LJ wrestling: Fly-in from Virginia

Emi Barajas Najera (146 pounds) has his hand

raised after a fall in a short time (time not recorded)

over Kalvin Johnson (right) of Holtville.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

A real treat for Emiliano "Emi" Barajas Najera's family at the Viking JV wrestlers' participation in the six-school meet at Madison High Mon., Dec. 8, was grandfather Keith Sutyak ("soot-yack") flying in that day from Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Sutyak, father of Emi's mother, is a retired naval officer. On hand in the stands was Bernardo Barajas, Emi's dad, along with Keith.

The latter proudly explained, when asked, how to spell and pronounce his last name, which he said is Czech and from the White Mountains area of the country that is now called Czechia. (The reporter visited it when it was still called the Czech Republic with his wife. Formerly, during the Cold War, the country formed part of Czechoslovakia with NBA star Luka Doncic's country, Slovakia.)

Emi, 14 years old, for his part, took part in the second of three dual meets that La Jolla had against a trio of schools among the six schools at the event. He won by a pin in a short time in the first period against a wrestler from Holtville. Barajas, a freshman, wrestles at 138 pounds.

LJ b BB: Game story 12/20

Viking Lino Maricic (right) penetrates

inside against Jacob Allen (21)

of Steele Canyon. (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

On an afternoon after an emotional win before a big crowd the night before over rival Bishop's, the Vikings just could not rally the same sources of fervor and gutsiness against an able team from Steele Canyon, falling 65-51 Sat., Dec. 20.

Junior Chayse Miles, a 6'5" forward/guard who can run the floor and jump well, recorded a pair of two-handed slam dunks to go with good outside shooting and interior passing. The visiting Cougars (8-6) forged an eight-point lead just before halftime, as Miles scored in the low post and converted a free throw after being fouled by his counterpart on La Jolla, Brody Sessa.

As Coach Paul Baranowski's white-clads (5-8) began to wear down, the visitors from South County off Highway 94 countered attempts by the Vikes to rally back. LJ senior Cole Hein hit a three-point set shot to open scoring in the third quarter. A technical foul by La Jolla was cashed in, and the arrow on a tie-up pointed to the Cougars, increasing the lead to 13, then 15.

Sessa scored on a driving layup and hit the accompanying free throw. But Chris Alexander answered with a four-point play--three-pointer plus charity shot--and Jacob Henton's layup pushed the advantage to 18 near the end of three periods, which La Jolla couldn't come back from.

Viking junior Lino Maricic continues to show development from last season. The 6'4" big started again Saturday. He showed aggressiveness and used his size to advantage near the basket, before Baranowski would put in his small-ball lineup.

LJ b BB 51, Steele Canyon 65 - 12/20

Photos by Ed Piper

Brody Sessa (11) passes

outside from the paint

in first quarter action.

Cole Hein (5) takes an out-of-bounds

pass play to look for a teammate

to pass to.

Guard Brody Sessa (11)

gathers for a layup against

6'5" Chayse Miles

of Steele Canyon.

Vike guard Brody Sessa (11)

tries a layup in front of

Chayse Miles (2) of

Steele Canyon. It failed.

LJ b BB: Game story 12/19

Brody Sessa (11) shoots

a fall-away in the paint

over Grayson Blatt (24)

of Bishop's.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Subtraction is addition.

At least that's how it worked for the Viking basketball team in its annual rivalry game with Bishop's Fri., Dec. 19. Having lost some firepower in rebounding and scoring from last year, Coach Paul Baranowski's 2025-26 edition stepped up with added cohesiveness to beat the Knights, 68-63.

La Jolla got stellar play from senior guards Brody Sessa and Cole Hein, to combat Bishop's big man Romeo Wright and team engine JoJo Bryant.

Before a good-sized crowd in the Big Gym, students from each school intermingling but getting vocal, the largest lead either squad held was seven points in the first half, at 14-7 Knights. But the Vikings quickly came back to tie.

In the third quarter, 6'1" Conlan Rute put the home squad ahead by seven on a baseline drive.

Down the stretch, La Jolla led by as many as nine, after Bishop's committed too many fouls, putting them in the bonus. Sessa calmly sank two free throws for the margin with 2:05 left, after he was intentionally fouled to stop the clock.

Coach Nick Levine's bunch could get no closer than three, with 10.1 seconds left, and the game was the Vikings'.

LJ b BB 68, Bishop's 63 - 12/19

Photos by Ed Piper

Jake Riney (15) shoots over 6'5"

shot-blocker Romeo Wright (45)

in opening minutes.

A 15-year-old baseball nut

By Ed Piper

I've been flipping through a spiral-clasp booklet I bought when I was 15 years old, a total baseball nut. The booklet lists the starting lineups and reserves for every MLB franchise through the years (Dodgers since 1890).

It was the first year of the Padres' expansion franchise, 1969. I hand-wrote in for the infield, "Colbert" (1B), "Arcia" and "Sipin" (2B), "Spiezio" (3B) (I had his baseball card, and still do), "Dean" (SS), "Brown-Gaston-Ferrara/Murrell" (OF).

Without looking it up, I remember Nate Colbert, Ed Spiezio, Ollie Brown, Clarence Gaston, Al Ferrara, and Ivan Murrell--56 years later from memory.

In blue Bic pen ink, I also carefully printed "Cannizzaro" (Chris) for catcher. His backup, also neatly printed on the Padres' chart, is "Hriniak" (Al).

I've kept the booklet out, and had fun looking at it. I took with me on substitute-teaching assignments; it'll linger a little longer before I put it back in the bookcase, next to my Yaz autographed biography of the 1968 American League MVP (got it in the mail), Baseball Registers for three years in the late 60's, and all eight Official Baseball Guides I collected, published by The Sporting News.

LJ g soccer 1, Point Loma 2 - 12/18

Photos by Ed Piper

Alexa Avila-Aguilar (3) guards the ball

with LJ's Sonia Wu (right) defending

in front of the Pointers' bench.

During a Point Loma throw-in, the scoreboard

shows La Jolla trailing 2-1 with 22 minutes left.

That was the final result.

Junior Hannah Woolf (7)

Forward Maddy Williams (right) of the Vikings

goes for a ball at the east sideline in front of

Pointers' Savanna Guitar (12). 

Viking defenders Sofia Saiegh (15)

and Sierra Jones (24, behind)

surround Molly Curran (16) of PLHS.

Freshman Sam Woolf (17, L) is subbed

out after scoring La Jolla's only goal

six minutes into the second half

to give the Vikings a fighting chance

in a 2-1 game.

Sophia O'Brien (10) battles for the ball

along the sideline in front of the Viking bench

against Renee Logan Bettencourt (11, behind)

 of the Pointers midway through the second half.

Caroline Bruner (21) executes

a throw-in.

Referee Philip, from

Ghana, notes during halftime

that LJ's Zara Griffis

was dealing with

a wrist issue from

falling in the first half.

Soph midfielder Lily Piehl (14)

gets ready for a throw-in

late in the first half.

A cold LJ bench gets up to stretch at halftime.

Ze Garcia ("Ze" being a nickname

in Portuguese for "Jose")

coaches the Pointers.

Caroline Eves (8) of Point Loma begins to celebrate

after Fifi Valli (not in view) scores the first of two

Pointer goals in the first eight minutes for a 2-0 lead.

The ball is still in the air (left, background)

as the LJ goalie lies on the ground (lower

right background).

LJ pregame huddle

Samantha Woolf (17, far left) does some hand-

holding as Katie French (17, white) tries to get

to the ball midway through the first half.

LJ wrestling: Boys varsity fills every weight class in win

UC's Jason Torres (underneath) barely has a chance

as freshman Nathan Kramer (106 pounds, top) unleashes

a torrid 35-second pin. Referee Jake Evans (left)

prepares to call the fall.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

With several star performances, many in the middle weights, La Jolla rode a complete lineup to a 54-27 win in an Eastern League dual meet at University City Wed., Dec. 17. The victory came in the boys varsity competition in the feature bouts.

Ryan Lennard, long-time assistant coach for the Vikings following a strong prep career, told the assembled team after the end of the meet, "That's what happens when you all show up." It was an affirmation of what the wrestlers did, an encouragement to keep it up, and a challenge to continue to "show up" for training and meets as the season continues.

Freshman Nathan Kramer, at 106 pounds, continues to sparkle in the meet-opening weight class. He recorded a fall over the Centurions' Jason Torres in a brief 35-second encounter. That helped set the tone for the whole meet.

Also contributing star turns were brothers Victor (144) and Oliver (132) Franklin, Liam Kressin (150), Ori Mor (165), Dylan Haugum (215) and Alex Mourlas (138). All won by pins in the first period.

Earlier, to a reporter, Lennard the coach stated: "This is the first time we've had a full lineup in a long time."

LJ wrestling: Quach again aggressive

Senior Maddie Quach (top, 110 pounds) shows

no quarter to UC's Tessa Magnuson, as she builds up

a 17-2 lead for a tech fall (a win by

15 points or more). (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

"Trying to be aggressive" to start the season is working for senior Maddie Quach of La Jolla.

The 110-pounder, coming off a pin in 45 seconds in the dual meet at Lincoln High last week, took down Tessa Magnuson of University City early in their bout Wed., Dec. 17, for three points.

She followed with a near-fall for four more points and a commanding 7-0 lead later in the first period, before locking her hands (a frequent call so far early in the season) to give Magnuson one point on an illegal hold call.

Maddie further built her lead with a reversal at the start of the second period, exploding out of the down position to open the stanza.

Two near-falls in a row put her up 17-2, a 15-point lead which constitutes a tech fall, thereby ending the match.

LJ wrestling: Total support

LJ's Grace Romano (right) does the hand-

fight routine at the start of her match

with Jackie Franco of University City.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Grace Romano, a senior returning from last year to wrestle again for La Jolla this season, had a total support crew present for her team's dual meet at University City High Wed., Dec. 17.

"Gracie", as her mom, Teresa, affectionately calls her, took on Jackie Franco at 120 pounds with Teresa and Grace's brother, Arturo Galindez, looking on from the stands.

Teresa wrestled for San Diego High School, where Coach Emeritus Walter Fairley Jr. hails from. Arturo, 23 years old, competed in the heavyweight division for Clairemont High at 285 pounds.

"We're all wrestlers," Teresa said before the meet.

The younger Romano dropped the match to Franco in the second period, her first outing in 2025-2026.

LJ wrestling 54, UCHS 27 - second dual meet (of 4) - 12/17

Photos by Ed Piper

LJ's Liam Kressin (top) continues his pinning

ways as he breaks down Grant Perkins of UCHS

for a fall in 1:36. Kressin, a senior, went to

the CIF Masters meet last year. At 150 pounds,

he led Perkins 6-1 when he pinned him.

Victor Franklin (top) smothers 144-pound

opponent Tucker Morgan in 1:31

as referee Jake Evans signals on the mat

for the pin.

LJ wrestling: Kramer creams opponents

By Ed Piper

Freshman Nathan Kramer didn't wait to make a splash.

In his first varsity tournament, Kramer won his weight class. He had to wait quite a while in the Carlsbad Invitational Sat., Dec. 6, but then, wrestling at 106 pounds, he recorded two falls in two matches.

Seeded second in his division, Nathan pinned number-one seed Liam Murphy of Scripps Ranch in 1:18--pretty quick.

Then, in his second bout of the day, he took Vincent Johnson of Mission Vista (in North County) for a fall. His time was even faster: 31 seconds of the first period. Johnson was the third seed.

Not too bad for a day's work, in which he got up at 5 a.m., got a ride to La Jolla High at 5:45 to meet the rest of the six boys who wrestled, then was driven up to Carlsbad for the season-opening tourney.

One minute, 49 seconds. Total work time on the mat.

At the Vikings' varsity dual meet at Lincoln Dec. 11, Kramer won by forfeit. The Hornets had no 106-pounder to oppose him. We'll see about the next meet, Wed., Dec. 17, at University City High.

LJ wrestling: Fairley checks in

By Ed Piper

Walter Fairley Jr. has been an assistant principal at La Jolla High, a wrestling coach there, and a zillion other things in his long, distinguished career serving in the interscholastic sports world.

He was back in his element at Lincoln High Thurs., Dec. 11, as the Viking wrestlers opened their 2025-2026 Eastern League dual meet season with the Hornets.

"I've had a few people pass," he shared as we walked from inside the school gates, to the main gym, then, finding it empty, going around the corner to the old gym where the mats were already set up. One is someone who died, and Walter had the job of informing a colleague who didn't yet know. It weighed a little on him.

Pete Salmu, the referee for the night's dual meet, asked for a photo of him with Fairley, inducted in the California Wrestling Hall of Fame for his wrestling, coaching, and service to the sport locally and in the region, to be emailed to him. "I'm the first Chaldean wrestling ref," Salmu said with a big smile as he talked and joked with Fairley, who is several inches shorter.

Walter was back at his roots, where he went (to Lincoln) to get coaching while he wrestled for the San Diego High Cavemen (in those days; now the Cavers). "I weighed 112 pounds as a freshman, and kept that weight all four years of high school," he said.

"On February 10, 1975, I had my first position teaching and coaching here. Greg Davis, a wrestler on my team, went to the state meet that first year. Coach Binky was my coach during my prep days at SDHS."

LJ wrestling: Managing mats

By Ed Piper

Jonathan Kowalchuk and Antonio Toledo are performing a new function for the La Jolla High wrestling team this season. They are "team managers", which in this reporter's 14 years covering the squad, has never happened before.

"I'm the one returning," said Toledo when asked who was the wrestler last year before the La Jolla-Lincoln dual meet Thursday, Dec. 11. He toiled in 2024-2025, then this season decided to take the manager's role as new head coach Joey Stofko takes over. (Stofko was an assistant the three years previous.)

The two, Kowalchuk and Toledo, were busy keeping their own scorebooks at the Viking-Hornet meet in the LHS old gym. This reporter took a photo of each book, thinking they were the official scorebooks.

"Mine is the official scorebook," volunteered Maddie Quach, a 110-pound wrestler and de facto captain of the team. "I'm teaching them how to keep score."

The books are big, with ring-type binders holding them so that you can turn pages. The information recorded on them is extremely valuable for a reporter covering the meet, when nothing will be posted on flowrestling or trackwrestling.com (used in tournaments).

I asked on another occasion what the managers do. They said set up the mats and help out in other ways.

LJ JV wrestling @ Madison six-team meet - game story 12/8

In an opening exhibition between two Vikings,

Oliver Franklin (left) downed teammate Alex

Mourlas (behind, right) 14-13 on an escape

in the last seconds. The bout was at 138 pounds.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

In an unusual JV meet hosted by Madison High Mon., Dec. 8, with six schools participating, the first six Vikings wrestling pinned their Holtville opponents, most of them in the first period.

La Jolla took on Holtville, the host of the huge annual tournament the Vikings will be returning to since before the COVID pandemic the last weekend in January, after a dual meet against Mountain Empire at the same event.

The Redhawks, representing Pine Valley, put up much more resistance than the green Vikings from the El  Centro area, who probably are a lot stronger on their varsity contingent.

Oliver Franklin, Emi Barajas Najera, Slater Olson, Streeter Kerch, Colton Warren, and Ayden Kim all took their opponents down in a row with falls. All are new to the La Jolla program except Kim, a returning junior.

After a pin by Holtville, the red Vikings resumed their mastery with a pin by senior Dylan Haugum, coming back to wrestling after two years off, who pinned his opponent within seconds.

Said Haugum after his second pin in as many matches on the evening, "Which pin did I like more? The first one (against Mountain Empire)--I hit him harder. I slammed him (to the mat) (which is legal if it is under control)." The 12th-grader had a big smile on his face.

LJ wrestling: Photos 12/11

Photos by Ed Piper

Maddie Quach's official scorebook for La Jolla

Lincoln's scoresheet

LJ wrestling 36, Lincoln 45 - 1st of 4 league dual meets - 12/11

La Jolla's Maddie Quach (top) pins her opponent

in 45 seconds as the Vikings start out fast

in their first dual meet of the season.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla was powered by its proven steadies, as seniors Noah Pace (126 pounds), Liam Kressin (150), and Asher Sternberg (wrestling up a weight class at 215)--joined by junior transfer Victor Franklin (138)--all won by pins in the Vikings' first of four dual meets in the Eastern League Thursday evening, Dec. 11.

New head coach Joey Stofko, the stepdad of Sternberg, led the Viking grapplers into the meet at Lincoln High, which eked out a narrow 45-36 win.

Pace and Kressin both reached the CIF Masters tournament last February, while Asher made it as far as the Division 4 finals. Franklin, returning to live in La Jolla with his family after attending Temecula Valley for his freshman and sophomore years, presents a new, intriguing feature for the coastal school's squad.

Sternberg, who also goes by the name Mazzen, took his opponent right to the mat and scored his pin within the first moments of the initial period. Noah "the Constrictor" (sewed on his letterman's jacket), Franklin, and Kressin all accomplished their falls in the second period.

Meanwhile, Patrick Fitzmaurice, a 157-pounder who was an alternate at the Masters tourney last winter, had to play trombone in the LJHS band's concert Thursday night. JV wrestler Julianna Barron was at the same event. The Vikings had to piece things together to fill Patrick's spot from their pool of resources.

The dual meet started off with an exciting exhibition in which senior Maddie Quach pinned her opponent in a quick 45 seconds, then kept up the high pitch with the early wins by Pace, Franklin, and Kressin.

"I wanted to start off the season being aggressive," said a smiling Quach, who also kept the official scorebook for La Jolla during the meet. She was, accomplishing the fall in a fraction of the time the whole bout could have lasted.

Told she looked "powerful" against her opponent, she said politely, "Thank you."

LJ g water polo: More photos 12/9

Photos by Ed Piper

Alicia Lopez Vargas (5), whom Coach Tom Atwell

calls a facilitator, handles the ball on offense

versus defender Grace Tollner.

Starter Alicia Lopez Vargas (5) advances

the ball toward the attacking zone

as La Jolla takes the ball over.

JSerra's Sloane Paulson (7) makes contact

as she defends Vikings' Alicia Lopez Vargas,

who is trying to shoot or pass.

LJ g water polo: Photos 12/9

Photos by Ed Piper

LJ's Carys Villano (15) shoots in the first half

against Skylar Shin (17) and Malia Offenberg (4)

in the match at JSerra.

Alicia Lopez Vargas (5) of the Vikings works against

the aggressive defense of Lions' Grace Tollner (5).

Viking Avery Edstrom (2, white cap, far left)

looks for an open teammate to pass to.

Avi Cavaiola (3, white cap) is lower center.

Freshman Carys Villano (15)

gets tested with the tough

Lions defense, #10 in the nation

last year.

Sloane Paulson (7) of the Lions easily wins

the sprint at the start of the second quarter

against the Vikings' Taylor Goldstein (9).

Cora Pfau (4) sets up in the offense.

LJ goalie Lucia Vega

Avi Cavaiola (back, mostly hidden) gets

swamped by defender Kam McCord (3)

of the Lions.

Taylor Goldstein (9, white cap) gets dunked

by the defense of Skylar Shin (behind).

LJ's Avi Cavaiola (3, white cap) goes under

as Kam McCord (3, black) and a teammate

double-cover her.

Avi Cavaiola (3) of La Jolla passes

under intense pressure from

Skylar Shin (17), a freshman.

LJ g water polo 7, JSerra 21 - 12/9

Aviana Cavaiola (3, white cap) tries to back

her way toward the goal as she is defended

by JSerra's Kylin Barnes (14, black cap)

in the second half Tues., Dec. 9.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla's girls water polo team has been on the top looking down this season (for example, LCC four days before), and Tuesday, Dec. 9's match was definitely the opposite experience as the Vikings traveled the 60 miles to San Juan Capistrano and were humbled by national superpower JSerra, 21-7.

Coach Ethan Damato's first-year team--he having moved over from club water polo--dominated the talented but striving Vikes. LJ coach Tom Atwell kept to mostly his rotation players, while his opposite subbed in every player on the roster as the lead ballooned.

The Lions sped off to a quick 4-0 lead in the first three-plus minutes, behind authoritative goals from junior Kylin Barnes, senior Sloane Paulson, Barnes again--firing a shot off goalie Lucia Vega's arm--and senior Maddy Weston.

La Jolla attacker Cora Pfau stopped the bleeding for a second with her own score from the point. Freshman Carys Villano added another two minutes later, at 1:33 left in the first  period, to edge back, 4-2.

Teammate Avi Cavaiola, with Pfau looked to for a lot of production, was having a difficult time getting situated in the center, and being open enough to receive a pass. JSerra defenders were aggressive, physical, on top of players they were guarding--leaving no room to maneuver.

LJ's Taylor Goldstein (white cap) is heavily

covered by Skylar Shin (17, black cap, right)

and Sloane Paulson (far left) of JSerra during

the first half.

It was more than being being pushed back on their heels. The visitors were watching, as the Lions began forcing errors, stealing passes, and scoring on fastbreaks.

Barnes, after her hard shot off Vega's arm, toyed with her with a soft touch, a lob on a breakaway goal for 7-2 later in the second quarter. The PA announcer commented on another gentle score, "If the lob isn't broken, don't fix it."

Atwell's squad is going to have to increase their physicality against elite teams. Villano, starting or being inserted early in games so far in the early season, and Mackenzie, among the four freshmen on the roster, will have to adjust to the faster speed of the game and the physical aspect.

The coach commented at the Rancho Bernardo Tournament last weekend that Cathedral Catholic is improved. The other Western League contender, Bishop's, brings back its team that has won 13 league titles in a row.

LJ g water polo: Q&A with JSerra coach 12/9

Viking team leaders (in the pool) get ground rules

from the referees before the La Jolla-JSerra

match in San Juan Capistrano Tues.,

Dec. 9. (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Ethan Damato is the new coach of JSerra's varsity girls water polo team. La Jolla played at Junipero Serra Catholic High School, which goes by JSerra, in San Juan Capistrano Tues., Dec. 9.

The Lions were ranked 10th in California, 10th in the nation last year.

Q: Tell me a little about your team.

Damato: (Silence)

Q: Who are some leaders?

Damato: We have some pretty good senior leadership, with Kam McCord, Sloane Paulson, Maddy Weston, our goalie Sayre (sigh-eer) Duran. We also have some good youth. We'll play four or five freshmen today. Pretty balanced.

Q: Do you know anything about La Jolla?

Damato: I just know they're a good program. They have some quality players, I know from the club side of things. It's good to play an out-of-the-area team that's one of the better teams in their (CIF) section. Just excited for a quality game today.

Q: Do you guys schedule matches, like the boys teams played each other? Is it a regular thing?

Damato: This is my first year coaching at JSerra. They played them last year, so I looked at the schedule and emailed the coach. He said he could have a game with us. So, here we go.