Spring Training dreams

By Ed Piper

With next year's Spring Training in doubt with MLB's Collective Bargaining Agreement expiring after the World Series--a lockout of players looming if the owners don't get more of what they want toward a salary cap--we made our reservations for an AirBnB in the desert for the last week in February the other day.

The dreams began, as I bought tickets for the Cubbies and Sloan Park (a personal favorite) on a weekday, when the multitudinous Chicago fans won't be flying in for the weekend yet with their untanned white legs in shorts above work shoes. The beautiful venue worked great last year, when parking lot attendants shuttled my wife and me right to the steps of the stadium on a busy, busy night.

It's about being at a Spring game, enjoying the sounds of the ballpark, the smell of hotdogs, ball against wooden bat. Doesn't matter where, as "hope springs eternal" before the season starts and every team is even with an undefeated record.

I never went to Spring Training as a child--my dad wasn't into sports, and my mom, with my dad both supportive though not tuned into the Arizona activity (nor did it exist the way it does now, with 15 teams in 10 ballparks--a switch from the 60's when almost all teams trained in Florida). But nostalgia reigns, and names like Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, even Frank Robinson and Greg Maddux coming back into play and conversation. (Josh Gibson, "Cool Papa" Bell, and Satchel Paige were pretty cool, too.)

On the weekend in the middle of the week in the Valley of the Sun, we'll juggle visits with close friends and 1 p.m. (Mountain Time) ballgames at various parks throughout the valley. The friendship angle has really kicked in for my wife, who couldn't care less if they used metal bats or wooden bats. One couple lives in Gilbert, directly south of Mesa, where the Cubs will be located.

But Sloan Park will be jammed on the weekend, so we'll probably opt for Salt River Fields for the Rockies or Diamondbacks. On another weekday, we'll drive back west to Goodyear Park, where the Reds and Guardians play--last year we found a wonderful counter for handicapped near the top of the stands, in the shade, a metal surface to lay our treats on while we relax and enjoy the ambience.

Plus parking isn't horrible at Goodyear, since Ohio fans don't travel the way zillions of Illinois fans do, and they're not a big draw in greater Phoenix--more like a private club. Easy access, ease of mind.

In past years, when I went to Spring Training solo, I would drive up the 17 toward Flagstaff to visit the Native American ruins at Tuzigoot. I remember ice and frost on the ground, as I went before the later-March heat and early in the morning, to catch a fresh day.

Hole-in-the-Rock in Papago Park in Phoenix is fun, watching families scale their way up two paths to either the right or left, up and around the rocks to come out on top--with a view over the distance of all the communities surrounding Phoenix.

I often went to a retreat spot, that featured a spiritual labyrinth and a quiet that allowed one to listen and think: the lone dog barking in the early morning from the houses surrounding the back of the retreat center, no crowds, a quiet vigil or mass conducted by solemn priests. A place to regain your soul, to hear the still, small voice. Rare in this age of cellphones and other devices.

Lots of memories, and hopefully a lot more to come.

LJ wrestling: Long, illustrious history at Holtville Tourney

By Ed Piper

Noah Pace, Victor Franklin, and the other five Viking wrestlers who battled in the 62nd Annual Holtville Rotary Invitational this past weekend (Jan. 30-31) resumed what has been a parade of warriors going back at least to the 1990's in the annual competition.

After a six-year gap (since 2020), first-year head coach Joey Stofko led a seven-spot of wrestlers into the tourney Fri., Jan. 30 in the desert. They were building on a foundation of the many other La Jolla High student-athletes who have competed in the tournament, going back to the 1990's, when results are available.

The most decorated La Jolla wrestler in that time is Juan Sanchez, in 1999 named the Outstanding Wrestler for the lower weights at 114 pounds. The Schon brothers, Dan and Paul, received honors in the 2000's, placing sixth at 152, then fifth at 163 in 2000-2001 (Dan), and first at 147 pounds, and second at 162 in 2002-2003 (Paul) to complete the family dominance at Holtville. Paul Schon is said to be the last Viking go to the state CIF tournament.

There have been many other red-and-black representatives who have made the 130-mile trek to the desert and upheld La Jolla's honor: Ryan Lennard, long-time coach of the current Vikings, is listed in the Holtville program as taking sixth place at 137 pounds in 2004, his senior year.

The earliest mention of La Jolla in Holtville records comes in the 1994 competition, when Miki Kunitake (103), Mike Reese (135), Jason Lee (140), James Gates (145), and Naiche ("nye-shees") Kennedy (275) all placed in the top six in their respective weight classes. Walter Fairley, Jr., La Jolla's Coach Emeritus, and others still have contact with Kunitake and Naiche, as well as Juan Sanchez.

Kunitake and Kennedy again placed in 1995, along with Sam Mestre (133) and Chris Maxfield (192).

With Sanchez (104) placing as a sophomore in 1997, others performed well, including Julio Marenco (126), Ian Reddish (136), and Matt Lagler (153).

Eric Peterson (173) and Wade Green (277) broke through in the 1998 edition, along with repeaters Sanchez (105 as a junior) and Reddish (137).

One notices how in the early years of the extant records, schools we would no longer think of as having powerful programs show up: Mountain Empire, which is located near Mount Laguna and Campo (two top-6 finishers in 1992); Valhalla no longer participates in the tourney, but had many top placers in 1993; Orange Glen dominated that same year.

Rancho Bernardo came out of the woodwork in 2004-2005, and under Coach Joe Eddie Terribilini now vies with local powers Granite Hills and Brawley for the team title on a yearly basis.

*  *  *

A side note is that Willie James Jones, whom Fairley coached at Lincoln High, won the Outstanding Wrestler award in the upper weights in 1993. The valedictorian/student body president has the City Conference Championships tourney (competed for a week before) named after him. Willie was gunned down in random gang violence before entering college on a full wrestling scholarship. Fairley still speaks fondly of him and his family, whom he knows personally.

LJ b wrestling @ 62nd Annual Holtville Rotary Invitational - 1/30

Photos by Ed Piper

Viking Victor Franklin (134 pounds) defeats

his first opponent, Luis Blue (far left)

of Olympian, with a fall in 3:28.

Franklin pins Blue, then after winning a second

match by decision has to take a medical forfeit

for a concussion. Victor, a junior transfer from

Temecula Valley, goes the farthest of any

La Jolla High wrestler in the tournament

this year.

Vikings' Noah Pace sits out in trying to avoid

further points by his second-round foe,

Zephyr Audubon of Carlsbad, under

the domed Holtville High gym. The structure

was built in 2006.

Noah Pace (122) is tied 4-4 in his second match,

then succumbs 13-5 to Zephyr Audubon (bottom)

of Carlsbad with a medical issue. It was the

second round.

LJ g water polo 6, Bishop's 14 - 1/29

Photos by Ed Piper

Viking Avery Edstrom (2, right) looks for a pass

on offense.

Aviana Cavaiola (near) reaches for a loose ball

under pressure.

Lefty Katie Johnson (left, 6) faces Vikings Carys

Villano (15, near right) and other defenders.

Avi Cavaiola (left, 3) rises up to fire a shot

against Gigi Paredez (11) of Bishop's.

Lotte Lightner (white 7) of Bishop's swipes a ball

from Avery Edstrom (2).

La Jolla High Assistant Principal Athletics

Joe Cavaiola (R) with Bishop's water polo

coach Ian Davidson before the game.

Prep track: Leed in the lead

Viking Leed Smoole (left) breaks out of a starting

crouch as he trains under Haneef Shaheed in the

Shaheed Speed sprinters club at Mira Mesa High

Tues., Jan. 27. Shaheed is visible at rear right,

second from right in blue "Seattle" sweatshirt,

partially hidden. (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Haneef Shaheed had me on the first comment.

"I see you're wearing your Seattle Seahawks sweatshirt," I called out on the sidelines during the Viking girls soccer team's game at Mira Mesa High Tues., Jan. 27.

I hadn't met Shaheed, the father of Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (who played at Mt. Carmel High), but I could tell he had something to do with a group of high school sprinters he was running through their paces.

I thought I was so clever. The Seahawks play in the Super Bowl Sun., Feb. 8, only a week and a half away. Haneef was, obviously, proudly wearing the blue sweatshirt with the playoffs going so well.

Shaheed's rejoinder: "I see you're wearing your Dodgers sweatshirt," he quickly responded. The Dodgers won their second World Series in a row in Oct./Nov. Who isn't going to show the logo off?

I was reminded, always be ready out in public. You're going to get called on your stuff.

Meanwhile, Leed Smoole of La Jolla High was running with the other students. Lo and behold, a man in a red sweatshirt walked by as I was taking photos of the Viking soccer game. He eyed me, and I eyed him. We couldn't tell until we were five feet away--my former principal in Juvenile Court schools, Tracy Thompson.

"Lalo," he addressed me. I used to go by that Spanish version of "Ed" or "Eddie". I can always tell where I know someone from by what they address me as.

Tracy was my principal while I was a long-term substitute teacher at Rancho del Campo in East County, then when I was hired at Camp Barrett on a permanent contract, he was my principal in the Mountain 
Region (so called, including Campo and Barrett).

I told his walking buddy, "He always told me he wore Marshall Faulk's number before Marshall Faulk." Number 28.

Tracy, a big, powerful man with muscular shoulders, played running back for SDSU back in the day. I misremembered his number as 45--he reminded me 28. I looked in my phone contacts, and I had it there correctly, entered years ago.

An incredible story, Tracy started as a teacher's assistant in Juvenile Court schools, then teacher, then principal, and finally Executive Director. He told me he retired two years ago.

He said, "You still doing this?" (taking photos and writing stories on La Jolla High sports). Me: "Yes, my 22nd year."

Meanwhile, Coach Shaheed was continuing his workout for sprinters with Leed and the others. I walked up to Leed, knowing him from track and football. "What is your school status?" I said, not quite sure why he was working out at Mira Mesa High. "High school." "Where do you go to high school?" "La Jolla," he told me. There are so many transfers these days, student athletes going to four different high schools in four years, that it is dizzying.

Another member of the workout group was doing high-knee double-tap steps quickly through metal devices on the end of the football field. I asked, "What do those do?" "They help us lift our knees for good form" in sprinting, she said.

"What is the name of the (track) club?" I asked, finally getting a picture of what was going on during the soccer game. "Rashid Speed," I think she said. "Rashid" for Haneef's son, since he's now a star in the NFL.

LJ track: Coach Ben Martin in the offseason

Sprinter Leed Smoole (left, running) receives

training under the watchful eye of Coach

Haneef Shaheed (far rear right, second

from right in blue "Seattle" sweatshirt,

partially hidden). The La Jolla senior

is expected to be a top competitor

this spring. (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Ben Martin became the La Jolla High track coach last Spring, with the first-ever Sunset Relays held on campus.

These comments were made Jan. 7 during offseason workouts.

Q: What does a head track coach/freshman (football) assistant do in the offseason?

BM: As soon as football is over, we (the track team) hit the weight room two days a week and we're on the track two days a week. Getting them ready, getting them stronger.

Q: Who can we look for in track this season?

BM: Chiara Dailey, obviously. She's going to be fun to watch her senior season.

Leed Smoole--I think he's going to be top of the county (sprints).

We have some newcomers coming up, freshmen. You don't really know until they compete. The girls team is strong, and the boys team is coming along. We have some strong sophomores.

Q: Is there another Dailey coming up?

BM: Yes (laughing), Blaze is a freshman. I think he was top 5 among freshmen, running distance for the first time. There are two more. (Jett is a sophomore. Dad, Adam, is girls track coach.) Zane... I can't remember the name of the other one.

LJ g water polo: Atwell update on 'physicality'

La Jolla's Cora Pfau (4, white cap) is out-physicalled

by Farren Moss (black cap, behind Pfau) of Bishop's

in the Knights' 18-8 win at home Jan. 20.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

The Viking girls water polo team had its final tune-up before a Western League rematch with Bishop's when they faced Helix at home Jan. 28. Before the game, La Jolla water polo coach Tom Atwell talked about the need to get his girls to play with more "physicality"--"we're making progress," he said.

Q: Can I ask questions of the tennis ball? (Atwell often holds a neon green tennis ball in his right hand during matches, and sometimes bounces it off the pool deck as he processes things.)

TA: Go ahead.

Q: The big question: What are adjustments the team is making and can make to increase its effectiveness?

TA: The biggest thing is our physicality. When we played last week against Bishop's (number-six team in the nation), they were way more physical than us, and I think we were taken a little aback by it.

We have to play today and tomorrow like we're not afraid to match up and to wrestle and to be more physical. I think if we can take care of the physical part, the other parts of the game will start to come together a little bit better.

I feel there's some little technical things we need to do better, but the single biggest thing is physicality.

Q: Is there a way to instill that?

TA: Next to not being able to coach size, it's the hardest thing to try to coach up, especially with a kid who is not comfortable being physical. We're getting there. We had a better practice a couple of days this week.