LJ Coaches' Wall of Honor

By Ed Piper, Jr.

Walk around the new home side concession stand at Edwards Stadium and you can view the new Wall of Honor, with coaches' names etched into the cement wall.

Howard Frank, a founding member of the La Jolla High School Foundation and father of Viking baseball player/head coach Gary Frank, says the idea sprang from a conversation with Principal Dr. Chuck Podhorsky a year ago.

In 1925--three years after the school opened--Clarence Johnson coached both varsity basketball and baseball. Record-holders for number of years coached include Chuck Boyer, the boys cross country coach for 35 years as well as boys track coach for a measly 29 years, and Gene Edwards, who the stadium is named after. Edwards was head football coach for 29 years.

"Over the years," says Frank, "there have been 27 sports played at La Jolla. We went back and looked at who coached each (varsity) team each year. The criteria (for the wall) included having to be a varsity coach for five years."

The etching isn't completely finished, with the contracted worker to return in the next two weeks to clean up some letters that didn't come out clearly. Included with the old-timers are some recognizable names for newbies, such as Gary Frank, Ryan Lindenblatt in wrestling, Kristin Jones in women's soccer, and Greg Volger--now a baseball coach--listed under boys volleyball.

The elder Frank says a dedication ceremony is scheduled Oct. 14, as part of Homecoming. At that time, Athletic Director Paula Conway has said a ribbon-cutting will take place for the newly renovated facilities, including the turf field, press box, trainer's room, weight room, locker rooms, and coaches' offices, in addition to the softball field.

The new tennis resurfacing, with a spectator's pavilion on the south side of the courts behind the new buildings also in the plans, will be dedicated the same evening, according to Frank.

"We found 27 coaches that have coached a varsity sport for 10 or more years, eight with 15 or more years, and seven with 10 years or more," says the statistically-astute Frank.

He pointed out that women's sports weren't sanctioned by CIF until 1974, two years after Title IX decreed that institutions must provide equal opportunities for girls as well as boys. Soccer, then much later lacrosse have been sanctioned as official CIF sports. Sand volleyball would appear to be the next sport to receive official recognition.

In 1937, Frank says, Percy Allen, Bob Allen's father, served as baseball coach while being principal of La Jolla High. There were few walk-on (non-campus teacher) coaches in earlier days. Bob Allen, now an assistant baseball coach, was long-time head baseball coach and athletic director.

The committee of Sandy Erickson, Class of 1962 and founder of the Alumni Association, Rick Eveleth, Class of 1964 and former teacher, basketball coach, and athletic director--the latter two for 27 years--and Frank has not yet been able to document who coached Viking baseball in 1922 and 1923. Of course, if LJHS opened in Fall 1922, there wouldn't have been a school team in 1922, since baseball is a spring sport.

LJ FB: Bull Run

Daniel McColl would be scary to have to face head-on.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

Bull Run.

Looking at La Jolla's big Daniel McColl running the football, one thinks of that phrase. He's just going to bull his way forward with the ball.

With the Vikings facing second-and-goal from the four-yard line in their game against Coronado Sept. 16, they turned to their human earthmover.

"I feel the earth move under my feet 
I feel the sky tumbling, a-tumbling down" - Carole King

He got half the four yards. He did the hardest part. Then someone else took it the rest of the way on a subsequent play.

Bull Run, or Manassas, is actually the name of a battle site in the Civil War. But that's where Daniel makes his stand. And with the other parts of La Jolla's offense--quarterback Cole Dimich, for one--enjoying success in moving the ball forward in their game in week four on the ground, maybe that's where Matt Morrison's offense is more and more going to take its stand.

Alex Dockery is the "hardest working man in show business"--er, football--to steal James Brown's self-appointed nickname. He does some of the hard yardage his team needs, just like McColl. He's not as big, so Friday against Coronado he was feeling some of his old groove and juking left and right to pick up some real estate.

Stay with what works for you--Bull Run. Sprinkle some Dimich passes in, for good flavoring.

LJ FB 16, Coronado 6

Tanner Watson's TD catch

was called back on a penalty

in the second quarter.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

Senior running back Alex Dockery plunged over from one yard out, and Jesse Pacleb snagged an errant pass by Coronado at the six-yard line to run it in for the score, all in the second quarter, to provide La Jolla's margin of victory over the visiting Islanders Fri., Sept. 16, 16-6.

Goofy-footer Kenny Hayden added a 20-yard field goal at the end of the third quarter as the Vikings stopped a two-game loss streak and evened their record on the season at 2-2.

"We're asking our players to play four quarters," said La Jolla coach Matt Morrison before the game. His team provided that, not in a pretty fashion, but enough to hold off a Coronado threat in the final quarter to secure the win.

The Vikings had a touchdown on a spectacular catch by receiver Tanner Watson over his defender in the end zone called back on a penalty just prior to Pacleb's grab.

Dockery's score completed a 15-play drive by La Jolla that took about six minutes spread over the end of the first quarter to 9:21 of the second quarter. On the drive, senior Cole Dimich showed particular effectiveness on six quarterback keepers. Morrison, calling the plays, mixed them up with two runs by Daniel McColl--one of them off a botched snap that bounced off Dimich and McColl grabbed--and passes to Sola Hope, Watson, Dockery, and McColl.

Pacleb's defensive touchdown startled everyone. Defensive end Andrew Mitchell had Islander quarterback Briley Knight in his clutches in the end zone when Knight, in desperation, flung the ball into the air in an ill-directed attempt to get rid of it. The ball arched toward Pacleb, surprised and delighted at his free gift at the six-yard line. Jesse caught it and ran the six yards for the defensive TD.

That came less than a minute after Tanner's TD was annulled, and put the host team up 13-0. Coronado was able to score just before the half on a flea flicker that Knight tossed downfield to receiver Joe Byrne, catching La Jolla flat-footed, on a 55-yard pass play.

Besides Dimich's effective runs, totaling 63 yards on 16 attempts on the night, Mitchell and Watson had their best games receiving to date. The much-improved Andrew, gaining bulk and speed over the offseason, had five catches for 65 yards to lead Viking receivers. Tanner, who spent spring football and summer passing league recuperating from an injury, totaled five receptions for 56 yards.

Dimich was 15 for 24 passing and 148 yards, for 211 total yards. 

McColl continued his consistency in contributing on offense, carrying 13 times for 48 physical yards. On defense, Daniel was a demon with two interceptions and four solo tackles in preliminary statistics. Dockery was a hard worker with 11 rushes for 35 yards. Hope added a pair of receptions for 13 yards.

Defensive end Ross Martin recorded a sack and was credited with three solo tackles in incomplete statistics.

Light

Daniel McColl in the gloaming last week,
Sept. 9, Week 3 of the football season.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

Light is a wondrous thing.

"And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light."

One of the ways I track light as a photographer is noticing how much light there is and where it's coming from at sports events.

Last week, early in La Jolla's home football game against Country Day, I was caught off guard by the sun shining right at me on the home (east) sideline.

I had been busy getting pregame comments and checking on the roster for the visiting Torreys, and assorted other things.

Then, as the national anthem was to be played (it didn't work--after several aborted tries, the home fans starting singing it a cappella), I hustled to face the Viking players to get some great face shots as they observed the flag.

Suddenly, the opening kick was over and I was shooting the first offensive series. The sun, though descending over the visitors stands on the east side of the field, was blasting straight at me!

That is not a good position for shooting good, clear action shots.

I decided to go with it, instead of packing up my stuff and running around the end of the field to the other sideline to shoot photos.

It would only be for a while.

I also thought, photos taken into the sun do have a quality of their own and can be quite dramatic.

Look at the one of Daniel McColl carrying the ball above: The light is a golden glow. Daniel is silhouetted as he rushes forward into the Country Day defense.

Not bad for art. But posting it on my website, I didn't take to it. Sitting alongside clear action photos taken later in the game (without the gloaming look), it just wasn't an action shot that was easy to see.

Thinking ahead to tonight's game, again at home, I realize I will probably have a little less sun at the start of the game against Coronado. One more week has passed. It's September 16. We're starting to lose that abundance of sun that we had when we were in the full flow of Daylight Saving Time (no "s" in "Saving").

By October, it's going to be colder out on the gridiron. And games will start, and end, with the sun completely down. By then, I will miss the light we do have--at least at the start of games--in the early part of the schedule.

Week 4: That means how many weekly games we are into the football schedule. It's also a way to measure light.

Prep FB: The other Cole

By Ed Piper, Jr.

Viking fans aren't going to be thrilled about this, but Braxton "Cole" Burmeister of Country Day is about to break the all-time San Diego Section CIF record for total yards.

The 6'1", 220-pound quarterback, who terrorized La Jolla Sept. 9 in a 42-23 win on the Vikings' hallowed new turf at Edwards Field, sits at 10,215 total offensive yards, after passing for four touchdowns against LJHS, according to LJCDS Athletic Director Jeff Hutzler.

The present record is held by Dillon Baxter, who played at Mission Bay from 2006 to 2009, with 10,230 yards.

Burmeister's total breaks down into 8,055 yards passing, 2,165 yards rushing, and -5 yards receiving.

In contrast, Baxter, who also pounded La Jolla in a non-memorable game (from the hosts' standpoint) as a senior on the old turf with six TD's, piled up 1,685 yards receiving, in addition to monumental totals in passing and receiving: 5,539 on the ground, 3,006 in the air.

LJ Cheer: Working hard

The Viking cheerleaders perform a stunt

during halftime at Blastoff

Sept. 2. It was the cheerleaders'

first time performing on the new field.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

The La Jolla High Cheer squad performed a cheer at halftime of the home football game against Country Day Fri., Sept. 9. The previous week, at halftime of Blastoff, advisor Cindee Russell's varsity team played a mock Powder Puff football game, then did a routine--all as part of their halftime performance.

The cheer squad, with returning veterans and newcomers alike, include Sabrina Gutierrez, Sally Chen, Diana Dominguez, Kayla Sabo, Hailey Ramos, Natalie Valle, Angelique Pacleb, and Julia Munson.

They were all working hard to engender enthusiasm in the crowd against the Torreys, as well as handling concession stand duties on the visitors' side for the first time. That's a method of fund-raising. Russell, herself, patronized the concessions to support her squad by buying nachos for her daughter and herself.

The squad is filled out by Allison Brown, Gisselle Martinez, Grecia Mondragon, Sophie McCormick, Sydney Ochoa, Raven Tafoya, and Nancy Terrazas.

The junior varsity also worked the snack bar to raise funds for the cheer program.

Russell said that the new performance team, made up of members of the cheer squad who will compete against other schools in routines with stunts, will start up later this school year.

LJ FB: QB whisperer

Cole Dimich throwing on the run against LJCD's

Casey Mariucci, who showed him how it was

done with many of his own receptions on the

offensive end from Torrey QB Braxton Burmeister.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

When I was a senior in high school, I was having a good season--a very good season--in basketball.

One area that could be tightened up was my free throw shooting. I was potentially a 70 or 80 percent free thrower, which is solid.

A schoolmate, Dave Goethel--a left-handed pitcher in youth baseball--took it upon himself to point out to me that I needed to concentrate better on my shots from the charity stripe.

He went even further than that: At lunch, on the outside basketball courts at Camarillo High School, he instructed me to take a few shots. He was very specific in what he told me to do.

Little did I know that in a future life he would be a golf pro who would instruct others in that sport.

Anyway, Dave was my first personal coach. Unpaid. He volunteered himself. And his targeted pointers made a difference in my results at the free throw line.

My greatest moment was sinking four free throws in overtime in a three-overtime upset of vaunted Santa Barbara High, which featured future Laker Don Ford, a 6'8" monster who averaged 28 points a game. We held him to, I think, 14 points, which was a major reason we, a lowly fifth-place Scorpions squad, upset the former team of Jamaal Wilkes, who the year before led Santa Barbara, with his teammate Ford, to the semis of the CIF Southern Section's 4A championships, the highest level.

All of this is to say that the Vikings' quarterback, Cole Dimich, through three games seems like he may have a concentration issue, as well.

His passing is effective at times, but he just seems to be missing by that much in many of his throws. Occasionally, he'll throw a wobbler. But most of the time he throws a good ball.

Cole, an athletic young man who also starts in left field for Coach Gary Frank's baseball team, can throw on the run. He runs with the ball well, as shown by his rushing touchdowns in the season opener against Montgomery and in a disappointing loss before a home crowd to Country Day Sept. 9.

Dimich has his Dave Goethel in the person of Matt Morrison, his head coach, who was a quarterback in his playing days at Francis Parker. (Morrison had his own QB whisperer, his father John, who was his head coach at the private school.)

Morrison seems patient, he talks calmly to his players, and he is trying everything at his disposal to spring the Vikings' offense from the doldrums it has experienced the first three games of the Morrison era at La Jolla.

Another thing in Dimich's favor is his coach believes in him. Otherwise, he wouldn't be letting him throw 40 times in the game against the Torreys. The 6-foot, 180-pound senior completed 19 of them, many after the game was decided. He should be completing more than half of them.

In prior games, Dimich was 10 for 22 against the Aztecs, suffering first-game jitters and starting sluggishly, then 12 for 27 in a Blastoff loss in the home opener Sept. 2 against Hilltop.

After leading 21-7 in the third quarter against the Lancers and falling behind, the quarterback was unable to lead the Viking offense in a comeback. La Jolla lost narrowly, 24-21.

Jump-starting the offense is a key to the Vikings' success the rest of the season for more reasons than one. First, they need to successfully be able to march down the field on drives and finish, which they have only sporadically been able to do. That depends a lot on Dimich's leadership of the offense.

He needs to eliminate his errors, too, like having more self-assurance and not dropping the ball.

And second, with an opposing quarterback like Country Day's Braxton "Cole" Burmeister just chomping at the bit to get the ball again and direct his team on another drive, La Jolla's offensive unit needs to hold onto the ball and use up minutes--just to keep the ball away from the opponent.

I think Morrison can have the same effect on his quarterback that Dave Goethel had on his pupil back in the day.

It may be only a matter of clearing out all the mental distractions and getting Dimich to focus on each pass and ensuring it goes to the intended receiver.

Putting the ball in spots--we may see the Viking Cole click any time now.