effective in the first half, scoring goals in the first and second quarters.

LJ g golf: 'Gonna be a good year'

By Ed Piper

"We have Bella (Itkin) coming back, and Liesl (Kijora)...", Aaron Quesnell, Athletic Director at La Jolla High, was saying at the Vikings' field hockey playoff last week (Nov. 7).

Christie Quinn, La Jolla's girls and boys golf coach, has seen a boom in the girls' program this fall, with several freshmen, new upperclassmen, and enough golfers to make up two teams--varsity and JV--something the Vikings haven't experienced in recent memory.

Quesnell--a lot of "Q" last names--was the current coach's predecessor, and serves at an administrative level in CIF San Diego Section on committees that oversee the golf postseason and competition.

He's licking his chops, because the prospects are coming out of the woodwork. The reason? No one knows, exactly.

Besides Kijora, there are other freshmen who enrolled at La Jolla High this fall and competed this season: Sophia Wright and Ally Ward on varsity; Natalie Sutton, Tiffanie Brownson, Jolie Schulze, and Anya Vishnevskiy on JV.

Liesl and Itkin played in the CIF individual play at Balboa and Torrey Pines golf venues.

Senior Maddie Quach competed the week before in match play, squaring off with a golfer from another school. Quach is the glue that builds the team and keeps it together. She will undoubtedly play the same role with the wrestling team this winter, now that golf is concluded.

Upperclass newcomers to the Viking program included Sam Cousino, who plays goalie in soccer and lacrosse, and Turi O'Brien. Both are juniors.

LJ b water polo: Photos 11/11

Photos by Ed Piper

All-CIF Dexter Black (left) reacts to a loose

ball in the third quarter, with senior J.T. Moss (2)

of Bishop's close behind.

Center Tor Martin (11) and

teammates at halftime. Quinn

Daniels (3, top left) hydrates

from the tiny water bottles

the Vikings use.

LJ b water polo 15, Bishop's 8 - CIF Open semifinals 11/11

Viking Quinn Daniels (3, bottom left) looks for

a pass on the 1-2 side of the "box" in the first quarter,

with Liam Zarcu (arm raised) of Bishop's defending.

Goalie Luke Spiro (behind Zarcu's arm)

and Calvin Lubsen (far right) of the Knights

are also in view. (Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla opened up a five-goal lead over Bishop's early in the third quarter, and held on to win 15-8 before a packed house in the CIF Open Division semifinals Tuesday, Nov. 11.

The victory places the Vikings clearly in the sights of number-one-seeded Cathedral Catholic for the title match slated Saturday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m. at Coggan Aquatic Complex.

In a refreshing change from their double-overtime, sudden-death triumph over Poway in the quarterfinals last week, Coach Tom Atwell's squad enjoyed contributions from multiple players after all-everything Dexter Black opened the scoring with a goal in the first half-minute.

Junior Henry Glenister followed with another lefthanded shot--like Black, he's also a southpaw--then Quinn Daniels threw sidearm to score on a low shot in a flurry of goals in the first quarter for a 3-0 lead.

It looked like the game was going to follow the format of the Vikings' earlier regular-season matches against the Knights this season, both which resulted in LJHS wins.

Senior defender Nate Thomson deposited a goal with 31 seconds left in the first period, for a commanding 4-0 advantage. Black's goal at the buzzer was disallowed, fortunately for Bishop's. It would have faced the Knights with a daunting five-goal lead, pretty much insurmountable in high school water polo.

Senior Nate Thomson (10) of La Jolla, who won

three of four sprints to open the four quarters, is

closely defended by sophomore Calvin Lubsen

of Bishop's.

After the visitors rallied behind goals by J.T. Moss and All-CIF Colton Bell to start the second quarter, La Jolla continued its team approach to scoring with another hit by Thomson. Glenister, shut out in the Poway game, notched another with three seconds left in the half.

Soon after halftime, Daniels scored on a lob, and the Vikings were riding the sails of a 7-2 lead. The LJ football team, sitting behind the southern goal near Nautilus Street, was going nuts.

Down the stretch, Atwell wanted the ball in the hands of Dexter, who scored three more goals.

Then, with over a minute left, the Knights trailing 12-8, co-coach Ian Davidson went with a desperation measure by pulling their goalie and going to a seven-man attack.

It left the Bishop's goal wide-open, and in three of four attempts from mid-pool or farther, Black fired shots that hit the mark for the final tally of 15-8.

LJ FB: The year in review

Carson Diehl (13) leaps to catch

a Ty Tortorice pass for a 25-yard TD

Aug. 29 in a 52-14 win over Patrick Henry.

It was the Vikings' home opener. Diehl,

a senior, scored five touchdowns

via interceptions and passes. He also

ran one in from the "wildcat".

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

The Vikings' ninth season under Head Coach Tyler Roach--a period in which the program has continued to grow and garner respect among the knowledgeable in the San Diego Section--consisted of three predominating stages:

--The offense under senior quarterback Huddy Smith, which began in the opener at Torrey Pines, and then sprinkled over a couple of other games early in the season, before he suffered a season-ending concussion at Point Loma in week six (week five was a bye week).

--Same under freshman fill-in at QB Ty Tortorice, in weeks 2 and 3, then week 7, all wins by decent margins. Ty, a ninth-grader asked to fill some pretty big shoes under some pretty bright lights, performed admirably when called upon.

--Finally, weeks 9-10-11 under healed-collarbone QB Emerson Rota, who had three good passing games, topped by 26 for 39 and 339 yards in a 41-35 loss to St. Augustine at Mesa College in week 10.

Throughout, sophomore running back Aiden Farrell excelled--while playing both ways at safety as well--topping 200 yards rushing in a pair of games, topping 100 a few other times. He reached 1,193 rushing yards, almost ascending to a magic-number 1,200 for the season.

In addition, SDSU-bound Carson Diehl proved to be a constant threat at wide receiver (also while playing both ways), opening up the Vikings' spread offense under Roach, a creative offensive mind and his own Offensive Coordinator. Diehl piled up more than 1,000 yards receiving from the hands of multiple quarterbacks, hitting the 1,009 mark.

In the Tortorice phase, the La Jolla coach supplemented his looks with all sorts of devices: Diehl taking snaps directly in the wildcat; defensive end/tight end Nico Bardaro filling in a little as a running QB and disher to Farrell and others; and other distractions. The multiple looks gave the Vikings a chance to put opposing defenses on their heels to have to figure out what to react to. Many times, the approach worked.

The only dropouts--like an old cassette tape used to have--came in the Lincoln game (a 54-3 loss to a top team in San Diego Section) in week 8, and the final game, a playoff loss at home to Scripps Ranch. The opener at Torrey Pines was rough, ending 43-19, but the Vikings came back in the second half to show some of what they were capable of.

The 2025 season presented a lot of challenges Roach had never had to face before, with Huddy expected to return after a good junior season to captain the offense at QB again. Smith's injuries proved to be just a bump in the road for the team, as Tyler turned to his notepad and iPad to scratch out some other ways of spinning the football.

LJ Cheer: @ LJ-Scripps Ranch FB 11/7

Photos by Ed Piper

LJ cheerleader Nah'Lysha Galvez lines up

with her teammates for the entry of the

Viking players from the inflatable tunnel

(far left, partially shown in background).

Erica does likewise.

The start of the cheer "Go, red and black"...

The red sign held up prompts yelling "red"

in the cheer...

The "and" part...

Finally, the "black" part of the cheer.

Lastly, "Vikes".

LJ FB: Photos 11/7

Photos by Ed Piper

A woman referee (right) serves as

line judge in the playoff game

at Edwards Stadium.

Vikes' Nico Bardaro (15) takes a jet sweep

right for two yards on the opening drive.

Crunch time among backs and receivers.

LJ running back Aiden Farrell (2) takes

the handoff but is dropped for a two-yard

loss on the first play from scrimmage by

Falcon linebacker Dane Walkowiak (33, right).

Falcons' Ben Wellons (22) hurdles

two Viking defenders for a nine-yard

gain before Scripps' first TD.

Malachi Sayles of Scripps Ranch carries

the ball for six yards as Logan Clark (5)

makes the tackle. Action came in the first

quarter.

Diego Solis (right), a star from 2021,

attends on the sidelines.

John McColl (left), a long-time assistant coach

whose two sons played for La Jolla, chats

with present assistant Jon Lemery

before the contest.

Marshall Roach, the Vikings' head coach's

fourth-grade son (far left, red sweatshirt)

and others browse items in the "order your

own cap" pop-up on the southwest corner

of the field.

Reserve QB Harper Lane (12)

has a pass batted down by

Dane Wolkowiak (33) of

Scripps Ranch late in the

second quarter.

The Vikings' band's presence grows

bigger and bigger as the program develops

and they entertain guests at the football

games more and more.