The Pipeline

Sunday, August 30, 2026

LJ FB: Still more photos 8/28

Photos by Ed Piper

LJ's Jackson Hanlon (8), in his first action

coming back from injury--playing both ways--

bears the brunt of bruising Jacob Fee (19)

on this 13-yard run. Grossmont scored

on the drive, taking an early 8-7 lead.

LJ FB: More photos 8/28

Photos by Ed Piper

Tight end Nico Bardaro (15) completes

a pass-and-run from QB Ty Tortorice

for 20 yards and a TD, 7-0, in the

first quarter at Grossmont.

Starting QB Ty Tortorice (hand raised) gets

sideline instructions from LJ head coach

Tyler Roach (holding play chart) with

eight minutes left in the third quarter.

Hiller wide receiver Max Bewley (3) is going

to slip a tackle and take a reception 27 yards

to the LJ 39 early in the first quarter.

Senior Nico Bardaro (15) takes a pass

from Ty Tortorice 17 yards for first

down on the Vikings' opening possession.

LJ scored a TD seven plays later.

QB Brody Bukich (clapping the count) sets the

offense midway through the third quarter,

the Vikings leading 14-8.

Tyler Holmes (16), Grossmont QB,

runs before a flag brings the play back.

The senior was just getting warmed up,

running for 137 yards and passing for

182 more.

Saturday, August 29, 2026

LJ FB: Game story 8/28

LJ QB Ty Tortorice takes a keeper

on the Vikings' opening possession.

The visitors assumed a 7-0 lead after this drive.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

The Vikings did something right--actually, two things: The second was the kicking/punting game, which was fabulous in the persons of juniors Ryan Hassankhami and Bap Ferton. Ryan kicked a 35-yard field goal under pressure to put La Jolla temporarily ahead, 17-16, with 7:43 left in the game.

Bap, short for "Baptiste", nailed multiple long kickoffs at key times, keeping host Grossmont in tough field position.

The first thing Coach Tyler Roach's offense corrected from their opener at Patrick Henry a week ago was to start out well. Sophomore quarterback Ty Tortorice directed a successful drive beginning on the 23-yard line that efficiently included almost every weapon the Vikings had: a 15-yard pass completion to a newly-returned Jackson Hanlon; another of 17 yards to Nico Bardaro; two runs by the steady Kali Deberry; and a pair of rushes between the tackles by Joseph Crudo.

The piece de resistance was a screen left by Tortorice to Bardaro from the Grossmont 20-yard line to complete the drive for a 7-0 red-and-black lead.

Unfortunately, the Viking offense got stuck in neutral until late in the second quarter, when two-way player Crudo ran for the front left corner of the end zone from 17 yards out. Joseph was able to touch the ball just inside pay dirt, La Jolla taking a 14-8 lead on Hassankhami's PAT kick.

What the visitors didn't count on was Foothiller QB Tyler Holmes going "The Hulk", as he repeatedly passed (12 completions for 182 yards), but more impressively kept the ball and ran all over La Mesa/El Cajon for 137 yards on 18 tries. The indefatigable senior ran for TD's beginning the fourth quarter (a 16-14 lead) and a short time later (24-17)--after Ryan's field goal--to seal the game.