The Pipeline

Sunday, November 5, 2017

LJ b water polo 8, Cathedral Catholic 7

Vikings take instruction from Coach
Tom Atwell (L) during timeout
in first half.
(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla looked like a completely different team from a week ago in a league-ending loss, and as a result was able to hold on for a thrilling 8-7 win over Cathedral Catholic in the quarterfinals of the CIF Open Division boys water polo playoffs Sat., Nov. 4.

In the earlier loss in the Dons' pool, a 7-3 whipping, the Vikings' second loss to Cathedral in league play, they had looked powerless and lethargic before their dominating hosts.

But the third time's a charm, and La Jolla was able to score first, then battle Cathedral in a seesaw struggle that saw eight ties before the go-ahead goal on a lob by sophomore Cole Atwell with five minutes left.

"We played as a team," said an out-of-breath Atwell right after getting out of the Coggan Pool before a large, vocal crowd. "The difference (from the loss to the Dons a week ago) was we wanted it more."

The Vikings went down by two goals, 5-3, the biggest deficit during the match, to begin the third quarter. But they fought back to tie behind scores by Atwell and senior Rory Groth.

In the final quarter, senior Maverick Becker's third goal came with 5:46 to knot the score at 7-7, before Atwell's floater from the left side arched over Don goalie Andrew Kuypers to enter the upper right of the goal.

La Jolla goalie Cole Raulston recorded 14 saves in a performance in which he elevated his game to fit the occasion.

The Vikings move on to the Open Division semifinals Wed., Nov. 8, for a 7:30 p.m. match against Bishop's, which destroyed Valhalla 15-3 in a later game after La Jolla's win Saturday afternoon at Coggan Pool.

SCORING

La Jolla-Cathedral Catholic
1st Quarter
1-0 - LJ goal by Maverick Becker - 0:30
1-1 - CC goal by George Harris - 0:07

2nd Quarter
1-2 - CC goal by Christopher Sturtevant - 6:05
2-2 - LJ goal by Johnny Dickerson - 5:29
3-2 - LJ goal by Tyler Brown - 4:40
3-3 - CC goal by Christopher Sturtevant - 4:17
3-4 - CC goal by Matt Stone - 0:54

3rd Quarter
3-5 - CC goal by Christopher Sturtevant - 6:08
4-5 - LJ goal by Cole Atwell - 5:09
5-5 - LJ goal by Rory Groth - 4:06
5-6 - CC goal by Thomas Gruwell - 1:11
6-6 - LJ goal by Maverick Becker - his second - 0:20

4th Quarter
6-7 - CC goal by George Harris - 6:18
7-7 - LJ goal by Maverick Becker - his third - 5:46
8-7 - LJ goal by Cole Atwell - 4:57

Saturday, November 4, 2017

LJ FB: CON to return next year at Oxy

Carlton O'Neal (3) hauls in a Collin Rugg pass for a 39-yard
TD against Santa Fe Christian in a CIF first-round
54-17 win November 14, 2014. (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Carlton O'Neal, an All-CIF receiver at La Jolla High during the halcyon years of 2013-2014, will remain at Occidental College and play football for the Tigers next fall.

This came from his father, who attended the La Jolla-University City game Nov. 3 to watch his younger son, Johnathan O'Neal, a standout defender.

Occidental, a highly-respected academic university in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, and an NCAA Division 3 school in athletics, cancelled Homecoming this season and the final three games of its 2017 season due to a dwindling number of players, because of injuries and a shrinking roster to begin with.

Oxy, where Buffalo Bills quarterback and politician Jack Kemp matriculated, and where President Obama attended as an undergraduate, had not had to cancel football games since the World War II era, according to the senior O'Neal.

"Carlton could have finished this year (after three years in college), but he will graduate at mid-year next year," said O'Neal's father in the waning minutes of La Jolla's 55-31 loss to University City for the City League title. Carlton is majoring in biology, and is interested in pursuing research in gene therapy for cancer following graduation, according to his father. At a later date, he may consider entering a Ph.D. program, he said.

Occidental has made its mark in the sports world, as well as academics. Besides Kemp, a quarterback who went on to play and star in the NFL, Sammy Lee, a diver, was a two-time gold medal winner in the Olympics in the 1940's.

Among other politicians, besides Obama and Kemp, Robert Finch served as Lieutenant Governor in California.

LJ FB 31, UC 55

Incredible skies greeted the Vikings during pregame
warm-ups for their tilt at UCHS. (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

University City's football team, led by Marcel Patterson's 280 rushing yards and four touchdowns, downed La Jolla in the local rivalry, 55-31, to take home the City League title Fri., Nov. 3.

The battle for the championship, with both teams entering 3-0 in league play, came down to the final game of the regular season. La Jolla led early, 10-0, and the entire first half, taking a 17-12 edge into the locker room at halftime.

But after falling behind by nine points early in the fourth quarter, then coming back within three at 27-24, Coach Tyler Roach's team saw the wheels come off as UC tallied five times to put the game away.

The Vikings (now 5-5 overall) hoped to win their first conference championship since the 1990's, but it wasn't to be--even though quarterback Trevor Scully found receiver Michael Wells for a scoring strike, pulling within 41-30 with just over three minutes left to make the finish interesting.

Scully, passing for 3 TD's and rushing for one, surpassed 2,000 yards in the air for the season by going 22 for 46 and 324 yards. That pushed the senior's total through 10 games, with the playoffs next week, to 2,274 yards with 26 passing touchdowns. He also has six rushing TD's for a total of 32.

Senior receiver Miles Matalon, who had been making noise in recent games, enjoyed the breakout game of his career with seven catches for 158 yards and two touchdowns. His TD's came on pass plays covering 70 and 54 yards from Scully.

His second score brought the Vikings to within 27-24 in the fourth quarter. On the spectacular play, the 6'1", 180-pounder struggled into the end zone with multiple defenders hounding him.

Senior co-captains Tucker Jacobs and Johnathan O'Neal led the La Jolla defense by displaying their usual lunch-bucket ethic in registering six tackles apiece, five of those solos for Jacobs from his outside linebacker position, four for O'Neal, the free safety.

Freshman linebacker Max Smith continued his standout play, blocking a punt and taking down five tackles, four of those unassisted.

In the first quarter, the Vikings initiated the scoring with a six-yard quarterback keeper by Scully after a fake handoff to Gabe Solis. Steady Nick Goehler's kick made it 7-0 with 6:38 on the clock.

Goehler, kicking soccer-style, then plowed a 25-yard field goal between the uprights with 1:17 left in the opening quarter for a 10-0 La Jolla lead.

UC's Patterson scored the first of his TD quad on a 75-yard run from scrimmage that electrified the large Centurion crowd, who were introduced to UC's senior players and families in a long procession at halftime. The rushing score came a short time before the first quarter ended.

The hosts took a 12-10 lead midway through the second quarter after junior linebacker E'lonte Rico was ruled to have taken the ball away from the Vikings' O'Neal on a fumble after a pass reception. La Jolla disputed the call, in which O'Neal seemed to go down to the turf with the ball as he was tackled by Rico and another defender. Rico held the ball in the air after ripping it away from O'Neal at some point, and it was ruled a recovered fumble for UC (now 9-1 overall).

Rico then went on a tear during the ensuing offensive series, running six times in seven plays to score on a three-yard run for a 12-10 UC lead.

Then Matalon got the Vikings the lead back with the first of his pair of long touchdown receptions, this one for 54 yards on a connection from Scully. Goehler's PAT kick was good, and the red and black took a 17-12 lead into halftime.

After a seesaw struggle through the third quarter, and the Centurions taking a 19-17 lead they would never give up, the fourth quarter saw a total of seven TD's scored, unfortunately for La Jolla five of those by the hosts to secure the win and the league title.

Friday, November 3, 2017

LJ FH: Liu cookin'

By Ed Piper

Early in La Jolla's field hockey game at Serra Mon., Oct. 23, the Vikings' Serene Liu, defending the Conquistadors' Katie Schneider, took the ball right away from the star player and headed upfield.

It's probably the last time Schneider, with years of playing experience on an undefeated team, underestimated the LJHS sophomore.

It wasn't the first time Liu has made her impact in this, her breakout season under the Vikings' new coach, Amanda Warford.

"She's our center defender," said Warford before the game. "Serene has a good mindset. She stays low through her block tackles" (when a defender quickly lays her entire stick down on the turf to block a ball).

Liu also shows good speed and agility, using her athleticism to make the most of her skills after having played only one year of the sport. It's hard for anyone coming in new to a sport.

Warford was also complimentary of Kate Hartford, another sophomore, for stepping up. "Kate is very consistent and reliable on the posts, tipping goals in," said her coach. Hartford and teammate Nora Joyce both had hat tricks in recent games.

Leaders of note, in the coach's view, have included seniors Joyce and Nikki Collins, and junior Morgan Hansen.

"All three cover the middle of the field. They're always in the right space. They're strong offensively and defensively."

Of Hansen, a junior captain, Warford said: "She is our strongest hitter. She has great vision. She makes great passes. Morgan sees the space. She understands the structure. She has a lot of assists."