LJ b water polo: Host Bishop's Wed., 10/21

By Ed Piper

La Jolla's water polo team, having been defeated soundly by Cathedral Catholic Wed., Oct. 14, plays host to the other member of the Western League's "big three", Bishop's, on Wed., Oct. 21.

LJ FB: Even more photos 10/16

Photos by Ed Piper

Viking punter Ryan Hassankhami (far left, behind

#8) narrowly gets a kick off against the

Christian rush in the second quarter.

LJ QB Brody Bukich (7) takes a snap in dangerous

territory, the end zone, in the second quarter.

The Vikings punted, which led to Christian's

scoring drive given a short field--starting at the

35-yard line.

Jackson Hanlon (8) is tackled in the end zone

by the Patriots' Drew Gaut for a safety,

making the score 9-7 in favor of Christian

with seven minutes left in the third quarter.

LJ Cheer: LJ-Christian FB 10/16

Photos by Ed Piper

LJ FB: More photos 10/16

Photos by Ed Piper

Bryson Grant (4) takes in a 19-yard pass from

Viking QB Brody Bukich for a touchdown

with 4:34 left in the second quarter. It was

the eighth play in the drive. LJ tied the game, 7-7.

Tiny Christian QB Joel Hardy IV (far right),

a sophomore forced into starting when the

Patriots' original quarterback was injured,

faces a La Jolla defense of Nico Bardaro (15)

and Blake Alexander (9).

Junior Kali Deberry (23) gains 15 yards

on a screen pass to nearly reach midfield

early in the second quarter. Lineman

Zach Gergurich (middle) jolts the defender

on the play.

Freshman receiver Zakai

Jackson chats on the sidelines

after suffering a broken collarbone

against Cathedral last week,

Oct. 9.

LJ QB Brody Bukich (7) fires a pass to the right

intended for receiver Andre Hill (not in view).

Viking linebacker A.J. Lennan tackles

Christian running back Julian Morones (4)

at the end of the first half.

LJ freshman Ian Jameson (19) covers Quentin

Uhland (23) of Christian on this incomplete

pass early in the third quarter.

This touchdown by Julian Morones (black

uniform, falling) was called back for an

illegal shift by Christian in the third period.

Viking Sean Bannon (5, lying on the ground)

tried to tackle Morones on the play.

LJ FB: Game story 10/16

 

Viking running back Kali Deberry runs

for more of the 100 yards he gained

on 17 carries at Granite Hills High

Fri., Oct. 16.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

In a battle between 1-1 La Jolla and 0-2 Christian--their Eastern League records going in--the Vikings (now 3-5 overall) eked out a narrow 15-9 win by the smallest of margins under desert-like conditions with a strong wind blowing amid 84-degree conditions at Granite Hills High Fri., Oct. 16.

The decisive touchdown, following a 16-yard run from the Patriot 21-yard line by junior running back Kali Deberry, proved to be sweet partial vindication for La Jolla quarterback Brody Bukich.

The junior transfer from Mt. Carmel High has had struggles much of the season. Coach Tyler Roach has been patient with him. On second down-and-goal, Bukich ran behind blocking to the far right to cross the goal line from four yards out. The TD completely fooled the defense, which concentrated itself toward the middle of the line. It occurred with 6:14 remaining in the game, and the Viking defensive unit held on to make the score stand up.

Patriot coach Patrick Bugg's number-one weapon, Julian Morones, a sophomore who plays linebacker as he goes both ways on offense and defense, carried 24 times and nearly helped pull off a win.

After Christian went up 7-0 in the second quarter on QB Joel Hardy IV's 13-yard pass to fellow sophomore Gavin Runkle, the visitors answered right back on the next possession with Bukich's 19-yard completion to Bryson Grant for a 7-7 tie.

Then, after halftime, the Viking defense denied Morones and the Patriots on a drive that fell short inside the La Jolla five-yard line. On the play before Morones carried and was stopped shy of the goal line, Christian had a touchdown by the 5'9", 197-pound sophomore called back due to a flag for an illegal shift.

Taking over on downs, with their backs against the goal, the Vikings suffered a safety for two points scored against them when Bukich completed an aerial to Jackson Hanlon, who was standing in the end zone when he got tackled. La Jolla trailed, 9-7.

Before the game, Roach said his "inside linemen" were going to play a big role in the game. He was right: La Jolla's offense ground out 114 yards rushing among four players, while Christian covered 151 yards on the ground in the low-scoring game. Morones, with 135 yards, gained the bulk of the Patriots' ground game.

LJ FB 15, Christian 9 - Week 9 (of 11) - 10/16

Photos by Ed Piper

LJ running back Kali Deberry (23) runs past

a horde of Patriots on a 16-yard run that set up

QB Brody Bukich's keeper two plays later

for the go-ahead touchdown with 6:14 left.

Sophomore Julian Morones (4, far left) carried

 24 times for 135 yaards and almost willed Christian

to a win over the visitors. Here he is covered

by Viking defender Moxy Appelbaum (22).

This QB keeper by Brody Bukich (7)

completely fooled Christian's defense.

It covered four yards to the pylon

(orange marker, far left).

This roughing the kicker on a punt by lefty

Dan Casas (33) of Christian led to an automatic

Patriot first down ending the first quarter.

The defender was Bryson Grant. The hosts

failed to score, though.

LJ Defensive Coordinator Stephen Dixon (R)

talks to his defense, including A.J. Lennan (25),

during a timeout at the end of the first quarter.

Viking QB Brody Bukich (7) takes off

on a keeper on 1st-and-15 opening

the second quarter. He gained three yards,

but La Jolla could not capitalize on a 

15-yard screen pass from Bukich

to Kali Deberry on the drive.

This pass intended for Viking Jackson Hanlon (8,

far right) to start a short drive later in the

second period nearly got picked off for an

interception. Soren Lucey is the Christian

defender next to Hanlon. Max Viloria (21)

is far left.

LJ xc @ 3rd Eastern League cluster - 10/15

Photos by Ed Piper

La Jolla's "camp" at the cluster (right next to

the St. Augustine camp). Viking coach

Adam Dailey (red shirt, third from right)

and others are seen in this view from the grass.

Gabby Bardaro (335) leads the girls varsity

through a turn right off the main grass

area near the middle of the 2.2-mile race.

LJ g golf vs. OLP - 10/15

Photos by Ed Piper

Viking teammates Tiffanie Brownson (from left),

Liesl Kijora, and Natalie Sutton wait before

the match against OLP (in background, far right)

at Riverwalk.

Sophia Wright practices

driving with a wood

before the match. She

shot a 50 on the day.

Captain Bella Itkin shot a 40

over nine holes to lead LJ.

LJ assistant coach Noah

Marquez got in a few shots

on the driving range.

Presumably he played in

the coaches' pair later.

Liesl Kijora (far left) warms up on the driving

range, with assistant coach Noah Marquez

next to her. It was La Jolla's second Western

League match against the Lady Pilots, third

overall.

LJ b water polo: Game story 10/14

Viking freshman Spencer Robinson (6) passes

in the offense against Kai Reid (2)

of Cathedral Catholic. (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Two of the behemoths of national high school boys water polo, Cathedral Catholic, ranked number one in the U.S., and La Jolla, ranked fourth, faced off in their second Western League match Wed., Oct. 14, and it didn't quite match the close, fierce encounter two weeks earlier in Carmel Valley, when the Dons escaped with a 16-15 win.

But that doesn't mean the game wasn't intense. The entire space along the wall facing Nautilus Street was filled, and people knew that the outcome was between two giants, and that the result would further dictate the rankings and place in league.

A lot of followers, it would seem, would be looking ahead to the CIF playoffs, when the big three, these two with Bishop's, will vie in the postseason Open Division brackets.

After the Vikings' Dexter Black opened scoring with a penalty shot following three minutes of grueling defense on both sides, the Dons' Diego Dantas rapidly scored a pair of goals in less than a minute for a 3-1 Cathedral lead.

Max Bruhn, another bruiser, scored for the visitors to open up their first two-goal lead with two minutes left in the first quarter.

Henry Glenister (black cap) reaches for

a loose ball from his center position

in the offense, as the Dons' Diego Dantas (5)

puts an arm on his neck.

Coach Tom Atwell's Vikings hung tough, though, coming back to tie behind Quinn Daniels, wearing a different cap number this day--22--than his trademark "3". Center Henry Glenister's goal made it 3-3, before beefy Grayson Taylor of the Dons scored from the left for a 4-3 Cathedral lead ending the opening period. Taylor dominated the first quarter in the two teams' previous matchup.

The middle of the second quarter saw the Vikings' most productive stretch of the match, with Jude Laifa, then Glenister again scoring to give LJHS the advantage, 5-4. That was the last time La Jolla led, at 5:11.

Coach Tommy Corcoran's red-and-white unit, having made adjustments, then began to edge away. Eamon Bruhn scored to tie, then Dantas came back to score. Dexter hit an impressive one-on-one from the right side, before Dantas asserted authority with a go-ahead 7-6 goal. Cathedral would never trail again.

That finished the half. After the break, Cathedral's Max Bruhn, then Braylen Axline scored. By this time, Jack Davis, defending Black, was being really physical and neutralizing some of Dexter's earlier freedom to move around.

LJ b water polo 12, Cathedral Catholic 17 - second round of league - 10/14

Photos by Ed Piper

Quinn Daniels (22) of La Jolla and Eamon

Bruhn (7) of Cathedral have a close encounter

when Daniels passes in the offense. Action

took place in the first quarter.

Vikings defend against Dons' Eamon Bruhn (7,

white cap): Jude Laifa (far left), Henry Glenister

(right, arm up), and goalie Addie Calhoun

(behind Glenister).

LJ's Quinn Daniels (22) chases loose

ball. Diego Dantas of Cathedral stays near.

Lefty Henry Glenister (13) rises up to fire

a shot, defended by Kai Reid (2) of the Dons.

Dexter Black is to the side of Glenister

in the attack.

LJ FH 0, Bishop's 8 - 10/14

Photos by Ed Piper

Junior Sofia Saiegh (left, 10) pushes the ball

against Myla McCandless of Bishop's.

Ella Pearl (21), a forward, works against the

Bishop's defense to move the ball upfield.

LJ coach Amanda Combs Warford (right,

standing) gives last-minute instructions

to her team members before the game

at Bishop's.

LJ FB: More photos 10/9

Photos by Ed Piper

Jackson Hanlon (8, right, carrying ball)

takes a pass a few yards on 1st-and-10.

The next play was a pick by Cathedral,

leading to a 21-0 lead and a total shift

of momentum away from the Vikings'

valiant efforts to stay in the game.

Officials ruled that Don back Ashton Stewart's (25)

knee never touched the ground, and he got up

and ran the final couple of yards to the goal line

to score Cathedral's first TD in the first quarter,

7-0.

LJ FB: Photos 10/9

Photos by Ed Piper

Backed up on the 4-yard line, Viking QB

Brody Bukich (7) has to face the rush of

Tre'von Taylor (74) and others in the

second quarter, trailing the number-three

team in the county, 7-0.

LJ running back Kali Deberry (right)

rushes for a first down on a drive

to begin the second quarter. The Vikings

fumbled the ball over to Cathedral

on a bad snap.

Given superior field position, the Dons

score their second TD on an 18-yard pass

to Gianluca Busalacchi (here crossing

the goal line) from Koa Smith-Mayall.

The Viking pep band stands out, especially

the drum corps, which was cooking.

Viking receiver Nico Bardaro (15,

behind) grabs a Brody Bukich pass

for 31-yard reception as time runs

out in the fourth quarter.